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The Senkwekwe Centre will be the first ever orphan mountain gorilla facility in DR Congo, situated at Rumangabo, HQ of Virunga National Park, comprising all the facilities required for the two young orphans, educational opportunities for schools and local communities and a permanent base for the DR Congo vets from the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP). Both Ndeze and Ndakasi are now two and a half years old and have been cared for in the city of Goma since being orphaned in 2007, but the heat, noise, dust and polluted atmosphere of this burgeoning city has caused health problems more than once, leading to the urgent need to move them to a facility built within their natural environment in the heart of the National Park.

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Categories

  • Animals Animals
  • Education/Training/Employment Education/​Training/​Employment
  • Environment/Conservation Environment/​Conservation
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Older People Older People
    • Women & Girls Women & Girls
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)
    • Other Other

    Situation

    Gala funds raised will go to provinding the veterinary base for the care of the orphans and crucial ongoing veterinary research, together with the educational facilities for local communities and schools - both of them will be truly unique 'firsts' in Virunga. The Centre is named after Ndeze’s father, the silverback Senkwekwe who was shot and killed along with her mother Safari and two other members of the Rugendo gorilla family on July 22nd, 2007, the news of which was felt with utter shock around the world. Ndakasi was also orphaned after her mother was shot in June of the same year. Phase 1 is complete, providing the most basic bricks and mortar requirements for the two orphans - generously funded by the Murry Foundation in Bournemouth, UK and a Canadian ‘Friend’ of MGVP. G4G is working with Virunga National Park and MGVP to finish this unique project that will also give local communities and children the rare opportunity to see and learn about their mountain gorillas, the National Park and vital conservation isuues. The future guardians of the Park and its mountain gorillas will have a carefully managed yet unprecedented opportunity to become inspired to protect their unique wildlife heritage. The Gala aims to raise £20,000 for the veterinary and educational requirements.

    Solution

    100%
    Categories

  • Animals Animals
  • Education/Training/Employment Education/​Training/​Employment
  • Environment/Conservation Environment/​Conservation
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Older People Older People
    • Women & Girls Women & Girls
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)
    • Other Other