Leaving Lwiro

I have now left Lwiro due to the increasing instability in DRC. However, the veterinarians are still in Lwiro and working hard at the sanctuary. The nursery group has been moved to an enclosure within the sanctuary grounds and the sanctuary security is being reinforced. Currently, there has been no direct threat in the area, and the local staff and community are still committed to the sanctuary. Below are photos of the women’s group who bought an enormous offering of bananas and tomatoes to the sanctuary for the animals. The photos show them singing and dancing, wearing their new t-shirts!

Andrea

Fantastic support from the lwiro women!

Unexpectedly today, the wives of the CRPL workers arrived at the sanctuary (17 women in total). They informed the manager they were going to start to prepare the land (which the sanctuary has yet to be able to afford to do) to the right of the sanctuary and plant maize, beans and manioc. They will do this free of charge to the sanctuary and the crops will assist in feeding the sanctuary’s primate residents. They plan to come for four hours every Saturday to undertake the project.

It seems that the community is so excited about this project, that we have had two women join who do not even have relations working at the sanctuary. We also have had the daughters of two of our female workers join the group.

The management of the sanctuary are so touched and excited about this incredible offer from the women of Lwiro. For all of these women to give up their time and money to plant these crops to assist in feeding the animals is amazing.

Education and new arrival

Recently CRPL started education sessions for the communities around the sanctuary. These are planned to be quite informal to begin with, before a more organized structure can be put into place. The sanctuary staff have completed two presentations, one to the chiefs of the local area and the second to the wives, husbands and fiancés of the staff of CRPL. The idea is to let the local people know what it is that CRPL is doing so they can involve them in the process. The next planned session is for the priests of local churches.

Today we have been informed by the manager of the workers that the wives have formed a ‘wives of CRPL committee’ and are planning on becoming involved with the sanctuary and its running. This is a wonderful outcome of the session. More meetings will be planned with them to discuss how they would like to be involved.

This afternoon a new baby Chimpanzee has arrived to Lwiro Sanctuary. Her very long journey including a boat, small airplane and road travel. It’s estimated that she is between 18 months to 2 years old. She is small and thin, but appears to be in good health. She is also very independent and confident. Her name is Ituri, named after the area from which she was confiscated. Ituri will pass a time of one month in quarantine, before she is introduced to the current nursery group.