The Democratic Republic of Congo is roughly the same size as Western Europe. However its infrastructure is a far different proposition, and as a result it is rare – verging on impossible – that people from different parts of the...

When one thinks of endangered species, the usual large animals spring to mind. Elephants, tigers, rhinos. And quite rightly they are the ones who get the lion's share of the attention at the meeting of the standing committee of the ...

It’s a question that’s plagued NGOs for decades: How do we tackle some of Africa’s biggest challenges, like energy access, water access, and proper health services? While many community projects are planned and started from outside...

Almost all of the logging in the Democratic Republic of Congo is illegal, says   a new report by the UK-based think tank, Chatham House . Though the figure of 87% is a startling one, it is not surprising for those of us here at...

When I stepped into Greenpeace back in October 2008, I was told I was the first African lady to join this organisation in Africa. I felt it was a continuation of the duty I started when I worked at Oxfam. With the latter, I was...

To the layperson the world of forest certification is often a technical one that does not seem to operate at what could be called a breakneck pace. However, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has this week reached a landmark decision...

In Oshwe, a small forest community of around 22 000 people in the DRC, people survive by hunting, fishing, and gathering wood from the rainforest. As with many forest communities in the DRC, the rainforest is both a pharmacy and...

Anniversaries can vary in significance, both to people individually and to wider audiences. On paper, the first anniversary of the introduction of a piece of timber legislation might not be a birthday that is chalked up in many...

The Congo Basin is home to the second largest tropical rain-forested area on earth.  New research publicised this week suggests that the rate of deforestation in the region is actually slowing.  However this message does not...

It must be said over and over, that the Congo Basin forest is the second largest rainforest in the world ! It is majestic and beautiful, it is a home and the doctor’s office to animals and humans alike. This forest harbours...

Last month Greenpeace Africa released a report on how the illegal logging sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is in a state of organized chaos, with numerous companies flouting regulations and threatening the country’s...

Deep in the vast rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, chainsaws are buzzing. Heavy machinery rumbles and growls, as loggers slice their way through the forest. Three newly published investigations by Resource...

With the recent confirmation that the Congo Basin forest hosts the world’s biggest tropical peatland, the importance of this forest is now drawing global attention. It has a huge role to play in the protection of our global climate. ...

Last year, we asked the youth of the DRC what they thought the future of the Congo forests was, and they answered louder than we ever expected – we received 2600 poems that were real cries from the heart of youths who see the future...

The Congo basin is home to the world’s second largest rainforest. Not only is it one of the most beautiful places on earth, with incredibly rich biodiversity, it’s also a vital source of food, medicine, and other basic services for...

In the days just before we launched the new Solar Powered radio station, the village of Oshwe was abuzz. People were walking around, radio glued to their ear, trying their best to catch the frequency that our engineers were still...

Oshwe is a small forest community deep in the indigenous rainforests of the DRC. Although administratively classified as an urban area, it has all the characteristics of a rural community. It is supplied with manufactured goods,...