Lodja education program
Category: Uncategorized | Date: Feb 28 2008 | By: admin
A few months ago, when someone said Lodja, I thought of this little impish face. 
All the bonobos at Lola are named after a town, or a province in Congo. As most of you have seen from the post before last, there’s been a disturbing new influx of orphans coming from Lodja, the town.
Claudine, along with the amazing Pierrot Mbonzo, have begun a education program in Lodja. Pierrot is one of my favourite people. He’s always cheerful, but he’s working in one of the most dangerous places for bonobos in Congo.
This is little Kata when she first came in. Pierrot went to Lodja to rescue her, as well to rescue Lomela, and several other times for bonobos who didn’t make it to the sanctuary.
The new release site was planned to be on an island near Lodja, but after Pierrot’s investigation, Claudine decided the bonobos who were released there probably wouldn’t make it.
The local population believe that eating bonobo meat will help pregnant women give birth to a healthy baby, and that bathing a new born baby in water with bonobo bones will help the baby grow strong.
With these kinds of beliefs and of course the bushmeat trade running rampant, an education program in Lodja is crucial. We want to set up bonobo clubs in the schools, set up meetings with the hunters, and educate the community through city meetings and radio messages.
Trips to Lodja are expensive so we’re asking for donations to put towards Pierrot’s next trip to the region. Anything helps!
ps. thanks this month to Annette R and Maciej G who have both set up monthly donations to Lola!
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100% of your donation, minus a small bank fee, will go to your intended purpose.
Donations made here are safe.
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Donations Received
- Nov 17th Maciej G. USD15.00
- Nov 15th Lucia C. USD30.00
- Nov 1st Baerbel W. USD70.00
- Oct 24th Victoria . USD22.00
- Oct 19th Robin D. USD11.00
- Oct 17th Maciej G. USD15.00
- Oct 14th Lucia C. USD30.00
- Oct 1st Baerbel W. USD70.00
- Sep 19th Robin D. USD11.00
- Sep 17th Maciej G. USD15.00
- Sep 1st Baerbel W. USD70.00
- Aug 19th Robin D. USD11.00
- Aug 17th Maciej G. USD15.00
- Aug 6th Yvonne M. USD27.50
- Aug 4th Kevin C. USD22.00
- Aug 1st Baerbel W. USD70.00
- Jul 23rd Wanda H. USD22.00
- Jul 20th Mary P. USD33.00
- Jul 19th Robin D. USD11.00
- Jul 17th Maciej G. USD15.00
14 Responses to “Lodja education program”
F. J. Pechir, on 28 Feb 2008
Good work! Thank you for all you do to help and protect bonobos!
Christine C., on 28 Feb 2008
Although I am sorry to hear that the new site will not work out, I am a bit relieved as it just seemed very dangerous for both bonobos and their caretakers. Lodja is just so cute!!! Will you be starting up your Bonobo Handshake Blog soon??
sheryl, washington dc, on 28 Feb 2008
I agree with Christine - I thought the site might prove fatal to bonobos released there. I hope Mr. Mbonzo has great success with the education program. Maybe if the people there understood the truth about pregnancies and understood how much the bonobos are like us - they’d be less inclined to kill them. Oh yeah, I’m looking forward to the Bonobo Handshake blog, too!
s.
Samantha, on 28 Feb 2008
Thanks Vanessa for a great update.. keep up the good work. Sam
Lisa, California, on 28 Feb 2008
Look at that smile! Thanks for the update. Although the release site won’t work, it sounds like you guys have all of your work cut out for you with regards to educating and starting clubs and meetings and radio addresses. Good luck and keep us on all the great work. Lisa
Wanda Harris, Atlanta, on 28 Feb 2008
I will donate within the week I want him to make many trips — and I am relieved you won’t be releasing there - very relieved!
Brigitta, Switzerland, on 02 Mar 2008
Je suis telment impressionée de votre travail! Je croise les doit que vous pouvez réaliser vos projects est restez sain et sauf!
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 03 Mar 2008
Vanessa, I don’t know how I missed this post (I’ve been checking your blog several times a day for new posts). I agree with everyone, this is no place for our precious bonobos to be released. These beliefs about bonobos making babies healthy simply must be dispelled…I totally support your work.
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 04 Mar 2008
Hi Vanessa, now that Pay Pal is working again, I’ve made an open donation, you can put it towards this education program, if you like.
colleen, on 06 Mar 2008
hello - I don’t know blog etiquette, can I jump in and go backwards? In this blog we had mentioned prenatal care vitamin packets - possibly with a picture of a bonobo (cute of course) as a means to reach out to communities in hopes of changing their minds about certain traditions (using bonobo). Would this idea be useful for Pierrot? on trips to Lodja, to carry vitamin packs for pregnant woman? (and would a picture of a bonobo associated with prenatal care vitamins have unintended consequences? ) I still like ideas, not sure if they can go together - ? -
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 07 Mar 2008
Hey Colleen, nothing wrong with your manners. Great idea about the vitamin packets for Pierrot to distribute on his tribs. Vanessa, what do you think?
cathy-california, on 08 Mar 2008
I’m wondering if they might think the vitamins come directly from the bonobos.
Maybe something on the vitamin pack that states “the money for this comes from the protection of bonobos”
cathy-california, on 08 Mar 2008
I’m wondering if they might think the vitamins come directly from the bonobos.
Maybe something on the vitamin pack that states “the money for this comes from the protection of bonobos.”
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 12 Mar 2008
Great point Cathy! You know, I read about a very famous singer/musician in the Congo, his name is Werrason. He has taken the plight of the bonobo and made it one of his causes. He has recorded specific messages for different areas of the DRC. You can read about him and his work on behalf of the bonobos at The Bonobo Conservation Initiative. Vanessa, perhaps you could enlist his help with educating the local people in your area.
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