{"id":59065,"date":"2025-10-01T06:36:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T06:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/?p=59065"},"modified":"2025-10-02T06:39:50","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T06:39:50","slug":"our-forests-our-lives-when-the-children-of-lokolama-draw-the-future-of-the-congo-basin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/blog\/59065\/our-forests-our-lives-when-the-children-of-lokolama-draw-the-future-of-the-congo-basin\/","title":{"rendered":"Our forests, our lives: when the children of Lokolama draw the future of the Congo Basin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-query posts-list p4-query-loop is-custom-layout-list is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-58711 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-inspirethemovement tag-forests tag-greenpeaceafrica tag-drc p4-page-type-press\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><figure class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/press\/58711\/travel-diary-from-the-heart-of-the-congo-basin-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/08\/6c937047-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image wp-stateless-item\" alt=\"Travel diary from the heart of the Congo Basin: voices and hopes of indigenous peoples\" style=\"object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/08\/6c937047-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/08\/6c937047-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/08\/6c937047-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/08\/6c937047-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples-453x340.jpg 453w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" data-image-size=\"post-thumbnail\" data-stateless-media-bucket=\"planet4-africa-stateless\" data-stateless-media-name=\"2025\/08\/6c937047-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-terms\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/category\/issues\/inspirethemovement\/\">Inspire the Movement<\/a><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-post_tag wp-block-post-terms\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/tag\/forests\/\" rel=\"tag\">Forests<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\"> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/tag\/greenpeaceafrica\/\" rel=\"tag\">GreenpeaceAfrica<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\"> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/tag\/drc\/\" rel=\"tag\">DRC<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/press\/58711\/travel-diary-from-the-heart-of-the-congo-basin-voices-and-hopes-of-indigenous-peoples\/\" target=\"_self\" >Travel diary from the heart of the Congo Basin: voices and hopes of indigenous peoples<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">In August 2025, Greenpeace Africa led an exceptional expedition to the heart of the Congo Basin, to the villages of Lokolama and Penz\u00e9l\u00e9, as well as to Mbandaka, in Equateur Province. <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group posts-list-meta is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><span class='article-list-item-author'>Raphael Mavambu<\/span>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-08-26T05:03:08+00:00\">26 August 2025<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons carousel-controls is-horizontal is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-044bd602 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button carousel-control-prev\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Previous Carousel Slide<\/button><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button carousel-control-next\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Next Carousel Slide<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/9593208c-blog-6-5-1024x577.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/9593208c-blog-6-5-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/9593208c-blog-6-5-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/9593208c-blog-6-5-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/9593208c-blog-6-5-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/9593208c-blog-6-5-510x287.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/9593208c-blog-6-5.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p>On <strong>August 5<\/strong>, 2025, the village of Lokolama was filled with color and laughter during a workshop unlike any other. Entitled \u201cOur forests, our lives,\u201d this creative space brought together <strong>46 indigenous children<\/strong> around a mission: <strong>to draw their vision of the forest and its future.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Learning through play and creativity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Led by Greenpeace Africa volunteers, the workshop aimed to raise children&#8217;s awareness of the importance of the forest while allowing them to express themselves freely. Through the \u201clearning by doing\u201d method, the young people were able to strengthen their knowledge of biodiversity, peatlands, and the vital role of the Congo Basin&#8217;s forests.<\/p>\n\n<p>Armed with pencils, paper, and colors, the children brought their dreams to life: huge trees, rivers teeming with fish, majestic animals, and families living in harmony with nature.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/64978fd9-blog-6-4-1024x577.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59079\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/64978fd9-blog-6-4-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/64978fd9-blog-6-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/64978fd9-blog-6-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/64978fd9-blog-6-4-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/64978fd9-blog-6-4-510x287.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/64978fd9-blog-6-4.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Simple but powerful messages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Behind each drawing, a clear message emerged: the forest is their home, their identity, and their future. These naive but profound graphic representations testify to the ecological awareness already present in the youngest children.<\/p>\n\n<p>\u201c<strong>We want to keep our forests to play, eat, and live with our families<\/strong>,\u201d explained one girl, proudly showing her drawing filled with palm trees and butterflies.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/d8974cbd-image-1024x577.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/d8974cbd-image-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/d8974cbd-image-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/d8974cbd-image-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/d8974cbd-image-1536x865.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/d8974cbd-image-510x287.png 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/d8974cbd-image.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sowing seeds for the future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>By valuing the children&#8217;s creativity, the workshop planted a precious seed: that of <strong>intergenerational responsibility<\/strong>. These young artists are called upon to become the <strong>guardians of tomorrow<\/strong>, bearers of a vision of sustainability and respect for nature.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/37e8a737-blog-6-1-1024x577.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/37e8a737-blog-6-1-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/37e8a737-blog-6-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/37e8a737-blog-6-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/37e8a737-blog-6-1-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/37e8a737-blog-6-1-510x287.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/37e8a737-blog-6-1.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A mirror for adults<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>The children&#8217;s drawings remind adults of a simple but essential truth: <strong>protecting the forest means protecting life<\/strong>. By listening to the voices of the youngest among us, Lokolama and beyond can <strong>build solutions rooted in hope and continuity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/15483384-blog-6-1024x577.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-59085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/15483384-blog-6-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/15483384-blog-6-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/15483384-blog-6-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/15483384-blog-6-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/15483384-blog-6-510x287.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2025\/10\/15483384-blog-6.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The village of Lokolama was filled with color and laughter during a workshop unlike any other. Entitled \u201cOur forests, our lives,\u201d this creative space brought together 46 indigenous children around a mission: to draw their vision of the forest and its future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":59077,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"not set","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"not set","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[24,46,47],"p4-page-type":[126],"class_list":["post-59065","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspirethemovement","tag-forests","tag-greenpeaceafrica","tag-drc","p4-page-type-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59065"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59065\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59098,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59065\/revisions\/59098"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59065"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=59065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}