Central African Republic

Where mothers protect their environment

Nation: Central African Republic National Day: 28.10.00

Have you heard of the "Mamas Vertes", the "green mamas"? They are a group of women in the Central African Republic who are actively protecting the local hills from erosion. The "Mamas Vertes" demonstrate that environmental protection only works when individual groups of the population are consulted and when their requirements are taken into consideration. In the exhibition, an example of this is shown in the WWF project for the protection of the tropical rainforests, where the environmental protection organisation works together with the indigenous people in developing joint methods for sustainable forestry management.

From the Pygmies, visitors can learn how to treat nature with respect. A film describes how the indigenous people cure illnesses with plants and hunt animals with weapons manufactured from natural materials.

Especially for the EXPO, art has been collected from all over the country, which will be displayed together for the first time in Hanover. When the world exposition is over, they will be exhibited in museums in the country's capital city of Bangui.