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Huawei, IUCN launch Tech4Nature for nature conservation

Published

4 years ago

December 8, 2021

Tech company, Huawei, has launched Tech4Nature, an initial 3-year program aimed at using digital technology innovation to aid nature conservation in partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The project, launched at a hybrid event entitled ‘Tech4Nature: an innovative technology partnership for conservation’ impact was held at the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) 2021 in Marseille, France. Huawei and IUCN introduced the global Tech4Nature project and shared the current status of some country projects with the Congress in-person and on-line audiences.

Catherine Du, Huawei’s TECH4ALL programme Director said at the event, “In the face of the global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, Huawei believes that ICT can play an important role in addressing environmental issues. This is the vision we share with IUCN and our partners: technology is an enabler of environmental protection.”

TECH4ALL is Huawei’s long-term digital inclusion initiative that aims to leave no one behind in the digital world. In the environment domain, TECH4ALL focuses on safeguarding biodiversity.

To date, the project has worked with partners like IUCN and Rainforest Connection, as well as many local partners, to apply digital technologies, such as telecommunications networks, IoT, cloud, and AI, to protect forests, oceans, and wetlands in 22 protected areas.

As the world’s largest environment and nature conservation conference, the World Conservation Congress is held every four years and attended by all of IUCN’s 1,400+ government, civil society and indigenous peoples’ Member organisations.

Participants share the latest insights, experience, practices, innovations, and research in the field of nature conservation and sustainable development, and build new partnerships.

“By 2023, the Tech4Nature partnership will enable more than 300 protected areas worldwide to achieve successful conservation outcomes through the appropriate use of technology and digital connectivity, aligned to an IUCN global Standard for fair and effective protected and conserved areas – the IUCN Green List.

“This support will be explored and showcased through a select number of flagship protected areas and nature conservation activities for diverse ecosystem types, including mountain, wetland, coral reef, tropical forest, temperate forest, and for flagship species as well as ecosystem services.

“Tech4Nature has developed 5 flagship demonstration sites around the world. These sites will use innovative digital technology solutions, including smart devices, digital connection, and AI, to achieve measurable improvements in protected area management and nature conservation, including for iconic wildlife and representative ecosystems, as evaluated through the IUCN Green List certification process, ” Huawei said in a statement.

While sharing current status of some of their projects, Jin Wenjia from the IUCN China Country Office states, “Tech4Nature uses digital technology to conduct acoustic monitoring and research on one of the world’s most endangered primates, the Hainan gibbon (only 35 remain), in Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in China, to develop more effective conservation measures.”

Ruedi Haller, Director of the Green List certified Swiss National Park says Tech4Nature can enable additional technology solutions in a park that already deploys considerable technology.

“Tech4Nature will explore improved connectivity and AI analysis to help automate some data transmission and wildlife monitoring, and test blockchain technology to verify and validate carbon sinks in national parks. This can aid the Swiss National Park to maintain its excellence in technology solutions helping achieve successful conservation outcomes.”

Nadeem Nazurally, President of Ecomode Society, a partner from Mauritius, said Tech4Nature is using underwater cameras to monitor threatened coral reefs in real-time to protect and restore 5 hectares of the coral reef ecosystem in Mauritius, in accordance with the IUCN Green List Standard.

Arnau Teixidor from IUCN’s Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation office said it is planning a pilot project to use digital technology to help four national parks in Spain identify tourism management needs and assess technological solutions for cost-effective monitoring of high tourist visitation that can affect conservation outcomes in the parks.

James Hardcastle, Associate Director of Protected Areas Programme at IUCN says, “This diversity of protected and conserved areas from countries around the world, and the exploration of appropriate technological solutions with a variety of partners, demonstrates the innovation and partnership potential of both the Tech4Nature initiative and the IUCN Green List community.”

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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