For more than 40 years, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has focused exclusively on Africa. AWF has played a major role in ensuring the continued existence of some of Africa's rare and treasured species. AWF invests training and resources in African individuals and institutions that play critical roles in conservation. AWF has significantly increased scientific understanding of Africa's extraordinary ecosystems through research. AWF pioneered the use of community conservation and conservation enterprise to demonstrate that wildlife can be conserved while people's well being is improved. AWF has provided crucial assistance to national parks and promoted international cooperation to protect important sites and populations.