Conservation Through Public Health

COMMUNITY HEALTH AND CONSERVATION GOAL 2: IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING GORILLA HABITATS IN UGANDA AND EASTERN DRC. Results: Improved community health, hygiene, sanitation, and economic well-being and increased manageable family sizes, translating into reduced incidences of zoonotic diseases. Activities: Through our Village Health and Conservation Team (VHCTs) behaviour change communication approximately 54,000 individuals (51% female, 50% under 18 years of age) in 10,600 households in 59 frontline villages around BINP were reached every quarter. They were taught how to improve household hygiene and health as well as conservation practices. This practical application of integrated health and conservation activities is supporting households to easily identify steps to improve their health and wellbeing and reduce negative impacts on wildlife. The percentage of households around BINP that achieve CTPH's One Health model household green status (at least 9 of the 12 indicators) has increased to 59% in the 3rd quarter of 2024 from only 22% in the first quarter of 2022 when the approach was launched. This outreach was funded by National Geographic Society, Whitley Fund for Nature and Wildlife Conservation Network. With funding from Population Connection, the percentage of families voluntarily taking up family planning services is gradually increasing from only 42% in 2022 to 50% in 2023 and 51% in 2024, implying that majority of the households (5,406) in the 8 frontline parishes around BINP now use family planning services despite limited supply from the government medical supply chain in the area. In an effort to improve the uptake of voluntary family planning products around BINP, CTPH launched a global giving campaign titled "Family Planning Services in Bwindi" with a goal of raising a total of $50,000. The funds will be used to train the southern sector VHCTs in Nteko and Rubuguri parishes to administer contraceptive injections, like their counterparts in the northern sector. So far, $680 has been raised towards this cause. More about the campaign: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/family-planning-services-in-bwindi/. We will have comprehensive VHCTs training in the 1st quarter of 2025 in collaboration with Ministry of Health local partners. CTPH is also finalizing an MOU with Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) who will support with a more sustainable family planning services supply. In July 2024, CTPH conducted a refresher training workshop for a total of 429 Village Health and Conservation Teams (VHCTs), with 51% of them being women, aimed at strengthening efforts to ensure that at least 50% of households around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) are transformed into Model Households. These households demonstrate positive behaviors such as sustainable agriculture, alternative livelihoods, reproductive health and family planning, proper sanitation and hygiene, and a commitment to wildlife conservation. This comprehensive training included several key components including Data Validation and Formative Evaluation Feedback helping to refine and improve strategies, discussions on the progress of the model household approach, with a focus on best practices and success stories, strategies to address lagging indicators, with emphasis on overcoming key challenges and focusing on areas that required improvement, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials specifically developed for the VHCTs were tested and revised to ensure their effectiveness in conveying key messages, progress of all Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) groups was reviewed, highlighting successes and any areas for improvement, Challenges faced by VHCTs during household outreaches and data collection were identified and addressed, ensuring that the teams are better equipped to manage field challenges. In addition, all new VHCTs (190 individuals) were provided with personal protective gear, including rain suits and waterproof bags, to assist them during their household outreach activities, ensuring they are better prepared to work in challenging weather and terrain conditions.

ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS GOAL 3: ENHANCE ACTIVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN CONSERVATION. Results: Communities drive their own conservation initiatives that protect gorilla habitats and conservation. Activities: CTPH in partnership with Global GreenSTEM and with funding from National Geographic Society implemented a unique professional learning model where Bwindi-specific Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics (STEAM) educational materials including a STEM Conservation Action training curriculum were developed. These guide training of the youth and has resulted in a significant improvement in conservation education, awareness, and appreciation. Engaging more than 2,223 Bwindi Youth Guardians of the future in accredited STEAM education founded on practical learning which is also improving their leadership, small projects planning and financial management skills. Gorilla Conservation Coffee (GCCoffee), a social enterprise of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) founded in 2015, has made impactful strides in both community development and gorilla conservation around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Through farm field schools, GCCoffee has provided comprehensive training for 630 local farmers, enhancing agricultural skills and productivity, and fostering sustainable coffee farming practices. These educational initiatives have proven especially transformative for women in the region, with 230 women now actively participating in coffee farming. These women, empowered with their own coffee gardens, benefit from the income generation that coffee farming provides, lifting households and strengthening local economies. GCCoffee has also created job opportunities for 37 women who work at the coffee production facility, securing regular employment and an additional income stream for their families. Moreover, by establishing new coffee buying centers across the parishes near Bwindi, GCCoffee has minimized farmers' transportation costs and created a reliable market. Farmers receive a premium price per kilogram, which reduces their dependence on intermediaries who often undercut their profits. Building on the successful implementation of a similar project with 1,002 beneficiaries in 2020 and 500 beneficiaries in 2022, CTPH rolled out a 3rd and largest phase of the "Ready to Grow" project benefiting 1,500 households in April 2024 in frontline parishes around BINP. With funding from National Geographic Society, this project by supporting most-at-risk community members with 'Ready to Grow' gardens, comprising a package of ten low maintenance food crop seedlings that need little space, providing food within 1 - 4 months, to reduce hunger and address basic needs of vulnerable groups living in communities on the outskirts of BINP. This improved food security and community members are more motivated and have enough time and capacity to embrace and participate in the Model households program translating into reduced poaching incidences and other illegal entries for timber and non-timber forest products, that put pressure on natural resources and threaten survival of wildlife. This also included Expenses for Social enterprises such as Telecentre and Gorilla Conservation Camp for alternative livelihoods

ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH GOAL 4: INCREASE UPTAKE OF ONE HEALTH APPROACHES IN ENVIRONMENTALLY IMPORTANT LANDSCAPES. Results: The One Health approach is adopted, scaled, and mainstreamed into policy and development plans by communities and institutions. Activities: In November 2024, CTPH held a stakeholder's workshop at the Gorilla Conservation Camp in Bwindi to highlight the achievements of the One Health Model Household and VHCT initiatives, sharing best practices that have improved health, conservation, and community support around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and reflect on lessons learned throughout the program implementation, open a discussion on the challenges we've faced and the lessons we've learned along the way, helping us improve and adapt for the future and also gathered Stakeholder Recommendations for Future Program improvement. Participants shared their insights and recommendations which will help us shape the next steps and make these programs even more effective and sustainable. The event brought together 45 stakeholders, including representatives from local government, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), local NGOs, and health centers' in-charge officers. CTPH proudly joined the global community, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and our partners to celebrate World Gorilla Day (WGD). The main celebration was held at Uganda Nursing School Bwindi in the Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, themed "Celebrating the Success of Gorilla Conservation in Uganda." In the lead-up to World Gorilla Day, we hosted an exciting quiz competition on September 22, 2024, at the Gorilla Conservation Camp, engaging ten primary schools around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The quiz was not just about gorillas; it covered key general topics that impact the gorillas including climate change, wildlife knowledge, and environmental conservation. It was a fantastic opportunity for young minds to learn about wildlife while embracing healthy competition. Teams of four two boys and two girls faced off in multiple rounds of questions, from basic to advanced. Wildlife Clubs of Uganda helped in planning for the quiz and Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) developed the quiz and moderated the competition. In collaboration with UWA and the Bwindi Community Tour Operators and Hotel Owners Association, we held lively radio talk shows on Voice of Kigezi and Radios Kanungu FM discussing gorillas' ecological significance, their behaviors, threats to their habitats, and ways to combat these challenges, reaching a broad audience across the region In September 2024, CTPH participated in the 2024 African Primatological Society (APS) congress held in South Africa where our Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Coordinator, Ebenezer Paul gave an oral presentation about our work in Promoting Gorilla Conservation Through a One Health Model Household Approach at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), southwestern Uganda. Our Founder and CEO, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka who is also the current Vice President of APS was a panelist at the Congress in a discussion about decolonization of African primatology. Through the hard work of APS, we are seeing more African representation at top levels in the conservation power structure, a much-needed stride since Africa has the highest number of primate species. In November 2024, CTPH, in collaboration with Florida International University, Kasisi Project, Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, and funded by Arcus Foundation, conducted a comprehensive training program aimed at bolstering the skills of various stakeholders in Great Ape tourism. These workshops took place in two renowned Great Ape Tourism locations: Kibale National Park and Budongo Forest Reserve. The training encompassed a diverse group of participants, including trackers, habituators, ranger guides, forest supervisors, patrolmen, and ecotourism supervisors. The primary objective of these workshops was to improve disease prevention measures for great apes while ensuring the sustainability of Uganda's tourism industry. By utilizing a One Health approach, the training sessions educated participants on the critical challenges posed by zoonotic diseases. Attendees learned best practices designed to minimize the risk of disease transmission to great apes, thereby contributing to the protection of these endangered species and the overall health of Uganda's rich biodiversity. CTPH is also a consortium member of oNe hEalth SusTainabiLity partnership between EU-AFRICA for food sEcuRity (Nestler), a joint EU-Africa project (2022-2025) funded by the European Commission to enhance food security through technological interventions, expert consensus, and policy recommendations under the One-Health sustainability framework. CTPH is a work package leader focusing on stakeholder engagement and creating a sustainability roadmap. By 2024, major milestones included a risk analysis reviewing 59 historical food security risks and identifying 33 priority risks, alongside stakeholder engagement through the establishment and coordination of a platform of over 60 members across nine countries. In Uganda, pilot studies were carried out in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, linking gorilla conservation, One Health, and alternative livelihoods through environmental data processing and predictive analytics for coffee farming, supported by the installation of a weather station to strengthen early warning systems. Under the Collaborative One Health Research Initiative on Epidemics (COHRIE) funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), where CTPH is a consortium member leading the Social Science Objectives, the second phase Quantitative and Qualitative Data Collection (KAPs, FGDs and KIIs) was conducted in poaching communities: Household surveys were conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices related to but not limited to the following aspects: individual socio-demographics, livelihood related activities, human animal interactions, disease prevention options, nutrition and feeding habits, knowledge and risk perception related to disease (CCHF, RVF and Brucellosis) transmission. Qualitative interviews collected data on local understandings of the three diseases, beliefs on root drivers, socioeconomic drivers of high-risk activities including poaching, and behavioral disease drivers. In collaboration with UVRI and other consortium members, technical support supervision of a community led surveillance team of 123 Community One Health Volunteers (COHVs) model was conducted. The supervision included stakeholder meetings with District Veterinary Officers, Health Inspectors and Town Clerks in the research sites. Challenges faced by the COHVs were addressed and logistical support materials including 123 branded vests and waterproof bags, as well as, data collection tablets were provided.