Democratic Republic of the Congo: Partnership established with conservation authority to protect mountain gorillas

On April 10, 2026, our team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo took an important step toward long-term nature conservation: a technical and institutional partnership was established with the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN).

The goal of the meeting was to specifically strengthen our cooperation in the Virunga region—particularly in the Mikeno subsector, a key habitat for the endangered mountain gorillas.

During the exchange, we were able to present our “Education for Conservation” (E4C) approach, which was officially recognized by ICCN and classified as useful for the region.

Together, we defined specific next steps:

→ Expansion of playgroups in new communities (including Kibumba, Gatovu, Bukima, and Rugari)
→ Greater integration of environmental education and early childhood development
→ Development of joint measures for direct gorilla conservation
→ Closer technical cooperation in the Mikeno subsector

In addition, a joint visit to our playgroups in Rumangabo and Kabaya is planned in order to further evaluate their impact on site.

For the first time, this partnership establishes a structured foundation for our work with government nature conservation agencies in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and strengthens our ability to implement long-term projects in the context of conflict, poverty, and biodiversity loss.

This development is crucial: Sustainable species conservation occurs when local communities, organizations, and government institutions work together.