The work of Tacugama spreads far beyond the Sanctuary and we have a number of social and environmental initiatives working with and supporting communities locally and nationally.

Local Community Support

Tacugama plays an important role in ongoing development projects in our surrounding communities. In 2006 the Sanctuary built and supplied a basic library for Regent Primary School and, with the support of Aviance (Gatwick Airport Ground Staff) and Kevin McPhilips Foundation, we are proud to distribute clothing, footwear, books and various relief items to communities in need on a continual basis.
Tacugama maintains its commitment to building a stronger Sierra Leone through skills training programmes and job creation. In 2003 a tree planting nursery and town bakery were constructed in the village of Regent. Seedlings and working tools were also provided to local farmers to support the regions burgeoning agricultural industry.

Children’s Education in the Western Area Peninsula

Ultimately, Tacugama holds environmental education and sensitisation as a central tenant of its mandate. As part of our Education Programme our staff and volunteers visit schools and community centres to present workshops on habitat conservation and environmental awareness. We also regularly host school groups here at the sanctuary. We teach an environmental programme complimentary to the national curriculum and establish Nature Clubs in each school we work with.

National Community Outreach

In 2006/7 we teamed up with the Jane Goodall Institute to implement a joint Sierra Leone-Guinea public awareness campaign to fight the poaching of chimpanzees in the region. In 2010 Tacugama established the Community Outreach Programme to extend the work of Tacugama beyond the Western Area Peninsula and help safeguard the future of wild chimpanzee populations and stem the alarming rate of biodiversity loss in Sierra Leone. The programme currently works with communities throughout the Moyamba, Port Loko and Tonkolili districts towards community-based conservation through awareness raising and sustainable livelihood development. Additionally we are working with private organisations to implement better practices that ultimately help safeguard the precious biodiversity of Sierra Leone. For more information please see the Community Outreach Programme page.

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