Welcome to the Ecosystem Restoration Integrated Program Forum👋 Please introduce yourself!

[ERIP_GCP]

Welcome, Dawie, and thanks for joining us! Given your work in freshwater zones, you may be interested in learning about our Freshwater Restoration Community of Practice, and/or checking out the Freshwater CoP Forum category.

We look forward to learning from your contributions to the ERIP community!

[Linjasoa]

Hello everyone,

I am Linjasoa Rakotomalala, National Coordinator of the IREMA project (Strengthening Investments in Ecosystem Restoration in Madagascar), one of the 20 projects under the ERIP program.

The IREMA project operates within and around Madagascar’s protected areas, in close collaboration with local communities, protected area managers, and other stakeholders. Our ambition is to restore degraded ecosystems while strengthening the livelihoods of nearby populations.

We are convinced that the conservation of protected areas can only be sustainable if the communities that depend on them derive tangible benefits. That is why we support investments that promote sustainable livelihoods, capable of reducing pressure on natural resources, restoring landscapes, and contributing to community resilience in the face of environmental challenges.

Our goal is to demonstrate that ecosystem restoration and socio-economic development are inseparable, thereby ensuring both the well-being of populations and the long-term sustainability of protected areas.

[mugwaneza]

Hello Every one!

Hope to find you well.

I am MUGWANEZA Jean Bosc, Ag. Project Manager for Ecosystem Based Restoration Approach for Nyungwe Ruhango Coordor- GEF 8 Project in Rwanda.

Best regards.

[ERIP_GCP]

Hello Linjasoa, we are delighted to have you as part of the ERIP community! Thank you for highlighting the importance of designing restoration interventions that take into account community livelihoods and sustainability: this is a crucial point. We look forward to learning with the IREMA project how to more effectively combine ecosystem restoration with socio-economic development.

[ERIP_GCP]

Welcome to the ERIP Forum, Jean Bosco! We are excited to work together to formulate and deliver impactful restoration interventions in Rwanda in the coming years.

[bati7990]

My name is Jean Paul BATIBUHA, I am Congolese, and I reside in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

By training, I am an agricultural engineer, and I have solid professional experience in implementing rural development projects, forest landscape restoration, and sustainable agriculture. In particular, I have contributed to the implementation of the Forest Investment Program (FIP) through several projects, including the Improved Forest Landscape Management Project (PGAPF) and the Integrated Project for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (PIREDD). I have also participated in the Integrated Agricultural Growth Project in the Great Lakes region (PICAGL), specifically on aspects related to agroforestry, rehabilitation of degraded slopes, and promotion of resilient production systems.

Currently, I support local communities, particularly members of our agricultural cooperative, in restoring ecosystems through the implementation of integrated agroforestry activities. Our cooperative manages approximately 1,310 hectares spread across three provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Haut-Katanga, near Kundelungu National Park; Kongo Central, near Kinshasa; and Mai-Ndombe, near Bandundu-Ville. These areas are dedicated to developing landscape restoration activities, sustainable agricultural production, and the enhancement of natural resources.

Furthermore, I serve as a Technical Assistant within the Multisectoral Nutrition and Health Program (PMNS), where I contribute to the implementation of interventions promoting food security, nutrition, and agricultural development.

I am particularly interested in experience-sharing workshops, specialized training, and international cooperation platforms focused on ecological restoration. My goal is to strengthen my technical capacities, identify innovative and proven approaches to effectively mobilize local communities in restoration initiatives, and develop partnerships that provide access to technical support and financing mechanisms for implementing projects aimed at restoring and enhancing degraded forest ecosystems.

[jordao]

Hello, Warm Greetings, my name is Jordão Cachimo, I am Angolan by nationality, and I reside in Angola.

I am a Forestry Engineer by training, with solid professional experience in forest inventory, sustainable land and forest restoration, and conservation agriculture. I also contribute to environmental issues in my country and the implementation of projects. I am currently working as a Field Assistant, that is, an environmental supervisor. My goal is to strengthen the technical capacities for sustainable ecosystem restoration in the extended central plateau of Angola in my country, and I look forward to helping my country grow. Thank you very much.

[DiamonCamara]

Hello everyone. I am Diamon Camara, based in Conakry, Guinea. A sociologist and agent at Vision Sans Frontières (VSF), with experience in projects related to climate change, the environment, inclusion, and community development. I am delighted to join the ERIP Forum to learn, share, and collaborate with the community.

[1234_GEF-8]

Hi All, I’m Zewu Kanyago, working as a Communication and Knowledge Management officer for the Kidepo Landscape Integrated Conservation and Development project—a GEF-8 child project in Uganda. Focusing on preserving Uganda’s most prestigious Kidepo Landscape is a task that requires high financial accountability and a deep knowledge I seek to gain through this ERIP community.

I have proceeded through the field of communication, holding a bachelor’s degree in media technology and a Masters degree in Journalism and Media studies from Uganda Christian University (UCU)

I’m excited to join the ERIP community and learn vastly about the aspects of biodiversity conservation with much interest. Thank you so much for this opportunity.