{"id":220681,"date":"2024-11-26T13:36:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-26T12:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=220681"},"modified":"2024-12-12T12:23:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T11:23:20","slug":"virunga-youth-supports-ranger-training-in-the-drc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/news\/virunga-youth-supports-ranger-training-in-the-drc\/","title":{"rendered":"Virunga Youth supports ranger training in the DRC"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Three young people joined ranger teams in national parks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after successfully completing their training. Their training was supported by the Virunga Youth programme, which includes a variety of activities. \u2018Supporting young people from the Virunga region in reconnecting with nature is the ultimate goal of this programme,\u2019 says Paul Villaespesa, East Africa expert at IUCN NL. \u2018Whether it is through sports, music or theatre, we support them in their community life.\u2019<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Header photo: Rangers in Virunga National Park (the newly trained rangers are not in the photo) \u00a9<\/strong> J.J. Stok<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Achieving their nature conservation dream<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The area of Virunga National Park is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and home to many rare, endemic and endangered species, such as mountain gorillas, elephants and chimpanzees. But there are little job opportunities. With armed groups being active in the area, it is important to provide young people with alternative livelihoods. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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With professional training young people in the area have more opportunities. Completing their training, however, was not easy for the three new rangers, also called eco-guards. \u2018They had to travel many kilometres under difficult conditions to achieve their dream to protect nature,\u2019 writes Silvan Ngandulo from FECOPEILE, one of IUCN NL\u2019s local partners in the programme Virunga Youth: Actors of Hope<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u2018The aim is that by embracing this path, the young rangers contribute to both nature conservation and the well-being of their communities.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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