News

21 July 2010

Volunteer skydives for Indigenous kids in Ecuador

Victoria Allison volunteered with GVI in Ecuador providing educational support for Indigenous children and is now committed to the cause. When she returned home to Australia she wanted to continue the support and decided to raise funds.

Victoria did her dive with The Australian Skydive Company in Cairns and through her Just Giving page managed to raise £1000 for the project.

Fantastic effort Victoria, thanks so much and you know how much this will help the kids.

05 June 2010

Guatemala Agatha Appeal Update

Last week we started a JustGiving page to help support the indigenous communities of Santa María de Jesús and San Andrés Itzapa in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Agatha which struck Guatemala on 29th May 2010.

We want to thank everyone who donated to the appeal in the past few days. We now have enough money to give our 382 families emergency food supplies for one month and we will start handing this out on Monday 7th June. Please keep your donations coming as the next task is to rebuild houses after the storm last weekend.

Project staff and community leaders in Guatemala (from left to right below) - Dominic and Doreen Williams; Santa Maria community leader, Santiago Colin; and Itzapa community leader, Elena Siquinajay de Suy, would like to thank everyone again for their support.

To donate to the Agatha appeal visit www.justgiving.com/agathaappeal.

02 June 2010

Raising Money For Storm-Hit Guatemala

On Saturday morning, May 29 Tropical Storm Agatha flew over Guatemala, dropping three feet of rain in less than 24 hours, disregarding houses and belongings with its winds of up to 45mph. In short, it has devastated Guatemala and has left it picking up the pieces.

The storm has so far killed 146 people, left 52 people missing, 54 people injured and 94,000 evacuated from their homes, with the death toll rising. Emergency crews have struggled to reach isolated communities that have been cut-off by washed out roads and collapsed bridges. Mudslides have destroyed homes and buildings and have buried some victims. They have no electricity, no water and no support.

Guatemala has been placed under a state of emergency. The most effected regions are Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, and Chimaltenango. The regions which hold Santa Maria, Antigua and Itzapa, the places GVI live and work.

Our two communities have been left devastated by Agatha. Homes have been swept away, food and crops destroyed, families lost, belongings ruined and water supplies cut. In Itzapa and the surrounding area landslides buried dozens of rural communities and killed at least 60 people and as a result, the department has collapsed. In Santa Maria four of the dead are known to GVI. They need water, food, shelter, clothes but above all money to rebuild their lives.

GVI has been here before. We have helped our communities rebuild their lives after Hurricane Stan and Hurricane Mitch, and we will help them after Tropical Storm Agatha. But we need your help.

We need to be able to provide water, food, shelter, clothes and support for the coming months. But we can't do it alone. Please donate what you can to support us and help rebuild lives.

Help us reach our target of £10,000 ($14,656), by donating at http://www.justgiving.com/agathaappeal.

29 April 2010

Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

The US considers setting fire to Gulf of Mexico oil leak as an estimated 1,000 barrels (42,000 gallons) of oil a day have been leaking into the sea since an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon platform last week caused the rig to sink.The leaks are about 5,000ft (1,525m) under the surface and were found on Saturday, four days after the Deepwater Horizon platform, to which the pipe was attached, exploded and sank. Eleven of the rig's workers are still missing and presumed dead.

This could potentially be one of the most significant oil spills in US history if it is not managed successfully soon, although it would have to continue for more than eight months to match the 11m-gallon spill from the oil tanker Exxon Valdez off Alaska in 1989.

A "controlled burn" has been suggested. This involves setting fire to an area of the petroleum trapped by special containment booms on the water's surface. Environmental experts say birds and animals are more likely to escape a burning patch of water than an oil slick, although toxic fumes could endanger wildlife.

Tried and tested controlled burns have shown to be effective in burning 50 to 95% of oil collected in a fire boom.

The slick is now about 20 miles (32km) off the coast of Louisiana, but wind projections indicate it will not reach land before Saturday. The resulting oil slick now covers about 28,600 sq miles (74,100 sq km).

26 April 2010

Lack of Funding for Guatemalan Food Crisis

Guatemala has been hit by a prolonged drought and one of the worst to hit the country for over 3 decades. It has resulted in severe food shortages that have only served to worsen the country’s continual malnutrition problem. This comes after more than a month since the United Nations and its aid partners asked for $34million to assist with the food crisis. So far less than 10% of that has been received, prompting officials at the UN to express concern over the 680,000 estimated people affected.

Just below half of all children in Guatemala below the age of 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition and it is one of the worst rates in the world. So far only $2.9m has reached the stricken country according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs at the UN. A rise in malnutrition and the clinical cases of kwashiorkor and marasmus has hit the east and central Guatemala particularly hard. Kwashiorkor is an illness which comes from a protein deficiency and symptoms include a swollen abdomen in children, diarrhoea, skin peeling and pigments in the hair to turn reddish. Marasmus causes children to look emaciated with widespread tissue and muscle loss.

The funds that have been asked for are intended to help with the national relief efforts and provide support for food health and nutrition. It is also required to assist with agriculture, water and sanitation and hygiene projects for people living in departments in the east of the country as well as those in the so called “dry-corridor.” The droughts effects have been made worse by the rising cost of food and agricultural necessities such as fertilisers, the global financial crisis, and a decrease in job opportunities.

Visit the volunteering section to see how you can help improve the lives of Guatemalans.

02 December 2009

Forested Ecuador haven for world’s smallest orchid species!

The expansion of Ecuador’s road network has resulted in increased accessibility to some of its most remote forested regions that have, until now, remained isolated. The resulting influx of botanists has amassed an average of approximately ten new species of orchid per year! Occasionally these species are so small they are overlooked by even the most zealous botanists as they can reside in the root soil of their larger counterparts and their flower, perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the flora, can be no larger than two or three millimetres (millimetres!) across.

The latest discovery, which has its origins on the Cerro Candelaria Reserve (a Reserve established jointly between local authority the EcoMinga Foundation and the UK’s World Land Trust) has been made by botanist Lou Jost, which brings his total of newly discovered species to seventy. In some regions new families of orchids are being uncovered that were previously thought to inhabit sites outside of Ecuador altogether, including a recent find in a forested region comparable to London in size. Given the unprecedented number of species emerging from the unprobed regions of deepest Ecuador, one wonders whether the encroaching network of roads that contributed indirectly to these discoveries will divert to preserve this extraordinary region.

GVI has long understood the global significance of the Ecuadorian Amazon as a centre of diversity for both flora and fauna as evidenced by its ongoing presence (since 2002). Current expedition attendees residing North of the Napo River, accessible only by bus and motorised canoe, are working alongside the Yachana Foundation to promote sustainable agricultural practices, whilst learning of fauna and flora survey techniques and species identification, for which there is the opportunity of accreditation and the acquisition of a BTEC in Biological Survey Techniques. So whilst we can't guarantee you'll discover a new species during your 2-10 week visit, we are certain that visiting the home to 30% (and rising) of all known plant and animal species will leave you in awe of this otherworldly ecosystem. Just ask our previous volunteers.

20 November 2009

GVI supports Children in Need

Today is the day of BBC Children in Need, whose mission is “to make a positive change to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.” GVI supports this worthwhile cause, and is helping children in need all over the world, today and everyday.

GVI has numerous projects where volunteers work with young children who would otherwise not receive help or education to better their lives. There are projects in orphanages around the world, such as in South Africa, Kenya, Honduras and Nepal, where volunteers care and educate impoverished children.

Volunteers could also choose to work on childcare projects working with indigenous children in poor communities of Guatemala or Mexico, or with street children and tribal communities in India. For those more active, GVI has a program to teach sport to children in Zambia.

The possibilities to make a difference to disadvantaged children across the world are enormous. GVI volunteers really do make a difference to these children's lives, and so can you!

19 October 2009

The Phoenix Rises From The Ashes...

Earlier this year GVI Phoenix welcomed Enrique Nunez Mussa from Santiago, Chile as winner of World Nomads 2009 Podcast Scholarship.

Enrique visited San Andres de Itzapa - one of two communities GVI work with in Guatemala - on the stove building project and joining in life on our childcare project, where volunteers teach literacy and provide educational reinforcement to indigenous children, who would not normally have the chance at an education, a basic right that many of us take for granted.

Read and listen to Enrique's blog and podcast where he provides a very informative account on life in the schools. A great job Enrique, and thanks from everyone at GVI Phoenix!

Also read about life on all of the GVI Phoenix projects in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Peru on our blog.

And finally, see some pictures taken from the Guatemala projects below...

07 October 2009

Songs that capture the spirit of travel....

GVI has taken some inspiration from online travel magazine Brave New Traveler and their article on the "30 Songs That Capture The Spirit Of Travel".

We put the question to GVI Facebook fans...What song do you think captures the spirit of travel? We have had some excellent song requests (if indeed GVI was a jukebox!) in the last couple of days, some of which will be going straight to the iPod for the next trip!

Share your "traveling song" with everyone else on the GVI Facebook page ...

Staff and pupils at Kapkenduywa Primary School in Eldoret, Kenya are mourning the loss of a very special pupil who taught the world it’s never too late to start learning. In 2004, at the age of 84, Kimani Nganga Maruge broke a Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school – never having had the opportunity to attend when he was younger due to the cost. He enrolled a year after the Kenyan government introduced free primary schooling for all.

A grandfather to 30 children and a veteran of the Mau Mau independence movement, Kimani had always wanted to be able to read the bible for himself, and had started to become suspicious that he had not been receiving his full pension and so was keen to learn basic math skills to check! With his outstanding attendance records he was soon made a prefect and had planned to work towards a veterinary diploma eventually.

In 2005, he appealed to world leaders attending a summit in the United States to make education for the poor a priority.

Sadly, he was diagnosed with cancer and recently died at the age of 90 – just 2 years before the end of his primary education. He even convinced teachers to come and teach him at home when he was too ill to get to the school.

Kimani Nganga Maruge will be remembered as an inspiration to all as someone who never gave up on his quest to learn.

14 July 2009

Peru's children suffer from harsh winter

Every year Peru is hit by cold harsh winters – with temperatures dropping well below freezing, hail and snow storms battering the country and strong winds sweeping through the Andes. Yet the early arrival of these extreme climatic conditions has seen a dramatic increase in the number of people, in particular young children under the age of 5, who have died as a result.

One of the worst hit areas is the southern region of Puno – where one third of deaths were recorded. The southern Andes in general are known for their lack of basic facilities and poor healthcare which means children are often malnourished, and particularly susceptible to the cold conditions.

Almost 250 children under the age of five have already died this winter. Aid workers attribute most of the deaths to hypothermia and deadly respiratory infections such as pneumonia which occur as a result of prolonged exposure to the cold.

Winter usually starts around June in these regions, but this year freezing temperatures arrived as early as March. Experts have blamed this early arrival on climate change and the government has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. However, many critics say a lot of the deaths could have been avoided if the government had allocated resources more efficiently to the areas which needed them most.

In the capital, Lima, ordinary citizens and businesses have been getting together to donate resources such as clothes, blankets and food for the victims in the south of the country, however with the winter months only half way through, the outlook is not promising for the children of Peru.

29 June 2009

Amazon Bill in Brazil

On the 25th June the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, signed a bill that allowed farmers to legally own an area of the Amazon Rainforest the size of France. The bill was put into place to avoid violent conflicts that have previously arisen due to uncertainty over land ownership and to improve security for small-scale farmers. Conservationists, however, fear that this will accelerate deforestation of the world’s largest rainforest, as patches of land are sold to large-scale businesses.

The Amazon rainforest, 60% of which is located in Brazil, is a biologically rich area that desperately needs to be conserved. It harbours millions of insect species, tens of thousands of plants and thousands of animals. The main cause of deforestation is the conversion of rainforest to agricultural land. The Amazonian soil is only productive for short-periods, resulting in continued land clearance as farmers search for more fertile soils.

Voluntary conservation expeditions to the Amazon provide environmental education and awareness programmes, which are indispensable to the region. Programmes promote sustainable economic and agricultural alternatives for the inhabitants, many of whom are from poor, indigenous communities.

25 June 2009

Ruby Rose in Kenya

MTV presenter Ruby Rose learns how to cook in the field GVI style with our very own Sara...GVI are now offering a range of other courses - not just cooking! - with our new and exciting internships. See what you can do on a GVI Internship

21 April 2009

Experience is (usually) the name of the game

Despite the focus on the need of experience in the current job market, for GVI experience is not the name of the game. Experience is that dreaded detail that leaves people falling just short. We’ve all been there, and it’s something that should not be holding back the potential that so many people will possess in abundance.

GVI internships and work placement programs aim to provide participants with the opportunity to build on their skills and knowledge, join in with practical field work, network and play an active part in worthwhile volunteer projects worldwide. But let’s not get dragged down by talk of skills, experience and academic qualifications. The following are just an idea to get the mind working. And you are eligible to apply...

*GVI, TEFL and Thailand*

GVI’s Thailand English Teaching Internship takes you to the beautiful province of Krabi. Running in conjunction with TEFL certification training, volunteers will have the chance to become qualified teachers. GVI is also listed as an Institutional Member of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) and is a member of the College of Teachers (CoT).

*GVI Joins the Big Five in Africa*

On this program, interns will undergo a comprehensive two week training placement in Kruger National Park delivered by industry specialists, before gaining high-profile environmental education and conservation experience working at one of South Africa’s twenty National Parks. This opportunity is available from six months to one year, allowing you to gain experience and relevant training that will greatly aid your development in years to come.

With the above just a snapshot of what you can do, GVI offers the opportunity of work experience, and so previous skills, knowledge or experience relevant to the projects is not required. All the skills you need for your career – leadership, team building and general management skills for example – will come with time.

16 January 2009

New Year - Change Career - Volunteer!

Need a change in career? Looking to do something different with your life? Have you taken voluntary redundancy or early retirement?

The number of bookings with GVI has soared in recent months and December 2008 was another record month with an increase of over 70% compared to December 2007. There have been many suggestions to why this might have been, including the addition of new programs, more flexible options and GVI’s continuing growth in Australasia and North America.

A further debate in the office has been whether the current economic downturn in the global economy could be responsible for the surge in applications. With the chance to get away from the doom and gloom of the job market, learn new skills and gain unique experiences GVI offers a wide range of expeditions and programs. One of our newest programs is the expedition traineeship which combines all the training and support you get from any GVI program with additional training courses and practical experience to allow you the opportunity to apply for paid or unpaid work in the field.

Whether you are planning a short break or something more long-term GVI can most certainly offer you a memorable experience!

29 October 2008

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN JUST TWO WEEKS

GVI OFFER NEW TWO WEEK SUSTAINABLE VOLUNTEERING EXPEDITIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA, KENYA AND THAILAND

Global Vision International (GVI) has created new short term volunteering opportunities for individuals and families interested in performing vital conservation and humanitarian work. Volunteers short on time will able to go away with GVI on a sustainable safari in South Africa or teach children in Thailand or even conduct dolphin research in Kenya.

Andy Woods-Ballard, GVI’s UK Director of Operations, says: “Recently there has been a real demand for shorter volunteering opportunities that fit into peoples work, study, school holidays and budgets. And with the current economic climate people are more worried about taking time off work and the costs associated with traveling, however many still want to volunteer. Our short term projects allow people to go away for two weeks and experience a new culture, whilst performing crucial conservation work under the guidance of our ground staff.”

Volunteers on GVI’s two week Wildlife Conservation Experience will be given the opportunity to work in South Africa’s spectacular Limpopo province. Volunteers will experience much more than on a safari, as they will learn basic field training skills and work in small teams with experienced GVI scientists tracking animals through the bush, encountering spectacular big game such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and rhino.

Andy continues: “GVI’s South African wildlife expedition is one of our most exciting and rewarding volunteer experiences. Until now, volunteers have been required to spend much longer on the projects, but we have been able to tailor the program and create a shorter experience, which still allows volunteers to perform vital conservation work and track and monitor the animals using satellite systems.”

GVI also offer other short term programs, such as teaching children English in Thailand and Dolphin research in Kenya. Volunteers in Thailand will work directly with Thai teachers in local schools and communities while living in the picturesque Krabi province. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to learn the local language and how to cook delicious Thai cuisine. Volunteers going to Kenya will work closely with the Kenyan Wildlife Service, assisting local and international researchers to monitor dolphins. They will have the opportunity to snorkel in some of Kenya’s finest coral reefs and camp out under the African stars.

GVI’s short term programs are the perfect way to experience a new culture and learn new skills in a short period of time, while making an invaluable contribution to the local area.

19 September 2008

GVI LAUNCH VITAL EDUCATION PROJECT IN NICARAGUA

Individuals looking to partake in some meaningful volunteering should head to Nicaragua, where they can take part in Global Vision International’s (GVI)’s new teaching project. GVI’s volunteering project in rural Nicaragua will look to address the poor literary levels of the local community benefiting both adults and children.

In Esteli, Nicaragua, education and literacy levels are depressingly low. Problems with education tend to be due to economic constraints, lack of teaching materials and lack of teachers themselves. In the rural communities GVI aims to help around Estelí where the majority of families currently rely on agriculture or sifting through garbage for survival.

Dominic Williams, GVI’s Director of Latin American Projects, says: “The communities we work with in Nicaragua are some of the poorest in the country. There is no electricity, no running water and many houses are assembled from items that families have found. Looking at this project long term, GVI realised that what the community could really benefit from is education.”

Volunteers on this project can join the project for between four and 12 weeks where they will work in the heart of a Nicaraguan community. Volunteers will live with host families and work in local schools each morning and hold ‘aulas abierta’ or ‘open classrooms’ in the afternoons where members of the adult community can come along to learn.

Volunteers will also be able to spend time exploring the local region through hiking, horse treks and visiting nature reserves. Volunteers will also have the option to take an intensive Spanish course to really immerse themselves within the local community.

Dominic continues: “Volunteering on our projects provides a great opportunity for volunteers to meet new friends, make a difference and travel the world. Many of our volunteers also choose to visit some of our other projects in Latin America including Guatemala, Honduras and Peru, which we really encourage, as where ever they choose to visit they are providing invaluable skills and help to those who need it most.”

GVI’s Volunteer Work Teaching Children and Adults in Rural Nicaragua project costs from £635. For more information, please visit GVI’s website at www.gvi.co.uk, GVI’s Central America blog at www.gviphoenix.blogspot.com or call one of the team on 01727 250 250


For further information, please contact Laura Harvey or Sophie McColl at the GVI Press Office by telephone on 020 8870 6777 or by email on laurah@saltlondon.com or sophie@saltlondon.com

22 July 2008

GVI LAUNCH PHILANTHROPIC FAMILY BREAKS

Ethical volunteering organization, Global Vision International (GVI), due to popular demand has opened up a selection of volunteering trips to families. The expeditions will offer families the chance to provide vital assistance on some of GVI’s community and conservation projects, while experiencing life in a different culture.

Previously, GVI only catered for volunteers over the age of eighteen, but after receiving enquiries from altruistic families wishing to volunteer together, GVI decided to open up their application process to family units too. Applications will be assessed on a case by case basis, to ensure that parents can find the perfect volunteering adventure for their families.

GVI’s volunteering project in Nepal could provide the perfect opportunity for parents with older children to volunteer together, as teenagers are able to get involved teaching children in the Nepalese communities. Families with younger children however, may be more suited to a project such as GVI’s ‘Stoves’ project in Guatemala. Children as young as twelve will be able to work alongside their parents on this volunteer project, to build energy efficient stoves which are less damaging to the environment, cause less air pollution, and enable local parents to provide better meals for their children.

Chris Ash, GVI’s International Projects Director, says: “Volunteering provides families with an amazing opportunity to get together and take part in a unique and bonding experience. GVI volunteering opportunities are tailored to a family’s individual needs and we will be working hard to ensure that families are placed on projects where they can enjoy making a valuable contribution together.”

The trips will also give families the opportunity to take side trips and explore the local attractions and more of the local culture. Volunteer families in Guatemala, for example, are able to take a two day adventure trip to Lake Atitlan, where they can take part in numerous activities including kayaking and cycling as well as visiting a local volcano.

Chris continues: “Families volunteering in non-English speaking countries will also have the opportunity to learn a new language, which is particularly beneficial for younger children, who tend to pick up languages easily. Older children may find their time volunteering will benefit them in other ways, as they will pick up new skills that may help them boost their CV before their first job or improve their chance of getting onto a University course.”

04 June 2008

GVI Partner wins International accolade

Yachana Foundation win the International National Geographic and ASHOKA 'Changemakers' Competition!

Yesterday Ecuador won an international prize in the World of Ecotourism, Conservation, Education and Sustainable Development. The Yachana Foundation which counts within its various activities Yachana Lodge – a rainforest Lodge, Yachana Gourmet – a Fair Trade chocolate company, and Yachana High School – a practical school for the youth of the Amazon is one of three winners in the National Geographic and Ashoka Changemakers competition.

It's with great pride for Ecuador that Yachana receives this prize and at the same time recognition of the work that the Yachana Foundation is doing in promoting and funding the protection and conservation of culture and the environment in this wonderful country of Ecuador.

The objective of the competition was to identify and show the organisations or individual projects that support and promote Geotourism. Tourism that takes into account the geographic characteristics of an area, its environment, its culture, its traditions and the wellbeing of its people.

The competition started with 322 participants from 83 countries and 15 finalists remained in a first selection, from whom 3 were chosen by international voting on the internet and one is Yachana! Winning is a great honor and represents a window on Ecuador where the whole world can see both Ecuador as a country and Yachana's Sustainable Development and Education project.

Its the first time that Ecuador has been a winner in a competition of this stature and Yachana is proud to represent Ecuador in this.

How Can I Get Involved?

Find out more about working on the Ecuador Amazon Expedition with Yachana and GVI

18 May 2008

GVI New Website Launch

Global Vision are celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a new look! With expanding numbers in expeditions and projects and more and more volunteers helping in critical conservation and community work we felt it was time to freshen up and keep moving on.


Although we have a new look, rest assured we still have the same goals and ethics instilled from a decade ago. Striving for long term sustainability in all works, GVI is guided by a unique commitment to its volunteers and to its partners.


GVI helping to Change Your World.

19 January 2008

Brits Fed Up with Daily Grind

• One in six of Brits unfulfilled at work
• Single woman most unfulfilled at work
• Trend for taking a sabbatical has doubled

Single women aged between 34 and 44 and living in the West Midlands are most likely to feel unfulfilled in the workplace, according to research by ethical volunteering organisation Global Vision International (GVI).

The research conducted by Gfk NOP on behalf of GVI reveals that one in six British workers (15%) feel unfulfilled at work.

When asked what would make them more fulfilled, 43% of respondents said they would like the opportunity to help people less fortunate than themselves, while 17% said that volunteering to help save the planet would increase their feeling of fulfillment. Money also ranked highly with 54% of people surveyed feeling that earning more money would increase their fulfillment while 30% think that more responsibility in the workplace will make them happier.

Andy Woods-Ballard a Director at GVI comments: “While it is worrying that so many people find their jobs unfulfilling, it is encouraging that people are developing a green conscience and wanting to volunteer to make a difference. It's interesting that those in the 34 to 44 age group were the most likely to feel unfulfilled at work as this is the age group that we are seeing the biggest rise in volunteers year on year. GVI volunteers often come back from their trip with a new lease of life, so volunteering is a fantastic option for those fed up with the monotony of the daily grind.”

The trend for taking sabbaticals has doubled. In 2007, 23% of people have either considered or actually taken sabbaticals, compared with only 12% of the people surveyed by GVI in 2006. The research findings also show the continual importance for companies to have a sabbatical policy, as a quarter of those surveyed by GVI in both 2006 (26%) and 2007 (26%) cited this workplace benefit as important when selecting a company to work for.

Andy continues: “We are definitely seeing an increase in those going on volunteering expeditions, as our bookings are increasing on average each year by 37%. Our most popular destinations are Latin America and Mexico , South Africa and the Seychelles , all of which involve performing crucial conservation and development work to help the planet.”

The 2007 GVI survey also found that twice as many people had been away on sabbaticals compared to a 2006 survey.

22 September 2007

SURVEY PUTS FOREST ON ROAD TO PRESERVATION

A team of English volunteers have just taken the first step towards saving a unique Kenyan forest and its resident population of endangered Colobus monkeys. On Monday, September 18, a group of 17 volunteers working as part of a project organised by humanitarian and conservation organisation GVI finished recording every section of the Shimoni Forest, 80km South of Mombasa, on the Kenyan coast – the first step towards allowing the local population to take control of the forest and thus prevent it being chopped down. Shimoni, whose trees grow on a base of coral exposed due to rising sea levels, is home to a group of rare Colobus monkeys whose habitat would have been threatened had deforestation continued. Graham Cortie, leader of the expedition, said: “Like most of Kenya, this is a very poor area, and locals had been chopping down the trees for firewood, thus endangering the unique wildlife and the forest itself. However, thanks to the process of ‘transecting’ the forest that we have just completed, we are now on the road to allowing the locals to own the forest in which they live. This will have several positive benefits. Firstly people will become more environmentally aware, and will not want to damage something they now own. Secondly, they can now promote the forest as a tourist area, and bring money into their community. This is a great step forward for a beautiful natural environment and the people who live in it.” The project was first begun in early January, and is being run by GVI, an organisation which allows ordinary men and women to take part in conservation and humanitarian projects worldwide. Besides mapping the forest, GVI volunteers on the Kenya project researched marine mammals such as Bottlenose Dolphins and Humpback Whales passing through the local coastal waters, relocated elephants to nearby National Parks, and redecorated and upgraded the village’s orphanage. Graham Cortie said: “This has been one of the most fulfilling projects to have worked on because it has resulted in benefits to the local people, the local wildlife, and the local environment. Shimoni has a dark but important past – it was the first port used in the Kenyan slave trade. It is also home to some magnificent and important caves. Thanks to this project, these pieces of history will remain unchanged, and the people of Shimoni have a little help towards living their way of life the way they want to.”