Chimbo Foundation

About Chimbo Foundation

The objectives of Chimbo are:

• the conservation and where necessary restoration of the chimpanzee population in West Africa and the natural environment in which they live;
• to undertake all sorts of actions that are supportive to the above goal.

In the Boé Sector in the south east of Guinea Bissau an important population of chimpanzees thrive. Our mission is to establish a sustainable chimpanzee conservation programme in that area, to be achieved through a community-based approach. Key elements of our successful approach are the protection and official recognition in the WDPA (World Data Base of Protected Areas) of sacred sites as community conserved areas, bush-fire management and control, education, and awareness-raising at all levels of decision taking.

Our community based conservation approach may serve as an example for other areas in West Africa with chimpanzee populations.

In the south of the Boé bauxite deposits have been identified. When the Government of Guinea Bissau is approached by investors and decides to give bauxite mining a green light, it is essential that the interests of the local population and those of the local biodiversity are guaranteed.

Chimbo became member of ASI to help set up a certification system for the aluminium chain that ensures responsible bauxite mining. A sound certification system would be a tool for governments to require responsible bauxite mining.