SCI: Sustainable Development

FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA WORKS TO SAVE NATURAL RESOURCES, ENSURE SISTER CITY'S FUTURE
Fundraising Project on www.SupportSisterCities.org to Impact Community & Conservation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 28, 2006

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - In the 25 villages that comprise Kokolopori in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 12 schools struggle to educate 5,000 students, without textbooks and often even without paper, pens, or a structurally sound classroom. Their sister city, Falls Church, Va., is taking the initiative to raise funds for these desperately needed educational resources and other necessities. The first step is to raise $10,000 through donations online at www.supportsistercities.org.

As a program of its parent organization, the Bonobo Conservation Initiative, the Kokolopori-Falls Church Sister City Partnership focuses on supporting an indigenous Congolese community which manages a 1200 square mile forest reserve in the heart of the Central African rainforest. The people of this community act as stewards of their rainforest and wildlife on behalf of all humanity. They urgently want to protect their lands and wildlife from loggers and commercial bushmeat hunters, but lack the most basic economic and educational opportunities and health care. Organizers say that investing in their education now will not only provide opportunities for higher education, it will ensure a more economically sound future and the protection of the rainforest lands they inhabit.

The project impacts wildlife conservation as well. The Bonobo Conservation Initiative has been working successfully for years with local Congolese leaders and communities as full conservation partners to protect bonobos, the rarest of the four great ape species, and their tropical forest habitat in the Congo Basin.

"Young people are the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo. An education will enable the people of Kokolopori to compete in the modern world and empower them to become wise stewards of their forest home," said Dr. Ingrid Schulze, director and founder of the Kokolopori-Falls Church partnership. She has volunteered for the Bonobo Conservation Initiative since 2004.

Donors can give to the Meet Basic Educational Needs in Kokolopori project online at www.SupportSisterCities.org, a fundraising website that allows individuals and corporations to target their money to specific projects and track how it is spent. Developed specifically for the sister cities network, this innovative website helps connect people with real projects and communities, engaging citizens of both communities in changing their world.

As an interactive website, www.SupportSisterCities.org allows donors to ask questions directly to project contacts in Falls Church. It also lets donors read progress reports as the project gets underway. They can easily notify friends and colleagues about the project or make a tax-deductible donation with a few clicks on their mouse.

SupportSisterCities.org is powered by Global Giving and administered by Sister Cities International's Network for Sustainable Development. For more information visit www.SupportSisterCities.org or e-mail support@sistercities.org. You can also visit the Kokolopori-Falls Church Sister Cities partnership's website at www.kokolopori-partnership.org.

Source: Ms. Ingrid Schulze, PhD, Project Director, P.O. Box 6043, Falls Church, VA 22040, phone 703.585.9516, Kokolopori@cox.net

Media Contact: Ami Neiberger-Miller, Communications Director, Sister Cities International, phone 202.347.8630 ext. 8251, amiller@sister-cities.org

About Sister Cities International
Representing more than 2,500 communities in 137 countries, Sister Cities International (www.sister-cities.org) is a citizen diplomacy network creating and strengthening partnerships between the U.S. and communities abroad. Sister city partnerships are tailored to local interests and increase global cooperation at the grassroots level. Sister Cities International promotes peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation by focusing on sustainable development, youth and education, arts and culture, humanitarian assistance and economic growth programs.

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