W4V Partners with ICCN to Address Human Wildlife Conflict Around the Park | International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)

W4V and ICCN have signed an agreement to work together to address two key challenges around the park; one, increasing access to safe and clean water and two human wildlife conflict transformation around the park. Specifically, WV4 will work on the rehabilitation and extension of the PNVi water scheme enabling it to provide water to more people around the park.

In the bid to discuss the project further and harmonize the working relations, WV4 team led by MDF and IGCP staff (W4V consortium members) held a meeting with PNVi management on October 21^st in Rumangabo. Key issues from the meeting included ensuring community participation and involvement in the water project and setting up of water user committees that will not only collect funds for maintenance of the infrastructure but also monitor levels of hygiene and sanitation at the water points in the community.

W4V hopes that these actions will foster the conservation agenda and also consolidate efforts to protect gorillas and natural resources. This arrangement will also provide an opportunity and means of improving park – community relations by strengthening the HWC mitigation mechanisms.