Kokolopori

Kokolopori is a community of 25-35 villages in Djolu territory of Tshuapa province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1][2][3] Kokolopori is an indigenous Congolese community, formerly known as pygmy, which manages a 1,200 square miles (3,100 km2) forest reserve, in the heart of the central African rainforest. The sister city partnership is a program of the international not-for-profit Bonobo Conservation Initiative. These villages are located along the road that borders the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve,[4] a reserve officially registered in 2009 for bonobos (Pan paniscus). Bonobos are one of the three species of great ape which live in the Democratic Republic of Congo - the others being, chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and gorilla (Gorilla gorilla).[5][6]

The population of Kokolopori numbers about 19,000, and is ethnically Mongandu.[1]

Kokolopori has a sister city relationship with Falls Church, Virginia, which was established in 2006.[7] That relationship undertook several projects by 2009:

  • Micro-Enterprise Program, primarily focused on helping women start small businesses.[8][9]
  • Kokolopori Health Clinic, to provide basic health services. This also involved installation of solar panels.[8][9]
  • Support of the Bonobo Conservation Initiative to preserve habitat of bonobos and to create jobs for local people.[8][9]
  • Support for local schools.[9]

References
  1. "F.C.'s New Sister City: Just What & Where is Congo's Kokolopori?" Falls Church News-Press, 23–29 February 2006
  2. "Equip 35 Midwives in Remote Congolese Villages," FirstGiving Archived 2013-12-27 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 5 May 2012)
  3. "La Société civile jette un regard sur la gestion alternative des conflits forestiers," Ressources Naturelles (Magazine bimestriel du Réseau Ressources Naturelles de la RDC), N°10 - Septembre-Novembre 2010 Archived 2013-12-27 at the Wayback Machine (see section "Conflits dans la Reserve Naturelles de Bonobo de Kokolopori : les communautés locales de Kokolopori exigent une 'enquête indépendante'" on page 13)
  4. "News Briefs: F.C. Resident Visits ‘Sister City’ Kokolopori," Falls Church News-Press, 10–16 January 2008
  5. "Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve is officially recognized by the DRC government!" Bonobo Initiative website Archived 2012-04-03 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 5 May 2012)
  6. "Congo : les bonobos disposent d’une nouvelle réserve naturelle de protection," Developpementdurable.com, 1 June 2012 (accessed 5 May 2012)
  7. "Kokolopori-Falls Church Sister City Partnership," Falls Church City official site (archived page; accessed 8 May 2012)
  8. ""Sister Cities International: Changing Lives in Africa. Falls Church, Virginia – Kokolopori, Democratic Republic of Congo" (information sheet, dated 2/2009)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2012-05-08.
  9. "Falls Church and Sister City Support People and Environment in Congo," Falls Church Times, 16 June 2009

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