Welcome to Bwindi Reformed Poacher Centre And MUBARE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Bwindi Development Network (BDN) was founded, and registered, with the Government of Uganda in 2014, by the Founder Mr. Alex Ngabirano, after discovering that there was uncontrolled forest entry, for access to resources, and increased poaching.
Since the BDN was geographically limited, in March 2023, the “Mubare Biodiversity Conservation” (MBC), was fully registered as a non-profit organization. The MBC is taking over our mission outside the Bwindi area, to continue making an end to all poaching, as well as to improve the living circumstances for those, who reside along the borders of the affected areas, in Uganda and beyond.
Alex created the first “Bwindi Reformed Poachers’ Centre” in Uganda, with the overall goal of having zero poaching, and improved livelihoods, for reformed poachers and other community members.
Mubare Biodiversity Conservation was founded on the interdependence of Human-Wildlife Conflicts. This is due to mountain gorillas still being killed or injured, by local people, while they are poaching antelopes and other wildlife in the “Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.”
The interventions of poaching activities were designed to reduce human-wildlife conflicts around the park, by sensitizing our frontline communities, and schools, regarding the importance of wildlife conservation and reform. We also offer traditional wildlife poachers different, sustainable livelihood activities in exchange for them abandoning poaching as a way of life.
Our vision: To unite, integrate, and develop tribal people with a historical and cultural heritage, while reducing conservation threats.
Our mission: Saving gorillas and other wildlife by reforming traditional poachers take up alternative, and sustainable, livelihood activities.
Our goal: To have zero poaching of wildlife and improved livelihoods for the reformed poachers and other community members.
Former poachers, and the Batwa-pygmies, introduce their traditional wildlife-poaching methods to tourists and students.
The Batwa tell their stories about how they loved and survived in the forest, alongside the mountain gorillas. Poachers have accepted to abandon their hunting tools and have formed their own association. They participate in community projects. Some are directly involved in conservation activities; others lead tourist groups in the area.
Anti-Poaching Experience
Former poachers introduce their traditional wildlife poaching methods to tourists and students. Poachers accepted to abandon their hunting tools to form their own association and participate in community projects. Some are directly involved in conservation activities; others lead tourist groups in the area.Awards and other kind public recognition
The Founder and CEO “Alex Ngabirano” has received a number of honors, awards, and other kinds of public recognition, for his environmental and humanitarian leadership, while fighting for the protection of these majestic creatures, our mountain gorillas, who share so much DNA with humans:
In 2020, He travelled with Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka to St Andrews, in Scotland and won the 2020 “Environmental Conservation Prize Award”.
Also in 2020, Alex received the “Conservation Heroes Award” from the Disney Conservation Fund, USA.
Alex is also proud to have played the other following leadership roles:
Board member at the Bwindi Community Hospital,
Secretary of Social Services at Kayonza Local Government,
Director at Buhoma-Bwindi Micro Finance Bank,
Board member at Buhoma-Mukono Community Development Association,
Health Data Collector at Kanungu District Local Government,
Chairman of the 3 Ugandan local school committees.
Gorillas are injured or killed by local people
It’s not the first mountain gorilla to die at the hands of local people;
In 2020, our lovely Rafiki Silverback (male) gorilla was killed by the local people over poaching
Rafiki was believed to be about 25 years old. His body was found having been speared, in an act of self-defense, after accosting four poachers. They were in the park illegally to hunt bush pigs. This was the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the tourists were stopped coming and so some locals turned back to pouch to make their living
Rafiki was the gentle giant who protected his family of seventeen members, in the ‘Nkuringo’ gorilla troop, and was extremely popular with tourists.
This was not the first mountain gorilla to die at the hands of local people, whether by accident or intention;
In 2009, a mountain gorilla was accidentally killed while it was outside of the park by a woman who threw a stone in an attempt to chase the gorilla back into the forest.
In 2011, we lost Mizano the only black back of the Hanyanja over poaching
And in the early 1990s, many more mountain gorillas were killed at the hands of poachers
We will continue to work with local communities and partners to find win-win situations for conservation of mountain gorillas and communities.
Winner of International Fauna Conservationist for the "WeNaturalists" People of Nature Award 2023
Give Donation
We accept all amount and all types of donation to enable us improve the livelihood of Bwindi Community
Become Volunteer
We welcome all Volunteers to join our causes of Promoting and creating Reformed Poachers .you can register now …
Support Campaign
You can help us by supporting one of the programmes we are doing such as Educating Girl Child, Bee Keeping…
Latest Programmes
Supporter & Volunteer
We are Doing more with your support! .
With heartfelt appreciation, we thank you for your generous support.
Joyce Berry
Corinne Wesley
One Planet
Jackie and Craig Whalley
Brenda Berry
NICA Foundation
Katie Adamson
Urban Rewild
Sarah and Gabe Hamer Family
Sharlene & Alex
Tackling Poaching with Alex Ngabiano
Uganda has made great strides in conservation of its wildlife, notably mountain gorillas, but also the captive breeding and ultimate goal of reintroduction of rhinos back into the system .
PUBLICATIONS
– Watch “Wildlife conservation interview with Alex Ngabirano from Bwindi Development Network” on YouTube
-Watch “BDF 20 – A Day in the Life: Bwindi Development Network, Uganda” on YouTube
might-change-behaviour
-2021 Author
Mitigating Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Gorilla Conservation: Lessons From Bwindi
Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
-2009 Uganda’s newspapers and NTV telling the public on how Bwindi gorillas are at risk of catching TB
conservationists
-Conducted radio talk shows on kinkiizi FM in Kanungu district on water sanitation and hygiene, family
planning and disease threats to conservation in collaboration with the DHO’s office Kanungu District
-Why Family planning is good for people and planet
2018 Talk on the Future of community engagement in
Conservation- Arusha, Tanzania
-December 2016 Population Connection Magazine –Washington, DC –US about Conservation in Uganda,
for People and Wildlife Alike
-Primatology and Wildlife Science research report by Raquel
-June 2017, Blog on connection between endangered spaces and family
planning/
-February 2018 presented on NBS TV Uganda on links between social enterprise, conservation and
health
-Gorilla Journal, December 2017 featured on behavior change communications of Village Health
Conservation Teams (VHCTs)
english.pdf
-March 2019 Co-author of Monitoring and Evaluation for non-professionals (ensure quality in datacollection processes) https://pubs.iied.org/17647IIED/
Can improving health reduce threats to nature conservation?
– 2019 presented a paper on using community health workers in promoting gorilla conservation
to the 2nd International African Primatological Society Conference held in Entebbe, Uganda
report.html
The End Year 2021 Message From The Founder and ED” by Alex Ngabirano https://medium.com/@alex.ngabirano/the-end-year-2021-message-from-the-founder-and-ed-2d5ecbb97bc
“Poaching In Uganda’s National Parks In Control” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/I3oL8rFqzmb
“Batwa-Pygmies Save Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas” by Alex Ngabirano https://medium.com/@alex.ngabirano/batwa-pygmies-save-ugandas-mountain-gorillas-1b5e4b4381e5
“Uganda’s gorilla killings are accidental, but killings of other forest animals are not.” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/xBFU4JwW0kb
Educating Bwindi Youth about Conservation, Sanitation and Hygiene…” by Alex Ngabirano https://medium.com/@alex.ngabirano/children-are-drivers-of-change-educating-bwindi-youth-about-conservation-sanitation-and-hygiene-c91242695d77
“Please Don’t Forget Gorillas” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/E5HJxOYFHwb
“The “Future Of The Gorillas” Lies In The Hands Of The Next Generations” by Alex Ngabirano https://medium.com/@alex.ngabirano/the-future-of-the-gorillas-lies-in-the-hands-of-the-next-generations-22803c0edf95
“”Children Of The “Bwindi Impenetrable Forest”” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/t2qcMc9FHwb
“The Underlying Causes of Poaching in Uganda” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/jdaKiqdGHwb
“Why mountain gorillas are endangered?” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/D9fCOJhGHwb
“The Keepers Of The Forest” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/3a0ICDoGHwb
“Community Based Tourism: Anti-Poaching Experience In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/WB4NH4tGHwb
“Poaching Threatens Uganda’s Mountain Gorilla Population” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/qgFQZCxGHwb
-The First Day Of The New Year 2023” by Alex Ngabirano https://link.medium.com/Z2ABL4LFHwb
OUR TEAM
