To this end, six Community Health Councils of Gilé National Park received support materials in October to improve their activities with local communities.

The list of materials included 18 bicycles, mobile phones, complete kits for nutrition groups, monitoring sheets, and school bags. Awareness-raising materials against uncontrolled bushfires were also delivered, with the expectation that they will contribute to changing the behavior of local communities.

The delivery of materials was carried out by the Administrator of Gilé National Park, in the presence of the Director of the District Service of Health, Women and Social Affairs and the Permanent Secretary of the Pebane District, in the communities of Musseia (Pebane District), Namahipe, Sacane, Luanula, Naheche, and Malema Centro (Gilé District).

During his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of Pebane District praised the support and commitment of Gilé National Park, drawing the communities’ attention to making good use of the materials, since the Government’s goal is to ensure communities have greater access to information to better protect themselves.

This initiative is part of the partnership between the park and the District Health Services of Pebane and Gilé for the implementation of the Community Health Program in Gilé National Park. Its main objective is to strengthen, train, and equip Community Health Committees to ensure that communities have access to basic information on reproductive rights, nutrition, maternal and child health, gender-based violence, COVID-19, and other relevant topics in the local context.

The Community Health Program of Gilé National Park has 4,000 beneficiaries who will continue to receive support in the coming years, under the PROMOVE Biodiversidade Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by BIOFUND. One of its objectives is to finance biodiversity conservation and community development in Gilé National Park, Mount Mabu, and the Environmental Protection Area of the Primeiras and Segundas Islands (APAIPS).