The LAGA Family is less than a dozen activists. An NGO without a single vehicle. In a world of multi-nationals among the conservation industry giants, LAGA is proud to be small and slim. 

                                                                                                                                                            Vincent Mfonfu Gudmia is the Head of the Media and External Relations Department of LAGA,having served 11 years as the Minister’s journalist and one of the first to produce environmental journalism in Cameroon."Any country that is going to live by the rule of law, its citizens have to respect that law. And to respect the law, they need to know about it, and so education is part of the question and enforcement is also part of it. . And I think that, any initiative to change that situation is to be welcome. I think LAGA is a relatively small but inspirational NGO".

 

 

Police Officer Anutenet Julius, Operations Head says,"there is also the temptation of bribery and corruption once a dealer is caught and is aware of the prison sentence or fine that awaits him in the courts. We are resolved it is high time we put an end to this practice because if we keep on arresting people and taking bribes and letting them go it means that the commerce will also continue while the wildlife disappears".

  

 

i26 I went to Buea in January 2009 for a mission and came across a former classmate who is working in Muyuka – South West Region. He had no idea that I was working with LAGA and coincidentally during the course of our discussion, we started talking about how elephants will one day become extinct in the South West Region. He started by saying that he thinks people are becoming more afraid to kill elephants and to trade in their products because one structure known as LAGA is arresting a lot of people and that it is now difficult to see people going out for hunting expeditions in his village Munyengue near Muyuka. He narrated a story to me whereby an elephant was sighted near the village and the people merely chased it away instead of killing it for fear of being arrested. To him, it seems LAGA is invisible and could be found anywhere at any time. Of course, I had no intention to tell him that I am working with LAGA but we both concluded that LAGA is doing a good job. I merely told him that he can contact me or the MINFOF authorities whenever he comes across any wildlife incident because I told him I was involved in wildlife conservation initiatives." Click Here for more.

 

 

  

 Emeline Sirri, is the Management Secretary."LAGA is my stepping stone and for every foundation you take your time to build it. What I do I desire to have it perfect so others can follow my example. It a small family where no one is left out. I love the togetherness and the ability to join work and family even when the people are not really your blood".

 

 

 

                                                       

Josias Sipehouo is the Replication Coordinator of LAGA and has successful implemented LAGA's experience in Congo Brazzaville now functioning under PALF and in the Central African Republic under the RALF Project."LAGA puts me to task. I am challenged by the humanitarian nature of what I do which is what some young people told me that I was good with handling others. There are several risks involved, but the knowledge that it is a joint fight with other sharing their experiences with me and encouraging to move on keeps me going.It's a family thing". Josias has just moved back to Congo Brazzaville to continue the replication experience. 

                                                    

 Felix is legal assistant and has been travelling around Cameroon following up cases brought against widlife traffickers in court and tells his experience. “My first experience ever with a baby chimp that had been badly handled by the dealer and thus badly wounded was very challenging and inspirational. Even though the dealer was successfully sentenced to serve a deterrent prison term, we however lost the baby chimp which was really a terrible lost. This experience has greatly contributed to my engagement in wildlife law enforcement and the preservation of the threatened species". 

                          

 i33."As a Cameroonian, what we commonly see and hear about are well drafted laws with improper applications and dysfunctional Institutions vested with powers for the proper application of laws. LAGA is an incorruptibale beacon in this domain and it touches an area I am particularly interested in, Wildlife Conservation. This is the true motivation for being part of LAGA and I am honoured to be involved in a successful venture with very limited financial resources. I hope this example will be emulated and applied in other areas especially the fight against corruption".

 

 

 

 

Ononino Alain, is Head of the Legal Department and he says, "what I do is out of the passion I have and for the studies I have made. I like challenges, solving problems which is exactly what I do in LAGA". Each mission is a new chapter of learning with different people and different environment and new challenges.The joy I have is in doing what is right knowing that from the little we are we can always make it big. I feel I am part of something big and growing, something that has meaning and a future".

  

    

Arrey Emmanuel Enow the management assistant. Volunteerism and activism is a part of me and these ties with the philosophy of LAGA which has kept me realizing my objectives. In my tradition, we believe in totems and these totems are endangered species. Protecting the endanger species is like protecting my tradition and conserving my culture. I believe to spend as more time as I can with the wonderful LAGA family where every one wants to see a collective growth.

 

 

 i25 is a field investigator in the investigation department. To him protecting wildlife and fighting wildlife crime has always been a principle.The challenges  and risks involved in this part only help me to forge ahead. I feel its a gift to me , a fulfilling of a long time desire to have somewhere where people have a singular aim and are working towards achiving goals for a real cause. Its not about the money, its the satisfaction i derivein getting the things done" .

 

 

 

 

Tah Eric Kaba works as Media Assistant in the Media Department of LAGA,has worked in several places "I first came into contact with the serious problem of wildlife extinction orchestrated by greedy illegal wildlife traders some few years back when I had to go on mission shortly after volunteering to work with the Communication Department of LAGA. When I arrived Abong Mbang, a small town located at some 150 kilometres from Yaounde the capital of Cameroon that evening, I was on my first field assignment with the Communication Department of LAGA. I had to shoot photos of gorilla parts that had been butchered from a poached gorilla. I stared at the head that had been chopped off the gorilla and it stared back with a still blank stare.  My stare was alive and his dead. It had been smoked and stored in a deep freezer ready for trade.  Since then I have been fighting this illegal trade while learning and understanding other problems of our society. Other problems which must be equally confronted. It takes just the efforts of one determined and committed citizen to make a change". 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ofir Drori, "the man in black fighting for apes" and Director of LAGA..An Israeli  by everything and a human right activist in Africa who out of the desire to be a contributing factor in Africa, after spending years in diiferent african forest areas, decided to start off LAGA . "Seeing the problem in Cameroon made me stop everything  to try and be a part of changing reality in Africa".

 

 

 

 

 

LAGA Family Members for Further Studies

Nekwa Eunice who took over from Galit as Assistant Manager is also out for further studies in the UK. Very strong willed and passionate about her work. "It means my children and grandchildren will never get a chance to set eyes on these extinct species. I have also leant that these animals behave exactly like human beings and it is all very touching".

 

 

 

 

 

  Akwen Cynthia was the Development Office Assistant before leaving for a Masters Course in the UK. She is a Zoology student, keeping her strong interests for animals she had while with us here in Cameroon. She says LAGA is her family indeed with Vincent being my father there and Ofir, big brother and the rest sisters and brothers. We have shared times of joy, sorrow, tears, success, failure and what keeps me going is that what I do is appreciated no matter how small it is. You don't have to be perfect to be there, all you need is to believe in yourself and have a clear conscience knowing that what you are doing is for the good of all.

 

 

 

 

 Galit Zangwill, Former Assistant Manager of LAGA now on further studies in the UK. “I wanted to be back at the centre of things, which is right back here in Cameroon.Here, I felt was the right place to contribute to LAGA’S objectives in a very real and concrete manner. Thus it is not a mere matter of money or employment but a deeply feet desire to be part of a meaningful change, of doing my own bit, of being part of doing something of value at a would wide level. I honestly believe in what LAGA is doing".

 

 

 Talla Tene Marius, former Legal head now on studies in France. "My personal challenge to see that what Ofir started should stand and be an example to others. Personnally I have learnt alot and still continue to do so".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Njike Horline is former  Head of the Legal department in LAGA and presently works with forest observation body REM which monitors the exploitation of forests in the Congo Bassin after spending several years with the Legal Department where she rose to occupy the position of the Head of Department.and she believes as a Bonelike from the Bangoulap area," I have always had a sense of the quasimystical place of animals in our culture. Animals represent tutus for us, just like the panther is closely linked to our people". 

 

 

Dedication

 This part is dedicated to Christopher,a dedicated worker of the Investigation department who died in service of lung cancer.