Investing in Youth Education Around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Education forms the basis for the future of a society and plays an important role in the future management and conservation of natural resources. Educating, training and involving young children in the management of their environment is a significant step toward development of a conservation ethic in the future use of natural resources.
Our education program facilitated several outreach initiatives including visits to the Epulu-Okapi Primary School and the Yambuya Primary School to present on local protected species and the importance of their survival. In total, over 200 children participated and were encouraged to share what they learned with their community. Educational radio broadcasts were shared across seven regional stations with a total of 84 presentations on the effects of deforestation, the emerging okapi poaching crisis, and why mining is destructive to the environment in addition to promoting our model programs in sustainable agroforestry and alternative livelihood programs. The education program also coached six local university trainees (five from Shalom University and one from the University of Kisangani) on the general conservation initiatives, goals, and unique challenges of conservation within the OWR, and involved them in several of our school workshops as part of their training.
Building upon the topics important to the management of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, our educators organized additional school conferences in 70 secondary schools around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve to highlight the role of the Reserve, maintaining and respecting the boundaries, understanding the challenges of protecting the forest, and how the students are change agents in ensuring the ecosystem remains protected long into the future. After the week-long series of conferences, our educators reached over 6200 students!
M’monga, OCP’s education coordinator, speaking to a large group of secondary students about the importance of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
Our education program also began an exciting new partnership with FHI360 – an international nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of communities. This collaboration will focus on enhancing local children’s access to education in areas of insecurity, and we look forward to the future expansion of this collaboration and its positive impacts in our region.
Repairing the damaged roof of Epulu-Okapi Primary School
Thanks to several generous donors during our spring fundraising campaign, Okapi Conservation Project repaired the roof and walls of the Epulu-Okapi Primary School that was destroyed during a violent storm. The Epulu-Okapi Primary School was originally built by our team in the 1990s.
Roof damage after the violent storm earlier this year.
Roof damage from the violent storm earlier this year.
After the damage and loss of many school supplies, students and teachers were forced to move to another school, Agricultural and Pedagogical Technical Institute, ITAP, located two kilometers away to attend class, until the repairs were finished. Once repairs were complete this summer, we welcomed the students back to classes and assisted with the distribution of school supplies donated by the European Union Ambassador to DRC, Mr. Jean Marc Châtaigner, to over 200 Epulu Okapi Primary students. The school and supplies were welcomed by several smiling faces and laughter – a huge success!
Repaired roof on Epulu Okapi Primary School.
Students receiving school supplies after they were damaged in the storm.
