MEKEMDEM MBONENG Yvette, Volunteer

"One day I am sure the world will discover..."

Yvette is freshly out of a leading forestry school in Cameroon (Mbalmayo) and is volunteering with the Coastal Forest Programme as a biological assistant. The first time she worked with the programme was when she was a student doing research. At the end of her course in 2003, she readily offered her services.

"Instead of staying at home and doing nothing I thought it wise to do more practical work even for free because I love nature. I will like to take part in not only studying it but also to conserve." says the brave young girl.

The long trekking during ecological monitoring missions and all the inherent hazards climbing up the mountains do not deter her enthusiasm as she describes the forest as "a different world of marvels".

Yvette's has a dream as she says "One day I am sure the world will discover the potentials that we have in this area and that it is to the benefit of all that we protect what is remaining for present and future generations."