The event also marked the presentation of the first Park Champions.
Caring for nature is a commitment that gains more strength when it is shared. It was with this spirit that Maputo National Park (PNAM) recently launched the Friends of Maputo National Park Club – Mungano, an initiative that invites individuals, companies, and other interested parties to actively participate in biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development of communities.
The launch took place at the Natural History Museum in Maputo, in an atmosphere of sharing and commitment to the future. Managed by the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), in partnership with the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF), Maputo National Park, through Mungano, is committed to a closer relationship with society, based on cooperation and collective responsibility.
During the launch, Jucelina Quembo, manager of the Friends of Maputo National Park Club, stated that joining the Club represents a concrete commitment to conservation and to improving the living conditions of the communities that live in and around the Park.
“Being a member of the Friends Club means contributing to changing people's lives, creating opportunities, promoting environmental education, and strengthening a more balanced relationship between communities and nature,” he highlighted.
More than a club, Mungano was born as a movement that seeks to unite people, businesses, and nature. Through the contributions of its members, the initiative supports ecosystem conservation actions, promotes environmental education, creates employment opportunities for local communities, and helps reduce conflict between people and wildlife in areas surrounding the Park.
The initiative has the support of the Prosper Azul Project, implemented by GIZ and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union, partners that reinforce the vision of conservation done with and for people.
The event also marked the presentation of the first Park Champions, personalities from Mozambican society and the diaspora, representatives of the business sector, financial institutions, and other individuals who decided to put their influence, knowledge, and experience at the service of conservation. Each of them has committed to contributing ideas, initiatives, and concrete actions to protect and enhance Maputo National Park.
Open to all who identify with the environmental cause, the Friends of Maputo National Park Club welcomes individuals and institutions interested in conservation, sustainable tourism, ecological businesses, carbon offsetting, and social causes. In addition to supporting nature, members become part of a collaborative and sharing network for sustainable development.
(By Renaldo Manhice)
