Helping People and Gorillas In Africa
Helping people in Africa thrive helps endangered gorillas survive, too.
Poverty reduction, health promotion and conservation education are irrevocably linked to environmental protection. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International has developed programs to help people in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo where we protect gorillas, to address many of these issues: alleviating extreme poverty; developing public-private partnerships; increasing access to essential medicines; combating disease through intestinal parasite treatment and educational prevention; empowering women; helping children go to school; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; assisting in environmental stability and reversing loss of environmental resources. For example, our clean water access projects reduce illegal entry into the national parks and protected areas, where water is normally collected, by providing sustainable access to clean drinking water in nearby villages, allowing the park to regenerate while helping people by improving their health.
Helping communities in Africa
The Fossey Fund believes that by helping people in Africa, we are improving the overall ecosystem. Our message is: “You are part of your environment. Let’s work together toward achieving a healthy environment for people and endangered species.”
Goals for helping people in Africa
Our people programs have four major goals:
- To provide a healthy environment for local people living around protected areas.
- To enhance environmental protection and conservation of endangered species living in Volcanoes National Park.
- To improve awareness and understanding of the role of community projects in successful natural resource conservation.
- To ensure sustainability of community projects and community ownership of the projects through capacity building and local involvement.
These goals are implemented through several projects that are helping people in Africa: