The people on the ground, working in the Jengi Project

I am Regional Coordinator for Jengi Forests program situated in southeast corner of the Republic of Cameroon. The program involves management of 3 national parks, working with ten logging companies for sustainable forest management-certification, promoting participatory management involving local communities and indigenous Baka pygmy forest people, developing trans-boundary conservation initiatives with protected areas in neighbouring countries. I also work as WWF Landscape Leader for Tri-national de la Sangha, TNS coordinating transboundary conservation program involving protected areas of Lobeke in Cameroon, Dzanga-Sangha in CAR and Nouabale Ndoki in Republic of Congo-Brazzaville.

How I found myself in conservation?
My maternal grandfather inspired me during my childhood days. As early as 5 years old, I enjoyed spending my summer vacations on the mountains taking care of his cattle. At 18, there was no doubt in my mind as to what my future profession would be as I fell in love with nature. The absolute tranquillity, scenic beauties and amazing wildlife of those mountains left an indelible impact in my childhood life and forever. My childhood love for nature grew stronger and stronger with my academic aspirations. It was without any surprise that I enrolled for a BSc in Biology and seven years later obtained a PhD in Wildlife Management.

If you want to work with me?
You must have ability and skills of working under extremely difficult field conditions. Be ready to sacrifice luxuries of today’s modern world with self-driven desire to help impoverished people regain authority and benefits from natural resources. You must exude endurance and patience, ‘good shock absorbers’ to withstand onslaughts from politicians, elites and omnipresent influential stakeholders in the private sector, notably logging and mining companies with selfish ambitions to control wealth and forest resources.

Biography 
I have a PhD in Wildlife Management. Before joining WWF in 1997, I was Senior Conservation Biologist working with New York-based NGO, Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS. I also worked at different intervals for GTZ-Korup project, European Union funded ECOFAC project in Dja and travelled widely in Africa and beyond working as a field researcher for various conservation programs.

Biography
I was born in 1969 in Dschang, Cameroon. I am a biologist by training and profession thanks to my studies at the Science Department of the University of Yaounde, Cameroon, from where I obtained a postgraduate diploma in 1994 and a doctorate in 2005. While teaching in the same university for three years, I began conservation work with ECOFAC in the Dja Reserve (South of Cameroon) mainly in the domain of scientific research and monitoring. I have been doing conservation work since 1994.

I am in charge of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in WWF Jengi. I make sure that the logging guys do not get too reckless with their machines and cut down anything that stands on their way. At first it was not easy convincing them that sustainable exploitation is for everyone’s good. Now they have begun to understand and our relationship is not as bad as before.
Apart from working and checking the logging companies, I assist local groups and municipal councils to set up community and communal forests, respectively.
Generally, there is a positive move in this area towards SFM. At the level of the Ministry of Forest and Wildlife, and with the support of WWF, there is willingness to apply the law. Some logging companies are setting up SFM units within their structures. The local communities are gradually getting into the picture to benefit from forest proceeds. In these respects, the way forward is long. We need not only keep up but also redouble efforts.
Biography
I was born in 1966 in Cameroon. I have a diploma in forestry. I worked with the French Cooperation Department on the elaboration of pilot management plans of 10 concessions and the evaluation of exploitation impact on the forest for six years. I have been working with WWF Jengi since 2001.

Biography
I joined the Jengi program in July 2002 coming straight from another WWF project (Northern Savannah) where I began working in 1999. Before then, I held administrative and finance positions at Guinness Cameroon and CAMNAFAW respectively. I was born at the coast of Cameroon in 1962. I am married with children.

I am Senior Field Assistant for Lobeke National Park. My job entails interacting  with nature and local people. I assist in  carrying out wildlife and forest inventories and to plan strategies with game guards to track down poachers. It is not an easy job but the challenges keep me going.
Local people have hope about our work. Many believe WWF will actually help them out of  poverty.

I am married with children whom I sponsor in school thanks to advice and support from WWF. Thanks to my work with the project, I have put up a house with corogated zinc instead of leaves and bamboo. I always become sick whenever I hear that WWF will one day leave because of lack of funds.

If I could see the donors, I would invite them to come and see what we have here in the forest.

I am Park Assistant for Boumba-Bek National Park and its environs. I coordinate activities within and without the park. These include ecological monitoring of forest clearings (bais). I also monitor socio-economic activities of the population in tandem with timber exploiting companies, in a bid to minimise the impact on the environment. I give technical support in the fight against poaching.
I started working for WWF as pioneer Park Assistant for Nki on October 1, 2000. In 2002, I was made Park Assistant for Lobeke and Nki, where I spent four years in a tent in Camp Kombo doing conservation work. From 2004 to September 2006 I was in charge of Lobeke only. On September 1, 2006, I was transferred to Boumba-Bek yet as Park Assistant.
Biography
I was born in 1966 in the Centre Province of Cameroon. I am holder of a diploma in Wildlife from the University of Dschang. I am married and a father of three children. I am prodded on by a strong desire to protect nature and its bounties.

I am WWF Jengi Southeast Forest Program Collaborative Management Officer.
My job entails working on the field with local people, thereby giving conservation a human face. I give technical assistance to local people in the creation and management of community based wildlife resource management committees, COVAREFs. I technically support health awareness raising campaigns in villages.
I was recruited in September 2003. Prior to that, I served as secondary school teacher and principal of Catholic Mission School near Yaounde. I also carried out consultancies with a French development and research institute, CIDR/MIFED.

Biography
I was born in 1965. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from the then University of Yaounde, Cameroon and a Diploma in Development Studies from the Pan-African Institute for Development for Francophone Africa, Douala.