WASIMA traces its roots to E. Fitzherbert and P. Genda’s research findings under T. Caro and M. Borgerhoff Mulder. Traditionally, the Sukuma practices “allow a lion killer to visit households, perform a special dance, and demand rewards for ridding the area of a potentially dangerous predator.” Fitzherbert and colleagues document how traditional lion killers morphed from avengers to hunters, effectively turning the tradition into an income-generating activity. They write: “This gift-giving tradition provides a sufficient economic incentive supporting persistent lion killing.  Contemporary lion killers no longer act as avengers, retaliating for loss or averting future attacks, but as hunters, pursuing non-threatening lions far from residential and grazing areas and often inside protected areas.” 

The finding led to the establishment of WASIMA (Watu, Simba na Mazingira or People, Lion and Environment) – a ‘bold environmental campaign aimed to halt non-retaliatory lion killing in Katavi National Park.’  VIMA (Vijana na Mazingira or Youth and Environment), a complementary program that provides conservation and livelihood-focused interventions to youth, between the ages of 12 – 35 years, in remote villages south of Katavi National Park, was also created. Landscape and Conservation Mentors Organization (LCMO) was established in 2016 to provide an institutional home for the two programs. Through the two programs, LCMO started by conducting operations in the Mpimbwe District Council, particularly in villages bordering Katavi National Park and other nearby areas. This strategy launch is associated with changing our organization name back to WASIMA.