From Community Guide to Conservation Hero: How One Young Father is Protecting Congo’s Biodiversity

In the heart of the Bili-Uéré landscape in northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a quiet revolution is underway. It doesn’t involve megaphones or mass protests—just the steady footsteps of young conservationists like Christophe Diyadiya Gbuade, a 24-year-old eco-guard and father of five whose passion for nature is reshaping the future of his community and its forests.
Christophe’s journey began in 2020 when he was selected to serve as a community guide for a participatory land use planning project jointly led by the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF). This initiative was part of AWF’s broader https://www.awf.org/caring-for-wildlife/counter-wildlife-trafficking (CBCWT) program, which aimed to protect the region’s fragile biodiversity while creating sustainable, community-driven alternatives to wildlife trafficking and habitat loss.
“A granted opportunity led me to discover my destiny,” Christophe says. “Had I not been recruited by AWF, the environmental passion sleeping within me would never have seen the light of day.”

Christoph and his friends back from the forest to collect data for mapping

The Bili-Uéré landscape—home to the Zande people and DRC’s largest protected area complex, Bili-Uéré-Mbomu—is one of the country’s most wildlife-rich regions. It harbors remarkable biodiversity, including chimpanzees, forest elephants, bongo, Giant Derby’s eland, pangolins, and diverse habitats now threatened by unsustainable natural resource use. To address these pressures, AWF and ICCN led participatory mapping sessions with hunters, farmers, and fishermen to collaboratively plan land use. These dialogues empowered communities to set aside over 4,500 km² of designated ecological corridors in an area increasingly at risk of habitat fragmentation.
More than 1,300 local residents participated in the land use planning process. Among them, 224 community guides were trained in GPS use and data collection. Christophe’s exceptional commitment stood out early. He led his team with curiosity, asked thoughtful questions, and encouraged peers to look beyond data collection—to the deeper mission of protecting their environment. With support from the European Union, AWF has helped communities like Christophe’s map and protect critical ecological corridors through participatory land use planning in northern DRC.

Christoph handling a GPS during training session

Yet progress was not without resistance.“While we were doing the mapping, we received threats claiming we had sold the forest,” Christophe recalls. “The community misunderstood the process, fearing the forest was being given away.”
Rather than retreat, Christophe doubled down on outreach—visiting youth groups, sharing knowledge, and helping others understand how thoughtful land planning could resolve conflicts and improve livelihoods. His persistence earned him the respect of community leaders and ICCN staff alike.
After the CBCWT project ended, Christophe stayed close to the ICCN-AWF field offices, often spending hours engaging with eco-guards and staff during their breaks. Though some laughed at his persistence, he never wavered from his goal: to serve as an eco-guard and protect the natural resources his community depends on.
That dream eventually became reality. “On graduation day, Christophe looked like a child receiving sweets,” remembers Bijoux Wawali, one of the female eco-guards in the landscape in charge of the operations room. “It wasn’t just a certificate—it was a reward for his endurance and motivation.”
Now formally trained in biodiversity monitoring, drone operation, and geolocation tools, Christophe is thriving in his role. He dreams of becoming a site manager—and of inspiring his children to follow in his footsteps. “As long as I can, I’ll keep talking about land use planning. Because well-managed spaces allow both nature and people to thrive.” 

Christoph passing on his passion to his children

Why Stories Like Christophe’s Matter
Christophe’s story is a powerful example of how youth engagement, local knowledge, and targeted support can create lasting conservation impact. AWF continues to support stewards like Christophe through community-centered conservation programs and landscape-based initiatives in the DRC—helping build a future where people and wildlife thrive together.
As conservation challenges grow more complex, the next generation of African environmental stewards—like Christophe—is rising to meet them. And with the right support, they are not just protecting forests—they are transforming futures.
This project is implemented by AWF with the financial support of the European Union.