Awarded in 2024
Based in Guma Nyaloi Panyimur (Pakwach District) near Lake Albert, Mahagi Territory - Democratic Republic of Congo
Lam The Kwaru Faith Group is recognised for its spiritual leadership and its longstanding commitment to environmental protection in the Albertine region of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rooted in an Indigenous belief system that honours the sacred relationship between people and the natural world, the group has become an important force for conservation, ecological awareness and cultural continuity.
Their spiritual practices situate forests, mountains, rivers and wetlands at the centre of communal life. With more than one hundred worship centres, many of which are located deep within natural forests, the group considers these landscapes to be sacred spaces where prayer, renewal and communion with ancestral spirits take place. Their traditions rely on forest products such as drums, wooden instruments and ritual tools, which strengthens their commitment to protecting the natural resources that sustain their cultural identity.
Lam The Kwaru Faith Group teaches that the wellbeing of the land and the wellbeing of the community are inseparable. Their beliefs reflect long-standing principles found across African Traditional Religion, where natural sites such as groves, rock outcrops, streams and ancient trees are understood as places of spiritual presence and protection. These sacred sites shape moral behaviour, safeguard communal ethics and reinforce respect for nature. Through their teachings, forest destruction, pollution and disrespect for natural resources are seen not only as environmental harm but as violations of community values and spiritual responsibilities.
The group plays an active role in encouraging communities to protect forests, preserve water sources, restore degraded areas and respect the ecological balance of the land. Their worship practices on mountains and intact forest areas deepen this connection, creating a powerful cultural foundation for conservation. They speak openly about threats from deforestation, charcoal burning, land degradation and waste pollution, and they mobilise their followers to act as custodians of the environment.
Headquartered in Guma Nyaloi Panyimur in Pakwach District near Lake Albert, the group has grown to more than one hundred branches across Mahagi Territory in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their leadership has used this wide spiritual network to promote ecological responsibility, peaceful coexistence and a culture of environmental care that reaches thousands of worshippers.
Lam The Kwaru Faith Group received the Kilimo Environmental Prize in recognition of its ability to unite spiritual values with environmental protection, demonstrating how faith based institutions can nurture conservation ethics, uphold cultural heritage and inspire communities to protect the land for future generations..
