Forest of Hope Association (FHA) is a National Rwandan Non Government Organization (NGO) focusing on the conservation of the Gishwati Forest Reserve in Western Rwanda. Established in January 2012, FHA emerged from – and builds on the Gishwati Area Conservation Program (GACP), an International NGO that worked on conservation of the Gishwati Forest Reserve from 2008 through 2011. During four years o
f GACP operations, impressive conservation impacts have been achieved: illegal use of the forest has declined sharply, the size of the Reserve has increased from 886 hectares to 1,484 hectares; and the chimpanzee population has grown from 13 to 20. Social impacts have also been felt: the organization has generated jobs to local people; 13 school eco-clubs have been established, and the capacity of 10 local cooperatives has been increased. We are taking the GACP mission forward by continuing engaging local communities in conservation of the Gishwati Forest Reserve. Our main activities are conservation education, mitigating crop raiding, improving local livelihoods and facilitating research on the biodiversity of the Gishwati Forest Reserve.
