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So far Well Grounded has created 36 blog entries.

Voices from Les Éclaireuses: Irma Séraphine Pella

2026-11-10T14:28:56+00:00November 10th, 2026|

This is the second in our series sharing the perspectives of participants and facilitators within our ecofeminist leadership programme, Les Éclaireuses, which is running in the Republic of Congo. Here, Irma Séraphine Pella, Executive Director of Femme Énergies et Développement Durable (Women, Energy and Sustainable Development) in the Republic of Congo, shares how she came to become a leader for environmental protection and women's empowerment, and why she believes women hold the answers to protecting the Congo Basin’s forests. If women are not involved, we cannot protect our forests According to Irma: “Women are the ones carrying the solutions. If they [...]

Voices from Les Éclaireuses: Mary Bakia

2026-11-06T10:04:55+00:00November 4th, 2026|

The Les Éclaireuses ecofeminist leadership programme brings together women leaders from across the Congo Basin to build confidence, connections and the skills to lead change. Ahead of the second workshop retreat with the current cohort of women leaders from the Republic of Congo, we’re sharing stories from participants about their experiences, alongside reflections from our team of facilitators.  Each one shows a different side of what happens when women are given the space, support and network to lead. We’re kicking off with Les Éclaireuses programme coordinator and lead facilitator, Mary Bakia. Over the coming weeks we’ll add new stories from participants [...]

From learning to action: the Canopy Alumni Initiative enters a new phase

2026-10-14T13:52:44+00:00October 14th, 2026|

A leader who delegates more. A team taking greater responsibility. An organisation turning its challenges into opportunities to learn. And, beyond all this, a community of peers that continues to grow. These are some of the changes emerging from 18 months of the Canopy Alumni Initiative, which continues to support the cohort of 17 leaders from 10 organisations working for forests and communities across Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of Congo and DRC that made up the Canopy Leadership programme. On 23 September, the group came together to mark the end of the first phase of the Alumni Initiative. The closing ceremony [...]

A year of adaptation and growth for Indigenous leadership

2026-10-13T11:13:34+00:00August 18th, 2026|

Indigenous leaders reconnect around Kahuzi-Biega for the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples The celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (IDWIP) in August provided an opportunity this year to take stock of Indigenous leadership around Kahuzi-Biega National Park (KBNP) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It also offered a chance to see how much has changed as communities continue to adapt to conflict and political tension. An escalation of conflict in eastern DRC meant that in-person activities to celebrate the 2025 IDWIP had to be cancelled. This year, Indigenous leaders found ways to reconnect across the [...]

Des facilitateurs.trices de changement au niveau communautaire !

2026-05-01T08:15:22+00:00May 1st, 2026|

Ce 22 avril, Well Grounded a lancé une nouvelle cohorte de la formation “Facilitator for Change” et la dynamique est déjà là ! 16 Facilitateur.trice.s Communautaires du Cameroun et de l’est de la RDC se sont réunis en ligne pour entamer ensemble ce parcours de renforcement des compétences en facilitation du Développement organisationnel au sein des Organisations à base communautaire (OBC). t. Ces facilitateur.trice.s travaillent avec Well Grounded pour le développement du leadership des communautés autochtones . La formation se déroule sur Baraza, la plateforme d’apprentissage de Well Grounded, et comporte 4 grandes parties: ➡ Comprendre le changement ➡ La facilitation [...]

A Renewed Commitment to Co‑Leadership: Lea Valentini Appointed as Co‑Director of Well Grounded

2026-03-31T07:13:47+00:00March 31st, 2026|

Well Grounded is delighted to announce the appointment of Lea Valentini as its new Co‑Director. With both Co‑Directors now being women, this transition marks a powerful moment in the organisation’s evolution, one that reinforces its commitment to shared power, and inclusive leadership. Well Grounded’s Co‑Director model reflects a simple yet transformative belief: leadership is strongest when it is shared. By embracing collaborative and relational leadership, the organisation ensures that diverse perspectives shape its strategy, culture, and direction. Welcoming Lea into this role further strengthens Well Grounded’s commitment to women’s leadership and to modelling the inclusive, power‑sharing practices it advocates for across [...]

Well Grounded Appoints New Chair of the Board

2026-03-31T07:15:05+00:00March 31st, 2026|

Well Grounded is pleased to announce the appointment of Fidele Yobo as the new Chair of its Board. This transition marks an important step in the organisation’s ongoing journey to support locally rooted, resilient and influential civil society across Africa. After many years of committed service, Well Grounded’s founder, Cath Long, is stepping down from her role as Chair. Cath’s humble leadership and dedication to building an organisation based on shared power, trust, and collaboration have been central to Well Grounded’s identity. She will remain closely connected to the organisation and continue contributing to its mission. Cameroonian national, Fidele Yobo brings [...]

Powerful stories of leadership, resilience and learning from Eastern DRC

2025-12-19T09:10:47+00:00December 18th, 2025|

We are proud to share learning and reflections from the successful conclusion of two online leadership programmes with leaders in Eastern DRC. Over recent months, we worked with two cohorts: leaders from six dynamic civil society organisations working around Kahuzi-Biega National Park to promote community-led forest governance, and members of the Indigenous Peoples’ Ambassador Circle — Indigenous leaders who play a vital role in shaping and delivering our Indigenous Peoples’ leadership programme. As conflict escalated across North and South Kivu, both programmes had to adapt rapidly. Together with our partners, we made the collective decision to move fully online in early [...]

Technology in the service of resilience: our pivot to online support for civil society in Eastern DRC

2025-09-19T13:44:46+00:00September 19th, 2025|

In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, ongoing armed conflict has significantly disrupted the work of civil society organisations (CSOs), particularly those engaged in environmental protection. The escalation of the conflict in early 2025 also forced us to suspend our in-person facilitation of leadership and organisation development processes. But we did not want to withdraw our support for locally-based leaders and their organisations during this crisis.   That’s why, with the support of our partners, we turned to innovation—using technology as a catalyst for connection and continuity. Our local partners were adamant that despite the day-to-day challenges they were facing, they wanted [...]

Leading from the roots: A Conversation with Dr. Timothée Emini

2025-08-08T14:54:27+00:00August 8th, 2025|

To mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we are sharing an interview with Dr. Timothée Emini, a Baka Indigenous person from the East Region of Cameroon and the Coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples Leadership Programme at Well Grounded. Timothée is a trailblazer. He is the first Indigenous forest person in Cameroon and Central Africa to publicly defend a PhD thesis — a symbolic and historic achievement. His daily work is deeply rooted in the promotion and defence of the human rights of Indigenous Peoples, a mission he carries with conviction and pride.     What does the International [...]

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