Mayumba National Park Outreach Program

A National Park should be a dynamic entity that concerns itself not only with wildlife conservation within its borders, but also with the health and well-being of its neighbours. Protected area conservation can only succeed through the support of local populations. Education and healthcare have been identified as priority issues in the Mayumba area.

Environmental education teaches children about the enormous value of their surroundings and the rewards for their sustainable use and protection.

Since 2003, t he Park’s Environmental Education program has been working in 8 schools in Mayumba and since 2005 a further 7 in the isolated villages that line the nearby Banio Lagoon. Through regular school visits, we endeavor to enrich the learning experience for over 2200 children. Topics focus on the local environment, its wildlife and sustainable resource use. We employ exciting and innovative learning materials and methods. These include theatre and puppet shows, a children’s international art exchange, films and presentations, field excursions, traditional arts and crafts, and environmentally themed talent and sports events.

The Mayumba Outreach Program regularly visits 10 villages in the area surrounding the Park.  Slideshows, hands-on demonstrations, and group discussions address topics including malaria prevention, HIV/AIDS awareness, hygiene, nutrition, and mother and infant health. Most of these villages have no access to regular health care.  As such, a strong accent is placed upon wellness and preventative health.

The program also works in Mayumba’s secondary school, offering health education directed specifically at young adults. Our yearly World AIDS Awareness event and regular conferences on health topics relevant to teenagers motivates students to make responsible decisions about their health.

The program seeks to develop alternative revenue-making and social initiatives. We have created a local women’s weaving collective, which finds more lucrative markets for the region’s finely crafted traditional mats and uses the profits to fund health education, mosquito net provision, and doctor and midwife visits to the artists' villages.  We are also active in the promotion of Mayumba as a ecotourism destination. Products such as tourism brochures, posters, a website, and promotional films are raising the profile of the area and have already helped attract new investment to this sector. A community waste management project is also underway, providing a cleaner, healthier, and more attractive environment for Mayumba’s inhabitants and visitors.