Gorilla FriendlyTM Certification to Boost Park-Edge Businesses | International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP)

Under the Gorilla Friendly Initiative IGCP continues to create awareness about the Certified Gorilla Friendly among the park edge entrepreneurs of Volcanoes National Parks and Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area. The project is currently being piloted around VNP and at least 10 local businesses will be certified. Certification is voluntary, and it adds market value to the participating businesses right from branding to accessing a bigger clientele. Promotional materials have been developed in popular languages and a campaign to enlighten park edge entities on the criteria and requirements for certification is going on, after which a voluntary application phase will be launched.

Implemented by International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) in collaboration with the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN), the Gorilla Friendly (GF)™ Certification project aims at empowering local community park edge enterprises in the mountain gorilla region to design new or grow existing innovative ideas that will enhance resiliency at mitigating unpredictable shocks such as Covid-19 and any other unforeseen changes interrupting the routine in the conservation landscape. The project also aims at facilitating sustainable and robust relationship among local communities, tourists, and park management through the Community participation in mountain gorilla conservation.