About Virunga National Park
Virunga is a world-renowned national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and is known as one of the most bio-diverse places on earth and home to the planet’s last remaining mountain gorillas. This park is not only the home to many endangered wild life species, but it is also the home of many communities that survive day by day through what the park provides for them.
Who are we?
Our names are Jessie, Kristen, J.R., and Navi and we are travel and tourism students from Eton College. Our instructor, Mr. Nazmi Kamal, first introduced us to Virunga National Park during our sustainable tourism course. Each one of us grew very attached to the situation of the park and what it stood for; we each became passionate in different ways. The only common goal that we shared was the fact that we wanted an opportunity to make a difference. That is how the idea of this fundraiser became a reality to us.
Issues in the park:
- Constant attacks by the armed militia (M23 rebels)
- Poacher attacks
- Dark forces trying to attain Congo’s rich natural resources (i.e. SOCO international oil company)
Our Goal:
To raise $500 to help in the conservation and protection of Virunga National Park and contribute to the survival and well being of the wild life within the park. In the last 15 years, over 150 park rangers have been killed fighting against poachers and the rebels that trespass into the park. The money we collect would be used to directly support these brave rangers with new boots and other equipment to ensure their safety and also food supply for the orphaned mountain gorillas being cared for at the Senkwekwe Mountain Gorilla Centre. There are ONLY 95 Mountain Gorillas left. We plan on raising the money through an auction and food sale being hosted at Eton College, and a webpage we have created for online donations.
Campaign Ambassadors
This is where we need your help; we want to be able to spread our campaign past our personal pool of friends and family, we want our cause to be known and heard by a much greater population. People need to know how important this park is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and even the world! All we are asking for is to help us promote our campaign through sharing this link on Facebook and other social media pages. Tell your friends about it and DONATE through this page!
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we hope you know you are supporting an excellent cause!
THANK YOU!
Other Ways You Can Help
Visit these websites to get further information about Virunga and how you can help!
http://virunga.org (Official website of Virunga)
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/congo_basin_forests/problems/oil_extraction/virunga_together_we_did_it/ (Petition to stop the oil company)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxXf2Vxj_EU (Trailer for Netflix Documentary on Virunga)