This Autumn Synchronicity Earth launches its new Congo Basin Programme!
The programme is the result of several years’ work by our team to develop a strategy which aims to protect the ecological and cultural integrity of this important region. After supporting groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the last five years, we realised that if we really want make a difference, much more is needed beyond a few small grants (however valuable these have been to our partners).
Protecting key habitats and the species and peoples they are home to from destructive activities such as industrial palm oil concessions, large scale hydropower, illegal logging and mining requires a new, more collaborative approach bringing in more organisations on the ground and building new funding partnerships.
The programme will initially support groups in the DRC and Cameroon (until we have the capacity to expand) to challenge some of these destructive activities as well as protect the rights of some of the most marginalised indigenous groups in the region to allow them to remain on, protect and manage their lands. It also aims to build the capacity of civil society, empowering local conservation leaders, ensuring grassroots campaigns are linked up to national and international networks and supporting peer-to-peer learning and training. There are many innovative and exciting initiatives happening in the region, and our programme will support alternative development and conservation pathways, those that place nature AND people at their core such as agroecology and community forestry.
We hope to collaborate with other funders on this programme (we have already developed some relationships) to share learning and together grow the impact of our grants. We will share learning through webinars and other events. If you would like to join us or find out more, please get in touch: katy@synchronicityearth.org
