Story
While people travel from around the world to see these great apes in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, the local people who are being encouraged to help protect them do not get the same opportunities. Seeing these animals first-hand will help raise the awareness of the importance of protecting them. With the proceeds from our major annual fundraiser ‘An Evening of Adventure’ we aim to give at least 250 local people the chance to visit the gorillas as a part of their conservation training.To do this we have joined forces with the Pole Pole Foundation, established by renowned conservationist, John Kahakwa, which educates local people about the benefits of the forest and the wildlife that lives within it. Meaning ‘slowly, slowly’ in Swahili, the Pole Pole Foundation has developed a number of invaluable projects to help improve the prospects of the local people and in turn help protect the Eastern Lowland Gorillas, including afforestation, environment education, anti-poaching patrols, training for former poachers and the construction of fish ponds to provide local communities with a source of protein and help prevent the illegal poaching of bush meat.