Lwiro Primate Fund

09/01/2026

September 1 is International Primate Day. We have 227 of them to celebrate with.

At Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center in DR Congo, we care for 130 chimpanzees and 97 monkeys — all of them rescued from poachers and wildlife traffickers. They don't know it's their day. But we do, and it's our privilege to be here.

Happy International Primate Day from all of us — and from 227 of our closest friends.

08/26/2026

DRC holds more than half the world's remaining eastern chimpanzee population. Without sanctuaries like LPRC, there is no safety net for animals confiscated from traffickers — and no check on a species trending toward extinction.

We are proud to share that the Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center is a 2026 .ORG Impact Awards finalist in Environmental Stewardship.

For 24 years, LPRC has operated as the only designated receiving sanctuary for confiscated chimpanzees in eastern DRC. It sits on 170 acres adjacent to Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It injects over $8,000 a month into the local economy. It educates the next generation of Congolese conservationists.

This work is what the .ORG community stands for. Learn more: lwirofund.org/our-sanctuary

08/19/2026

This recognition belongs to them.

In 2025, LPRC's 53 Congolese staff members cared for 278 rescued chimpanzees and monkeys while an armed conflict raged around them. When Ebola arrived in their village in 2026, 15 of them volunteered to live inside the quarantined sanctuary, away from their families, to keep the animals safe and fed.

They are why the Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in Environmental Stewardship.

These are the people your donations support. Caregivers, veterinarians, and sanctuary workers who have chosen conservation as their livelihood in one of the most difficult places on earth. Day in and day out.

Support their work: www.lwirofund.org/donate

08/12/2026

Big news:

The Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in Environmental Stewardship — a global recognition honoring organizations making a real difference through the power of the online nonprofit community.

LPRC is the largest primate sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It cares for 278 animals rescued from poachers and wildlife traffickers, including 130 endangered eastern chimpanzees, 97 monkeys, and 46 grey parrots.

It operates on the frontlines of one of the world's most active conflict zones, employs more than 50 local staff, and has never stopped — not for war, not for a 40% spike in food costs, not for the Ebola outbreak in the neighboring village.

In 2025, the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries named LPRC the Outstanding International Sanctuary of the Year.

Now the world is taking notice again.

Thank you for being part of this. Your support is what makes LPRC possible.
🔗 Read the full story: https://www.lwirofund.org/news/org-impact-awards-finalist-2026

Follow: Lwiro Primates

Lwiro Primates is a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards. These awards recognize organizations using their digital platforms to drive real-world impact. For Lwiro, that digital reach is how conservation in one of the most remote conflict zones on earth connects to a global community of supporter

07/19/2026

A hopeful update from the sanctuary ...

07/19/2026

Hopeful update from the sanctuary ....

07/13/2026

On World Chimpanzee Day, we don't celebrate from the sidelines.

At Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center, 130 eastern chimpanzees wake up this morning in our care. They arrived here because of the bushmeat trade, the illegal exotic pet market, and a conflict that hasn't stopped — but they are alive, fed, and receiving veterinary care 24 hours a day.

World Chimpanzee Day exists to remind the world that this species is running out of time. It also exists to recognize the people doing something about it.

Our team of over 50 local staff members — caregivers, veterinarians, food preparers, educators — show up every day in eastern DR Congo, regardless of what's happening outside the sanctuary walls.

This is what chimpanzee protection looks like when it's real: not a campaign, not a moment — a daily commitment.

🌍 Support the work: lwirofund.org

07/02/2026

06/18/2026

Making their first appearance in a World Cup since 1974, DR Congo played powerhouse Portugal to a draw. Portugal is ranked 7th in the world, and DR Congo is 43rd. You could compare this to a 16 seed playing a 1 seed in March Madness, but multiply that by 100 in importance to the country. DR Congo, racked by war and Ebola, is sorely in need of something to cheer, and the team delivered. C’est fantastique!

06/06/2026

Tired of spending millions (or billions) to harden our towns and cities against the extreme weather we all are experiencing? DRC's forests are an irreplaceable ally in mitigating these extreme effects.