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These rangers need new waterproof boots.

Each Virunga ranger is issued one pair of rubber boots. Although these cost only $8 each, it’s money we don’t have readily available. The Virunga region experiences heavy rainfall. Mud and wet feet are the norm, and our rangers carry out patrols in rough terrain from lava fields to thick jungles in pouring rain and sloshing through an abundance of mud.

We need to buy a complete new supply of these boots for all the rangers, plus a few extra. We have 273 rangers and are hoping to buy 300 pairs of boots so we have extras for emergencies. At $8 a pair this is only $2400. When we ask for help, it’s often for operational costs that are difficult to find the money for. Large grants usually go toward projects, not the daily costs of keeping the park running, so purchasing items such as boots, uniforms, sleeping bags, tents, and rain gear for our rangers is difficult. We are asking for your help.

I understand that boots are not sexy or exciting, but by donating $8 you can supply a ranger with one of his most important pieces of kit, especially on patrols.  We need only 300 people to give $8 each to buy these boots…

…and make this guy (and all our rangers) very happy.

TO DONATE: At the top right of this blog post, choose the amount you want to give and click the red donate button.

Many of you have expressed your support and sent us gifts to help Paris’s widow and children after the terrible events this week.  We are incredibly grateful.  I have often written in the past of the difficulties that the families experience after the death of ranger, and it is only because of the support that we receive that we can alleviate some of that suffering.

I wanted to write a few words on how we use your gift.  It’s a very stressful and difficult period for the family, so immediately after the death, we take charge of all the funeral arrangements, which costs about 400 dollars.  This includes food for the families and friends of the deceased ranger, who often come from far away.  After the funeral we give the widow 300 dollars to help her cope with the immediate challenges.  We then work out what is known as a “decompte final” which is a lumpsum payment that is typically about 1,500 to 2,000 dollars and is intended to help a widow tackle the difficulties of rebuilding her new life.  To make sure that everything works, we re-establish her husband’s bank account in her name, which is why it takes a few weeks to sort all of this out.  It’s very important, because it’s the only way for us to be sure that she gets the money.  Thereafter, we transfer 30 dollars a month to the widows so that they can cover some of the basic needs, such as food health and their children’s education.  The monthly payment is not a lot, but it makes a huge difference.

We laid Paris to rest in a quiet place by the park station at Rwindi.  Hundreds of people came, including a priest and a preacher.  We were able to say a few words in memory of an incredibly courageous life.

With great sadness, I’m sharing with you the news of the death of one of our rangers, Paris Paluku, and two Congolese soldiers, Sebutu and Mandapa, who were working with us to protect civilians passing through the park on the Mabenga to Kabasha road.

All three were killed instantly by sustained machine gun fire at short range when their 15-man patrol fell into an ambush as they were securing the area where two public transport vehicles had been attacked and looted on Tuesday night.  The enemy, numbering around 100, were possibly the largest number of militias we have ever been confronted with in a single attack.   We are still unsure exactly who they were, as there are currently four distinct militia groups in the park.

We organised the funerals this afternoon, with his family and friends, and the whole community in Rwindi. Paris will be remembered as one of the most courageous men to have worked in the park.  He was always at the head of any patrol, which put him at risk and ultimately cost him his life.  He played a key role as an assistant instructor in the training of all our rangers.  He leaves a wife and two children.  Any donations to the widows and orphans over the next few weeks will go towards supporting the family he has left behind.

Usually we are talking about the work of the rangers on this blog and for good reason, as they are the ones putting their lives at risk for the vital protection of this precious but vulnerable park. However, today we are going to focus on the women in the rangers’ lives, as behind every great man is a great woman. It is the support that these women give their husbands and children on a daily basis that help them go on to achieve great things in life.

Thursday March 8^th is International Women’s day and we would like to raise $600 to contribute towards the celebrations to recognise all the work that the women of ICCN have done to support our rangers over the years. There are about 160 women living within the 3 main stations of the park who will benefit from this contribution.

To the top-right of this post, you can choose the amount to donate in the drop-down menu below the barometer, and click the red “Donate” button which will take you to Paypal. You can pay there by various methods, including credit cards.

The money raised will be used to purchase supplies for the celebrations including beautiful traditional Congolese material that is used to make matching outfits for the women, who will wear them with pride and as a symbol of unity while singing and dancing together throughout the day.

Women all around the world face many hardships, but the women of Congo have seen more than their fair share in recent years, including events that have unfortunately led to DRCongo being labelled the rape capital of the world.

Despite these hardships I have been amazed by the grace that these women always carry themselves with. Like birds of paradise they fill the land with colour and beauty when wearing the bright fabrics synonymous with this country. They work extremely hard in their daily lives but are quick to laugh and sing with such intensity it can only be described as infectious. International Women’s day is a chance for the women of DRCongo to commemorate all the positive aspects of women, to celebrate what they have achieved and to show that they are unified together.

By donating something towards this event we can let the women of ICCN know that we are forever grateful for their vital support of our rangers of the past, present and no doubt in the future too.

We need your help to raise $1,750 to purchase 350 mosquito nets for the rangers of Virunga National Park. For just $5, you can help prevent a ranger from getting malaria, a disease that remains the number one cause of death in eastern Congo despite being largely preventable. Virunga’s rangers and their families face many unavoidable hardships, but malaria should not be at the top of the list because it is a threat we know how to fight.

Two years ago, The Thin Green Line Foundation generously helped fund a mosquito net program for Virunga’s ranger families, and the positive impact was enormous. Unfortunately, a mosquito net wears out over time and with each hole in a net comes a loss of protection. Many of these nets are used in the bush and get damaged quickly. We need to purchase a complete new stock of mosquito nets to replace the old ones. We are hoping to buy about 350 of these at $5 each, and we need these quickly but do not have the money. Our finances have become incredibly tight with fewer and fewer funds to draw from.

If 87 people each donate $20 this week, we can reach our target and have all the mosquito nets bought and delivered to the rangers next week. Please consider being one of those 87 people and help protect the rangers that dedicate their lives to protecting Virunga National Park.

To the top-right of this post, you can choose the amount to donate in the drop-down menu below the barometer, and click the red “Donate” button which will take you to Paypal. You can pay there by various methods, including credit cards.

Rangers use the mosquito nets both out in the field….

…and at the main stations. These nets were donated 2 years ago by The Thin Green Line. The sector wardens have been anxious to buy replacement nets as soon as possible.

The job of ranger or officer at Virunga National Park is unlike any ranger position anywhere. When the statistics reflect the highest death-rate among rangers of any national park in the world, you can be assured this job is not for the weak or untrained. When militia or poachers would happily kill you over a piece of land or animal, as a ranger or officer you better know what to do.

This is why the park has required that every officer complete a two-month officer-training course in leadership and principles of command, conducted at the northern headquarters of Mutsora at the base of the Rwenzori mountains.

“I’ve been an officer for 6 years, and this is the first time I have gone through this kind of intense professional officer training,” said Bertin Tumonakiese, coordinator for security operations at headquarters and assistant to the director.

In the last seven months, 67 officers have completed the training, which officially concluded on October 21st. It included courses in leadership, tactics, shooting, close combat, radio procedures, and intensive physical training – all for the purpose of making them better equipped to lead rangers in difficult challenges to protect the park when threatened with danger. Many exercises took place around Lake Edward where militia attacks and poaching are common. It was an intense time for the officers, and most came away with high-level skills to lead others.

“It was fantastic,” Bertin said. “I used to send out patrols, but didn’t really know how to instruct them in good strategies, but now I do. I learned the best way to respond when you are confronted by militia or poachers and how best to protect the group. I am more confident now.”

Bertin plays the injured ranger in a training exercise.

Each year in Kinshasa, the Abraham Foundation gives out awards to individuals who have dedicated their lives to the protection and preservation of their environment. The ceremony was held the end of September and eight Virunga National Park rangers were honored for giving their lives to protect the park. Three of the widows came to represent the group.

It was a full house at the ceremony that included the American Ambassador, Antonia Abraham, the Minister of Plan, and the Director General of the Parks Service, ICCN.

Terese Hart who planned the awards wrote, “Preparing the Abraham Ceremony this year was often too sad to bear. Last year we gave awards to the widows of eight park guards who died defending Congo’s parks; this year there were 10 deaths and it didn’t stop there. Rebels killed three more guards as we prepared the ceremony. Why in Virunga, the most exquisite and varied park in Africa? Why are there still gangs of rebels? When will this war end?”

The line-up of honorable men who either gave their lives, made serious sacrifices, or contributed significantly toward conservation is impressive and moving. Although their stories cannot all be told here, their names deserve to be mentioned and those who died remembered.

Rangers honored in memoriam:

• Augustin Kirikiyehigha, Patrice Bateterana and Vincent Kimbumbu — 24 January 2011 in Virunga National Park;
• Muhindo Mburungani, Mastaki Rumama – 31 January 2011 in Virunga National Park;
• Katchupa Changwi – 20 February 2011 in Virunga National Park;
• Paluku Mayani – 6 March 2011 in Virunga National Park;
• Magayane Bazirushaka – 8 April 2011 in Virunga National Park;
• James Biangbale and Kambale Bemu – 23 December 2010 in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, ambushed and killed when they questioned elephant poachers.

The American Ambassador gives Chief Ramazani his award.

Chiefs and Village Leaders:

• It is not only park rangers who stand up against armed men. Chief Kpilimbalo who lives on the border of the Bili Uele Reserve refused to cooperate with elephant poachers and instead reported them to authorities. Following some death threats, he fled with his entire village into the forest.
• Two other traditional leaders who rallied their divided population toward the cause of conservation were also honored: Mwami Saambili worked with his people and Virunga Park staff in an area of high insecurity to clarify park borders; Ramazani Okota convinced all the village chiefs in a critical zone to support the future of Lomami National Park.

Major Guy is unequivocal about right and wrong. He talks to the rebels and instructs the cartel and tax collectors

Congolese Armed Forces Major Guy Kolongo arrested poachers and disciplined troops and other rogue individuals who tried to illegally profit from the environment.

Congolese Minister of Agriculture, Norbert Kantitima, and the Nindja chief near Kahuzi Biega National Park accepted an award together for their commitment to protect the park boundaries during the war in 2000, that in one incident alone cost the lives of 10 people.

Two ICCN park rangers and one park director (Radar Nishuli) were also honored for their ongoing commitment to conservation in Kahuzi Biega, Garamba, and Salonga National Parks. One ranger, Baketshi Bunda, spent several months in jail, wrongfully accused by poachers, while another managed to rescue a small girl kidnapped by the ruthless Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) during one of many successful patrols.

“The Abraham ceremony gathered…these heroes together in Kinshasa, together with diplomats, politicians, and conservationists,” Terese Hart wrote. “Thus their determination was honored and we, the audience, were reminded of what our priorities must be.”

In searching through the week’s events and photos, I’ve come up with 4 things to tell you about. They are a bit random, but one of these might be of interest to some of you.

Down with the old, up with the new:
We hate to see the old Belgian buildings go, but sometimes there’s just no way to save them. Thus, a very small building, useful only for a little bit of storage, had to come down. A new, larger building will eventually go up in its place.

Going…

With an audience…

And gone…

Sierra Designs:
Any American who has participated in even the smallest bit of backpacking knows the name “Sierra Designs.” My first and favorite backpacking tent that traveled around the world with me was this brand. We recently received 45 Sierra Designs tents and 90 backpacks for our rangers, purchased at a discounted rate, which we are slowly distributing in the various stations. The lightweight and good construction will be excellent for the rangers who do overnight patrols, and guides for the Rwenzori mountain treks.

Rangers heading out on a patrol with the new backpacks.

Construction: Ranger Family Housing and New Ranger Housing
We have two buildings under construction at the moment.  One is housing for the group of new rangers stationed here at Rumangabo headquarters. The other is for rangers and their families. This building is long overdue and much-needed as the very old, grungy, run-down buildings were way past their expiration date.

New ranger housing, using the ever-present lava stone.

New ranger family housing.

Baboons take over:
The baboons are getting very cheeky, as the Brits would say. This past week it feels like they’ve been circling the office building, waiting for a chance to invade. One even came into our office through the window while we were at lunch. We found him lounging on the floor, and another trying to get in.

Baboons…If they would get organized, they could take over the place.

It has been a fairly quiet week here at Virunga with some good progress in ranger training and construction, and no serious security concerns or disruptions.

Lonely Planet Travel Guidebook writer Dean Starnes gets a good look at silverback Humba on a visit to Virunga National Park.

Tourism

• Lonely Planet Travel Guides sent a writer, Dean Starnes, to update their section on Virunga National Park for the East Africa book. As you can imagine, we’re excited that there will be accurate information on the park in the most popular travel book in the world. He brought his wife along for the gorilla and volcano trek, and seemed to enjoy it thoroughly, saying he took more photos in one day at the park than he had in 2 months.
• The final tourist numbers for August are in, and they are quite good: 570 Total, 390 for the gorillas, and 180 to see the volcano.

Mother Nyabigoro holds tightly to her newborn baby.

Gorillas and other Wildlife

• We have a new baby in the Munyaga mountain gorilla family, born on 25 August.  This brings the small family to seven members. It’s a first baby for mother Nyabigoro who was a non-habituated female that moved into this habituated family in 2009. The father is the silverback leader Mawazo. This is an unusual family with 3 silverbacks. Rangers report that the silverbacks have been seen chasing the mother in a playful way, but this can be dangerous for the baby.
• Our 4-year-old orphan gorilla, Ndakasi, seems to have recovered from her recent long sickness. Caretaker Andre says that she is outdoors again and playing with the others. Hopefully her hair will grow back quickly.

Rangers

• Last Monday, the final 2-month officer training session began for this year. This leadership training has been scheduled in two-month sessions so that all officers could attend, and the park could continue functioning. The first took place in April-May, then June-July, and now Sept-October. Twenty-six officers are attending this final session, including three from the Okapi Reserve in the Ituri Forest.
• I told you in my last report about the rangers who took training as court officers under a programme funded by the UN. All of our rangers successfully passed their exams, something that cannot be said for all that took them, so congratulations to this group. They will soon be sworn in as “Judicial Police Officers.”

New ranger family housing begins at Rumangabo.

Community

• New ranger family housing began construction at Rumangabo this week. The building will house 6 families and up to about 50 people. FZS, who is managing the project, reports that the construction should be completed in 2 to 3 months. This housing will replace some very old, decrepit buildings from Belgian days that were in such bad shape they could not be refurbished.
• Other construction at Rumangabo includes a building to house the new rangers, built by ACF (African Conservation Fund) and funded by the EU.

One of the family members who will benefit from the new ranger housing.

Marie Kaneza Ndahotuburamiye lost her husband on July 29th in an attack on a park vehicle.

I would really like to thank all of you who have supported the widows, and our need to raise $30 per month for each of them. We have managed to secure help for 24 of the widows whose husbands have died protecting the park, which is a tremendous step forward toward reaching the goal of 150 supported monthly. Thanks also to those who continue to help in every other way. It’s what makes it possible for our rangers to keep going. The result is rising morale despite the difficulties and the deaths this year.

My deepest thanks,

Emmanuel

Our supporters of the widows:

Up to 17 August
Monthly:
Alan J. - $60.00
Marlene Z. $45.00
Wolfgang L. - $30.00
Sheryl M. - $30.00
Jacqueline M - $30.00
Robert W. $30.00
Stefanie R. - $30.00
Susanne H. - $30.00
Gary S. - $30.00
Médecin L. - 30.00
Brenton H. $15.00
Karnum S. $15.00
Marlene M. $15.00

Recent one-time donations to Fallen Rangers & Widows Fund
Francois D. - $320.00
J. Peron - $300.00
Robert W. $200.00
Bronagh B - $150.00
Yolaine V. - $140.00
Churchill B. - $120.00
Garth R. $120.00
Walter E. $120.00
Jane H - $30.00
Pirjo I. - $30.00
Alenka K. - $30.00

Since August 17

Monthly:
Jonas R.  - $90
Alenka K. - $30
Michelle C. - $30
Brigitte C. - $30
Maggie W. $30

One-time:
Robert P. - $240
Zara T. - $150
Michael R. $90
Chantal R. - $90
Frances M. - $60
Rebecca J. - $60
David S. - $60
Letitia H. - $60
Vanessa A. - $30
Chitra A. - $30
Marc H. - $30
Carl B. - $20
Ray L. - $150
Kristjan S. - $300
Reef H. - $150