Mountain gorilla in the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo
Photo credit: Virunga National Park
New Grants Announced

Exciting news! Due to the generosity of our trustees and supporters, Empowers Africa was able to make the following new grants:

Click on the links above to find out more about each of these organizations or read about them below.  
Grant #1: Supporting the Widows of Fallen Rangers in Virunga National Park

Photo Credit: Brent Stirton/Getty Images

Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa's oldest and most biologically diverse protected area. About four million people live within a day's walk of the park's borders. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Virunga is home to a quarter of the world's 830 critically endangered mountain gorillas. The park features an incredible diversity of landscapes that include jungles, savannas, lava plains, two of the world's most active volcanoes, the glaciated peaks of the little-explored Rwenzori "Mountains of the Moon," and Lake Edward - one of Africa's Great Lakes.

 

Ever since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the region has been plagued by civil war. Blessed with boundless natural resources, minerals, and fossil fuel deposits, the area around Virunga has long been the target of organized and informal extractive interests. The numerous armed groups operating in and around Virunga play a role in providing protection for the private companies and individuals trying to exploit the park's riches.

 

Against the backdrop of war - and despite the death of more than 140 of their comrades over the past decade - Virunga's 500 rangers continue to protect the mountain gorillas and other wildlife in the park.

 

Empowers Africa recently made a grant to support more than 50 widows of rangers killed in action while protecting Virunga National Park.

To support the critical work of Virunga National Park's rangers and staff, you can make a donation by going to www.virunga.org/donate 

Or you can donate through Empowers Africa at www.empowersafrica.org/donate/. Please note in the donation that you would like the funds to be directed to the Virunga National Park, and 100% of your donation will be granted to the park.
  
To see more amazing photos of Virunga National Park and the rangers who protect it, please click here.
Above: Photos taken in Virunga National Park. Photo Credits: Virunga National Park
Empowers Africa Recommends:  Virunga, a 2015 Academy Award® nominee for Best Documentary Feature, now streaming on Netflix.

From Virunga's website: "VIRUNGA is the incredible true story of a group of brave people risking their lives to build a better future in a part of Africa the world's forgotten and a gripping expose of the realities of life in the Congo."

To go to the Virunga movie website, click here. 

To see a trailer of the movie, click here. 
Grant #2: Supporting Doctors Without Borders in the Fight Against Ebola

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) was created on December 22, 1971. It was created on the belief that all people have the right to medical care regardless of gender, race, religion, creed, or political affiliation, and that the needs of these people outweigh respect for national boundaries.  Since its founding, MSF has treated over a hundred million patients - with 8.3 million outpatient consultations being carried out in 2012 alone. 

 

Since Ebola was first identified in March, MSF has been the major responder to this unprecedented outbreak. It has mobilized more than 3,000, staff members running programs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. MSF is training local and international health staff, implementing infection control, and educating communities about Ebola. Empowers Africa is immensely proud of MSF and all the medical professionals who have volunteered to come to the aid of the thousands of men, women, and children affected by this outbreak.

 

Empowers Africa made a grant to MSF to support its ongoing fight against Ebola.
Grant #3: Reintroducing Lions into Akagera National Park in Rwanda

African Parks has taken on the responsibility for the rehabilitation, development, and management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. By adopting a business approach to conservation (i.e., tourism, carbon funding), supported by donor funding, it aims to make each park sustainable in the long term, thereby contributing to economic development and poverty alleviation. It currently manages seven parks in six countries - Chad, Congo, DRC, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia - with a combined area of 4.1 million hectares.   


 

Empowers Africa made a second grant to support reintroduction of lions into the Akagera National Park in Rwanda. Although lions once lived throughout Akagera, the population has been greatly diminished. Under the management of African Parks, a western boundary fence has been constructed, enabling lions to now be safely introduced to their natural habitat.
Grant #4: Supplying Nkomo Primary School with Student Uniforms and Operating Funds

Nkomo Primary School is situated in the rural community of Mduku on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. This school currently has 842 students, 17 classrooms, and 22 teachers. In 1999, with 120 children arriving, eager to learn, the school's heroic principal and founder mobilized the community and parents to help build the first reed hut to start the building of the school. Since then the school has grown significantly, and now offers complete care for the children who attend. This leadership and dedication has not gone unnoticed: Nkomo Primary was identified as a role model in its region and was upgraded to a Full Service School in order to accommodate disabled children from the village.

Empowers Africa made a second grant to the Nkomo Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal. This grant has been used to supply student uniforms and operating budget for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children's Center at Nkomo Primary School.
Above: Photos of the students in their new uniforms
Grant #5: Supplying Shoes and Making Education Possible for Six Primary Students at Ziga Primary School
In August, Empowers Africa Trustee Lisa Gentil and Advisory Committee member Gabriella Gentil visited the Ziga Primary School on the southeastern border of Hwange, Zimbabwe. Ziga Primary is one of four schools in the area supported by Children in the Wilderness (CITW). We are proud to report that Empowers Africa has since made a grant to CITW to fund the purchase of 60 pairs of shoes for the 166 students at this school. Some of these children have to walk over three miles to school each way. Here are some photos of the children with their new shoes! We also made a grant to sponsor the annual educational costs of six primary students at Ziga Primary School.
Above: Photos of the children receiving their new shoes!
Empowers Africa Annual Event in NYC
Save the Date: April 23, 2015

Our annual event will be held at the Explorers Club in New York City on April 23, 2015. Please join us in honoring Global Witness and its co-founding directors!
Amazing Trips to Africa Will Be Available in Our Auction
Here are the phenomenal trips that will be presented for auction on April 23:
  • Wilderness Safaris - 6 nights for 2 guests in Botswana Trip Details
  • Singita, Lebombo or Sweni Lodge - 3 nights for 2 guests in South Africa Trip Details
  • The Uganda Safari Company at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge and Semliki Safari Lodge - 5 nights for 2 guests in Uganda Trip Details
  • Samara Private Game Reserve, Drostdy Hotel & Cape Grace Hotel - 7 nights for 2 guests in South Africa. Trip Details to follow soon
  • African Parks - 5 nights for 2 guests in Chad.  Trip Details to follow soon
  • Singita, Pamushana Lodge - 4 nights for 2 guests in Zimbabwe Trip Details
  • The Thornybush Collection - 6 nights for 2 guests in South Africa Trip Details
  • African Bush Camps & The Victoria Falls Hotel - 5 nights for 2 guests in Zimbabwe.  Trip Details to follow soon
Join us on Facebook          
Join our 4,000+ fans on our Empowers Africa Facebook page, where you'll find more information on our efforts to save endangered wildlife, support community development, and more.
Click here to go there now.
If you would like to donate to Empowers Africa to help any of the schools or projects we support, please contact us at info@empowersafrica.org or go to our online donation page by clicking here.