Hiring Organization: Help Congo
Date Posted: 2011-06-23
Position Description: We are looking for a volunteer to work on an eco-tourism project in the Conkouati National Park of Congo (Republic of Congo).
The volunteer will establish a Nature Trail for tourists near our camp site.
This includes the designing of educational material (charts and poster) in French and English; and the creation of "show areas" along the nature trail (small tree nursery, apiculture, compost, agro forestry). This project will be funded for one year by ENI.
The volunteer will also be in charge for monthly field trips of children from the park surrounding villages to the site, which is part of our environmental education program. And the volunteer will be in charge for tourists visiting the National Park and our chimp reintroduction project at the weekends.
Furthermore the volunteer might be asked to help occasionally in our chimp sanctuary if help is needed (feeding the chimps at the islands).
Our field site lies in the Conkouati-Douli National Park in the Republic of the Congo (not DR CONGO!!!!!). Created in August 1999, it covers an area of 500000 ha. The National Park is home to a vast fauna typical of forest ecosystems of the Congo including elephants, buffalo, gorillas, leopards, chimpanzees, bush pigs, and a lot of small monkey species.
The volunteer will stay in together with our other volunteers (from the chimp sanctuary) in a 3 bed bungalow at our beautiful campsite at the lagoon of Conkouati. The camp has running water, a comfortable kitchen, and a solar system, which is covering the energy needs.
Communication is limited at the field site. There is no internet, but phone reception.
And you have to be aware that you will live in a really remote area. There is no infrastructure (roads, buses) near the campsite or in the rest of Congo, so nice weekend trips won't be possible.
The volunteer will participate at our camp life which means communal cooking, and maintenance of the typical camp duties (cleaning the bungalows for example).
More information about our work in Congo: www.help-congo.com
Qualifications/Experience:
The position is intended for undergraduates or early graduate level students specializing in Biology, Conservation, Tourism, Education,
The ideal applicant will:
- Have a strong interest in conservation, ecotourism and environmental education
- Have experience in ecotourism and environmental education
- Have experience in designing educational material
- Be comfortable living in a really remote area
- Not be afraid about encountering wildlife (chimps, elephants, snakes)
- Speak French and English
Salary/funding:
This is a volunteer position and as such no stipend is currently available.
You are expected to provide your own airfare (~1000 Euro)and pay for your visa (150 Euro for 6 months)
You will be required to have a pre-travel medical consultation, be up-to-date on vaccinations (yellow fever is obligatory), and to maintain health and travel insurance while in the field (~300 Euro for 6 months)
Support provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):
In country transportation to and from the field site, camp fees, and on-site food costs will be covered.
Term of Appointment: preferably August, 2011 to January, 2012 or longer. We prefer if people can stay at least 6 month.
Application Deadline: open until the position is filled
Comments:
To apply, email a short motivation letter (stating also when you can come and how long you can stay) and a CV to HelpCongo1990@gmail.com
If you have any further questions concerning the project, please contact me
And of course you can also apply in French
Contact Information:
Petra Lahann
BP 335
Pointe-Noire, none 00000
Congo
Telephone Number:
+242057898154
Website:
http://www.help-congo.com
E-mail Address:
petra.lahann@gmail.com