gorilla.cd

This is an URGENT APPEAL to all our supporters across the globe.

We need to raise $88,694.00 by Thursday 25 November - that is 4 weeks from today - that will cover 2 months of costs during this unprecedented crisis in Virunga, Congo’s Gorilla Park.

The monies are needed for the following:

1. $21,594.00 - Rations for 177 Refugee Gorilla Rangers
   We have 177 Rangers who have been forced to evacuate their posts in Virunga National Park as a direct result of the fighting between the rebels and the army. 83 of these Rangers come from the Gorilla Sector, both the Headquarters at Rumangabo that was seized by rebels on Sunday and the patrol posts of Kibumba, Kibati and Kibumba Rugo. The remaining 94 come from Rwindi, the HQ of the central sector of Virunga.
   Rations cost $2/day per Ranger and include beans, rice, manioc flour, tomato, sugar, salt, coffee and salted fish. So the $21,594.00 total is for 177 Rangers for 61 days.
   
2. $61,000.00 - Support for Ranger Families at Camp in Goma
   At present we have 670 people at the camp in Goma that was initially set up on 8 October after the fighting started - but this number will easily swell to 1,000 in coming days as all displaced people converge on Goma. These are the wives of Gorilla Rangers and the children of Gorilla Rangers. They are living in sub-optimal conditions, but we need to provide food, clean water, sanitation and basic medical. It costs about $1/day per person - and we need provisions for at least 2 months, ie 61 days, which gives us the $61,000 total.
   
3. $6,100.00 - Medical Supplies for the Rangers
   We must also provide for medical supplies for the 177 Rangers. These medical supplies will include treatments for malaria, fever, and diarrhea. We estimate the cost of these supplies at $100/day for all the Rangers. 61 days at $100/day gives us the $6,100.00 total.

We have already raised over $7,000 since 7 October on this blog - and for this we are enormously grateful. Those monies are now on their way to our bank account here so we can start putting them toward this campaign.

So the campaign/fundraising drive to raise $88,694.00 will effectively be retroactive as of last Friday - as you will soon be able to see by a barometer that will come up on this blog.

On behalf of all Rangers I should also like to thank the following organizations for their contributions to this unprecedented crisis:

The International Gorilla Conservation Program - $15,000.00 to date

World Wildlife Fund - $5,000.00

Africa Conservation Fund - $5,000.00

These funds have gone toward helping us handle the crisis so far that started 3 weeks ago now. It cost $12,000 to set up the camp in Goma, $2,000 for Ranger rations in Rumangabo to the 53 who were holding the fort, and $5,000 in supporting the rations at the camp, among other expenses.

As always 100% of your donation will go to where it is intended. Our costs are covered by a grant from the European Union. Donations are also reported in real time in the sidebar - this sidebar lists the 100 most recent donations. You will also see the specific donation items on the sidebar, but open donations will of course go to this appeal.

Thank you once again for your support during this challenging time. It is a struggle not only for our Rangers and their families, but for all the civilians of the region. We hope it will end soon.

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