Women’s Bakery in the DRC Shows How Community Conservation Supports Gorilla Protection

The Fossey Fund’s community conservation programs in Nkuba are designed to strengthen both people and ecosystems. By supporting sustainable livelihoods such as bakeries, agriculture, livestock raising and small business development, communities gain practical alternatives to activities that can place pressure on forests. In turn, these investments reduce dependence on forest resources, strengthen local stewardship of the Nkuba landscape, deepen community engagement in conservation and build long-term resilience for families living alongside critically endangered gorillas.

The bakery in Biruwe is a powerful example of how community-led conservation in the DRC creates lasting impact. It shows that protecting gorillas is not only about safeguarding wildlife – it is also about investing in people, opportunity and sustainable development. When communities thrive, forests are better protected. And when forests are protected, Grauer’s gorillas and biodiversity in the Nkuba Conservation Area have a future.

The bakery was established with support from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund as part of its long-standing commitment to community-based conservation in the DRC, where protecting wildlife goes hand in hand with investing in people. Through initiatives like this, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund continues to demonstrate that helping people and saving gorillas are deeply connected goals – each strengthening the other every day.