n a collaborative effort with the Poverty and Conservation Learning Group (PCLG), a UK-based organization, WEESDev Foundation, in partnership with FIED and COSUDEAC, is making significant strides in the Ebo forest communities of the Littoral region, Cameroon. The joint project, titled “Dialogue on COVID-19 Challenges and Great Ape Conservation,” aims to address the real and pressing threat of COVID-19 and other risks that pose a potential threat to the vulnerable Great ape species.
Recognized as a Class A species under the 1994 Forest and Wildlife Law of Cameroon, the Great Ape requires high protection measures to ensure its survival. Beyond conservation efforts, the project places a strong emphasis on poverty alleviation and social justice within the Great Ape communities, acknowledging that these factors are integral to the species’ well-being.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, the post underscores the vulnerability of Great apes to COVID-19 and stresses the imperative need for safety and health monitoring. In alignment with the overarching goal of protecting this endangered species, the project seeks to strike a balance between conservation and community development.
WEESDev Foundation’s commitment to fostering positive change extends beyond the Ebo forest communities. The foundation actively participated in FIED’s 3rd edition of an integrated career-based orientation program for high school students, with a particular focus on internally displaced persons (IDPs) and students living with disabilities in the Buea municipality. This collaboration, involving RETIS based in Canada, AMOM Foundation, COOGMANN, and WEESDev Foundation, proved to be a great success.
The initiative provided students with diverse and enriching professional career opportunities, aiming to empower them to become job creators rather than mere job seekers. By emphasizing integrated career-based orientation, the collaboration contributes to the broader goal of shaping a future where the youth actively participate in building a sustainable and resilient society.
