Uganda’s mountain gorilla conservation efforts have received a boost following a partnership between Sheraton Kampala Hotel and Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH).
A Memorandum of Understanding sealed in the capital on October 23, 2026, cements Uganda’s hospitality community as a driving force in protecting rare mountain gorillas and investing in the people who share their ecosystem.
The agreement will direct at least 30% of proceeds from sales of Zongo, the hotel’s gorilla mascot, towards community health and wildlife conservation initiatives.
According to local media reporting from The New Vision, the collaborative agreement will inject fresh backing into the preservation work carried out by Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and adjacent operational zones.
Sheraton Kampala and CTPH Partner to Protect the Endangered Mountain Gorillas
The agreement brings together the hospitality sector and a conservation organization working to improve the health and well-being of people, wildlife and the environment.
In order to make the initiative move forward, key leaders from both ends of the agreement such as Jean-Philippe Bittencourt, General Manager of the Sheraton Kampala and Conservation Through Public Health head Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusooka attended.
Through the initiative, Zongo becomes more than a hotel souvenir. Every gorilla teddy bear sold to the travelers directly benefits both the community and conservation efforts.
Zongo Mascot Sales Supporting Gorilla Conservation
Zongo is the Sheraton’s furry, forest-born ambassador; a teddy bear created to spotlight the plight and protection of Uganda’s endangered mountain gorillas. Under the partnership, at least 30% of proceeds from its sales will support CTPH’s conservation programmes.
The funds will contribute to initiatives addressing challenges faced by communities living near mountain gorilla habitats such as health programmes, wildlife policing and monitoring, sustainable livelihood support, and deforestation for charcoal & settlement.
For travelers, buyers, and other hotel guests purchasing a gorilla teddy bear offers a practical way to contribute to conservation.
Beyond safeguarding mountain gorillas, this project sheds light on the dedication needed to uplift the local communities coexisting alongside them.
By connecting a consumer product with conservation activities, the partnership creates an additional channel through which the hospitality industry and its customers can contribute to wildlife protection.
How CTPH Supports Gorilla Conservation and Community Health
Conservation Through Public Health, founded by Uganda’s wildlife veterinarian, Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusooka is a Ugandan organization dedicated to the co-existence of humans, threatened mountain gorillas and other wildlife such as rhinoceros, lions, elephants, leopard and others in Africa.
Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) partners with local villages near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the broader Bwindi-Mgahinga zone to boost household incomes, curb disease transmission, and foster deeper harmony between residents and native wildlife
Its work includes monitoring wildlife health, promoting sustainable agriculture, supporting Village Health and Conservation Teams and helping communities develop livelihood opportunities that are compatible with environmental conservation.
These projects are vital for communities that directly convert nearby land and natural assets into food, revenue, and basic daily essentials.
By addressing health and livelihood challenges alongside wildlife protection, CTPH seeks to create conditions in which communities and mountain gorillas can co-exist more sustainably.
The Link Between Community Health and Gorilla Conservation
Protecting mountain gorillas requires more than preserving the forests in which they live. The health, livelihoods and everyday activities of neighboring communities also influence long-term conservation outcomes.
Local people, animals and gorillas share the same rugged and mist landscapes around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
This closeness brings about interactions that create opportunities for diseases to spread between humans and wildlife, making disease prevention, health education and wildlife monitoring important components of conservation.
Community livelihoods are equally significant. Majority of the families living near national parks and reserves depend entirely on farming and other economic activities.
These practices sometimes place pressure on surrounding natural resources such as the land, the forests and the wildlife.
Supporting sustainable farming and alternative income opportunities can help improve household welfare while encouraging practices that protect wildlife habitats.
In order for the wildlife to thrive, CTPH advocates for a healthier human livelihood, prevents disease spread and also sensitizes the locals about sustainable development.
By selling the Zongo gorilla mascot, the Sheraton Kampala Hotel and Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) turn tourism merchandise into direct funding for both regional wildlife and neighboring villages.
Gorilla Tourism in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located in the southwestern parts of Ugandan is the premier destination of the endangered fully habituated and semi-habituated mountain gorillas that attract travelers from different parts of the world to have an encounter in the wild.
Gorilla Conservation Partnership contributes to local economies by creating employment for guides, trackers, drivers, accommodation providers and other businesses connected to the tourism industry which is a catalyst for sustainable development.
However, sustaining this tourism resource requires continued investment in habitat protection, wildlife health and positive relationships between protected areas and neighboring communities. Protecting gorillas goes beyond just advertising getaways; it demands ethical tourism habits and enduring care for the habitats they call home.
Conservation Partnerships that involve the hotel operators, tourism operators and local communities can help strengthen these efforts.
For travelers planning a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda, initiatives such as the Sheraton Kampala–CTPH partnership provide a broader understanding of conservation beyond the trekking experience.
They highlight how wildlife protection also depends on community well-being, disease prevention and responsible tourism practices.
Protecting Uganda’s Wildlife Through Sustainable Tourism
Through their collaboration, Sheraton Kampala Hotel and CTPH demonstrate how the hospitality industry can champion ecosystem stewardship and empower travelers to make a difference.
The Zongo initiative breaks the traditional awareness campaigns and solicitations by looking at the purchases made by visitors as catalytic funding for sustainable development and protection of the endangered mountain gorillas.
From local lodges and transit lines to safari planners, park wardens, and conservation groups, Uganda’s travel sector relies on a wide network of players.
When the private sector and park authorities come together, they can achieve the agenda of protecting Uganda’s wildlife and primates, improve the standards of the nearby people and global recognition as the leading tourism spot.
Teaming up with conservation advocates helps corporate partners supply essential funding and public visibility to Uganda’s growing wildlife tourism and protection campaigns.
This partnership is one of the realizations that one can conserve nature beyond their own work premises through visitor experiences and the activities conducted therein.
In conclusion, Gorilla Conservation Partnership between Sheraton Kampala Hotel and Conservation Through Public Health demonstrates how the hospitality industry can contribute to protecting Uganda’s mountain gorillas.
The initiative aims to support wildlife conservation and community health around gorilla habitats through the allocation of the 30% collections from the Zongo mascot sales.
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