Board & Staff

Strong Roots is a unique model in conservation and development in the area where scientists work closely with indigenous and local communities to apply local solutions to the environmental and protected areas management issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Board and staff of Strong Roots are composed?of people?who have a wide understanding of the environmental issues faced by communities and conservation projects in the area, as themselves are coming from the same communities. They also come from wide range of scientific and professional backgrounds.

?Strong Roots Board of Directors

?The Board of Directors?is composed by 6 persons and chaired by Mme Germaine Buhendwa, Provincial Director of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation.

?Strong Roots Staff

Strong Roots counts a permanent staff of 4 persons plus M. Bertin Murhabale, our research consultant who owns a Masters in the Environment and Natural Resources Management. Bertin has a courses charge at the State University of Bukavu and works at the Primatology laboratory of the Research Center in Natural Sciences of Lwiro.

Other staff are periodically hired to serve for limited periods in tree nurseries projects, communities? mobilization activities, socioeconomic and women co-cops programs and other periodic projects run throughout the park and the surrounding villages.

In our staff, we count also 16 teachers and 2 directors serving in our schools. The artisan co-ops working with Strong Roots have a committee that works directly with our permanent staff on the ground.? The permanant staff is composed of:

M. Dominique Bikaba, Executive Director

  • Dominique Bikaba has a degree in Rural Development where he specialized in Regional Planning. Bikaba has an extensive professional background in conservation and development for having served communities in the area for more than 15 years now. He has also served local, national and international organizations as a consultant in and outside the DRC, what has provided him with skills and needed knowledge for conservation and development programs. Dominique Bikaba also represents communities on the United Nations Development Programme?s Equator Initiative Board of Advisors.

M. Emmanuel Bisimwa, Social Animator

  • Bisimwa?has a undergraduate degree?in Rural Development where he also specialized in Regional Planning. He has also served in other organizations in the area and on conservation and development programs, and as well as the Department of Environment of the Research Center in Natural Sciences of Lwiro.

M. Raymond, Education and Eco-Tourism Assistant

  • Raymond has degree in English language and has served for 7 years as teacher in and outside DRC. He has also convoyed several media teams and individuals in the area including the BBC, as a translator. He is assisted by other eminent school directors and teachers working on the programs and with an extensive experience in teaching school programs designs.

Mrs. Aim?e Makofi, Accountant

  • Aim?e owns a degree in Business Management and Finance and has served for 5 years now as an accountant for two in DRC.