In the village of Ikita by Lake Mai-Ndombe, Boongo Phillip, a 60-year-old primary school teacher, exemplifies resilience and aspiration. Overcoming discrimination and financial hardships, he returned to school at 55 through a Mai-Ndombe REDD+ project bursary, graduating high school at 56. Now teaching at a school built by the project, Boongo inspires his community with his dedication to education and his hope for a brighter future for the next generation.
“Since the first solar-powered water well, child deaths have dropped significantly, and there are no more waterborne epidemics.”
Impact Spotlight Overview Women-led Climate Resilient Farming Initiative Life for women in the Mai Ndombe region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is challenging. They are at the forefront of the climate crisis, supporting their families, yet they are often denied many basic rights such as land ownership, access to finances, and markets. To […]
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project, led by community leaders and our local engagement team, is committed to improving the well-being of communities. Ongoing efforts include constructing facilities, addressing transportation barriers, and collaborating with public health officials to prevent future epidemics, significantly benefiting community healthcare access.
I can confidently say that effective collaboration with local communities is indispensable for any conservation initiative to be successful. This conviction is the driving force behind my advocacy for the adoption of REDD+ as a transformative model that enhances lives, underlining the importance of amplifying the community’s voice.
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project, spanning 300,000 hectares along Lake Mai Ndombe’s shore, plays a crucial role in the province’s development. Once abundant with fish, overfishing and mosquito net use led to depletion. To counter this, Wildlife Works initiated a fish farming program with eight ponds, replenishing stocks and providing income.
Spotlight Summary Collaborative Conservation with the Indigenous Batwa of Mai Ndombe Situated in the western region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Wildlife Works Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project spans the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, serving as the largest carbon sink globally. The project protects 300,000 hectares of forest in partnership with the local […]
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project protects 300,000 hectares of critical bonobo and African forest elephant habitat within the world’s second-largest intact rainforest and some of the most important wetlands on the planet. To help protect this invaluable landscape and the biodiversity that calls it home, a specialized team in biodiversity monitoring works in partnership with local community members to track high biodiversity areas twice a month. Through this team’s hard work, the project monitors population trends of high conservation value species. Camera traps were placed along transects to record the presence of various species, and recces were made to assess the scope and severity of human induced threats and map wildlife tracks.
