Education is part of DFGFI's mission and is addressed in several ways, in both formal and community education settings. In the formal education arena, we are committed to helping strengthen programs for conservation and biological sciences in the higher education sectors (national education and research institutions) of the communities in which we work. We also provide educational training for those who already work in conservation, such as national park staff in Rwanda, Congo and Uganda. In addition, we work with primary and secondary schools in local communities.
Our community education efforts take many forms. In our Ecosystem Health program, we work to provide hygiene and health education in local villages, as well as with local health staff. We also have conservation programs for communities, where we offer information about our work, about the gorillas, and about related conservation issues.
Our education programs are designed to build awareness in local communities of conservation, health and other important issues, to increase the strength and capacity of local educational institutions, and to provide further training for those already working in conservation. Some of our education projects include:
Distribution of school materials in Bisate, near Karisoke. » Read more about some of our current education projects.