Pole Pole Foundation

Pole Pole Foundation (POPOF) is a grassroots NGO that has spent the past 30 years working with local communities to protect the critically endangered Eastern Lowland (Grauer’s) Gorilla in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Their work has earned them global recognition, including being a 2021 Earthshot Finalist and winning multiple international conservation awards such as the UN Equator Prize and the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa.  

Kahuzi-Biega National Park is both a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fragile ecosystem under severe pressure. The Grauer’s Gorilla faces threats from deforestation, poaching, and habitat loss, which is also deeply linked to local poverty and hunger. By addressing these interconnected challenges, POPOF not only works to save one of the world’s most endangered great apes but also strengthens the resilience and well-being of the local human populations. 

An ERF grant is supporting POPOF’s efforts to extend protection into new areas, including the lowland sector of the park and the Itombwe Reserve, while also providing core operating costs and seed capital for larger projects. Crucially, it will enable the restoration of a 23 km ecological corridor, reconnecting highland and lowland habitats so gorilla families can move freely, and forest elephants may return.