The „Mondberge“-Project
Saving Mountain Gorillas … planting trees … supporting people
The “Mountains of the Moon” (Mondberge) are located at the heart of Africa. On maps, this high mountain region is found under the name Rwenzori on the border between the Republic of Uganda and the Democratic Republic Kongo. Five high mountains briefly below 5000 m are located there plus the Mount Stanley with 5109 m being the third highest mountain in Africa after the Mount Kilimanjaro and the Mount Kenya.
Round about half of all remaining mountain gorillas on this planet, just 500 individuals, are living in Uganda. Helping to protect their population and habitat, the “Mondberge-Charity-Project” was initiated in 2009. The founder Andreas Klotz and his project partners Michael Matschuck and Dirk Wahlscheidt were so fascinated from this relatively unknown mountain range that it was obvious to give the project its name.
These three businessmen are publishing books, calendars and the MONDBERGE-Magazin for the purpose of species conservation. These media shall not only entertain and inform but the products themselves serve for the purpose of the project by donating the proceeds. As of mid-2021 a bit beyond EURO 300,000.00 already. In addition to that it is called for donations which are distributed on site by nearly 100 % in cooperation with the nonprofit association “Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe e.V.”
Above all, the Mondberge-Project is meant to protect the environment, nature, and species. But all well-intended support has no effect without the local population. Therefore, from beginning on some schools, a hospital, village communities and regional aid agencies were supported always under the aspect of “capacity building”.
Besides funding school-supplies and -personnel, water tanks and reasonable toilet facilities in schoolhouses, the planting of various tree species plays a decisive role. The Mondberge-Project – which is supported through our GORILLA FORESTA since 2021 - in cooperation with the ITFC (Institute for Tropical Forest Conservation) takes care to grow seedlings which are given to the people on site for free. It is a matter of fast-growing conifers for construction-, furniture- or firewood also indigene tree species for medical purposes as well as fruit trees like avocado or apples for their own requirements but also to create income opportunities to sell fruits on local markets.
All information about the Mondberge-Project and donation possibilities are found on: www.mondberge.de
For information about the MONDBERGE-Magazin and to the Online-Shop go to: mondberge-magazin.de
