After growing up and working in the field of humanitarian assistance in Asia and Africa, I came to DRC and started my adventure in conservation in a conflict zone!

 
I had studied social anthropology and development, and then forced migration (refugee studies), which all helps me understand this very complex conflict and region a little better.

In Ishango with Atamato and other Rangers

 
I started as the Project Manager of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) working in the park to support the Congolese Wildlife Authority (ICCN) in June 2007.  With my small but extremely efficient and always smiling team (Thierry, John, Masudi, David) we carry out a large number of activities throughout all the sectors of the park. I am responsible for overseeing all our activities all funded by a large European Union grant. My team intervenes in 5 different domains that include:
 
1) Primes: The payment of the performance-based primes for all the ICCN personnel, since the Government salaries are still insufficient.
2) Rations: Providing rations (including food, petrol and medication) for the ranger’s patrols in all sectors, so that they can have energy to go on long patrols without returning to the station.
3) Rehabilitation: Rehabilitating the park’s stations, patrol posts, and ranger houses (with the expertise of SoDeRu), that have been destroyed by years of neglect and war - so that the rangers and wardens can live in a decent environment and that they have safe places to live and work.
4) Equipment: Providing equipment for the rangers such as uniforms, GPSs, binoculars, tents, sleeping bags, cooking utensils, and even camera-traps (read more below), so that they can carry out their patrols efficiently.
5) Training: Providing training for the rangers, wardens and even administrative ICCN personnel, in English lessons, Human Resource Management, Mountain-guiding, Anti-poaching strategies, Law-enforcement, Monitoring of animals etc, to reinforce their capacity to better protect the park and its wildlife.

With member of the UN peace-keeping force in DRC
 
Recently, we also carried out an okapi study in the north of the park, using camera traps and my team managed to get them on picture in their natural environment, undisturbed! This is very rare as they are extremely shy animals. Their forest habitat is threatened as is being cut down for fuel, and the okapis are targeted for their meat and their skin. Thierry has started a blog about this on the ZSL website http://www.zslblogs.org/  if you want to see the pictures and find out more!