Thanks to you Steemians we gained almost 100$ in 10 days which allows us to save close to 1,000 m2 of Abongphen Highland Forest. That is awesome. We are really grateful for it. Our dream (goal) is to make sure that in 3 years we would be able to protect and restore (if necessary – unfortunately it is usually necessary) 1,000 hectares (10,000,000 m2) of the misty mountain forest in the Kedjom-Keku village of Cameroon.
Here's more details how we want to achieve our dream: We are Kedjom-Keku, People of the forest!
I would like to introduce to you how our dream was born and who we are actually.
Let me start with myself and our Forest Friendly Family.
Jane, Arthur, Martin
My name is Martin Mikeš coming from Czechia. I have studied Charles University in Prague (Czechia) Faculty of Science department of Ecology since 2007. I luckily met already during my first term some teachers, doctors, professors who started ecological research in Cameroon since 2002.
I got the great opportunity to join them and start my own research there in November 2008. I focused on birds. Especially how the birds populations are influenced by deforestation. The results are not surprising. The deforestation rate is negatively influencing especially the most threatened endemic bird species which are totally depending on the forest cover as Bannerman's turaco or Banded wattle-eye. Check the scientific article here!
During my second visit (November 2009) in Cameroon I developed serious interest to move there permanently and help to protect the precious and endangered environment. I didn't get any idea how, but I just felt I need to do it. I also thoughtlessly promised to comply the biggest wish of local community to build the primary school for their children in mountain area of village Kedjom-Keku (people of the forest) called Abongphen (beautiful mountains) as a tool to fight against increasing poverty and nature degradation.
We established Czech association named Kedjom-Keku and started with fundraising to get money for the school building in 10th of February 2010. Misty Mountain School was built and started operating November 2012. Here is more about it!
In January 2014 new Czech volunteers came to teach in our school (currently only Cameroonian teachers teach at the school). Jane, my wife, was among them. She came for six months. But she got pregnant pretty fast and decided to stay with me in Abongphen. We got married 23rd of January 2015. Forest Friendly Family was established 3rd of February when our son Arthur Jesus Vunan Mikeš was born.
My wife Jane is probably the strongest woman I have ever met. She is taking care about our son Arthur alone (obviously with my little help) without grandmothers, grandfathers, aunties, uncles, electricity, baby-carriage, cooker, disposable diapers just right in the middle of nowhere surrounded by thick mountain forest. I could not choose better. I will not talk about Arthur much, look at the pictures speaking for them self.
Arthur, Jane and hippo
Arthur likes eating burned cock head
Arthur's bathroom
Arthur and his wildlife
Arthur with his Chadian friend Yu
Roasted corn is tasty
Arthur is the youngest humbled the second highest peak in Western Africa - Mt. Oku (3,011 m asl)
Home
Since we established Forest Friendly Family we got more family members. Here they are! I am going to indroduce you more detaily our great friends and colleagues – memebers of our Family in some other articles.
Christopher Kemie
Former hunter, nature lover, environmentalist, asistant of coordinator of our conservation activities.
Immaculate
Great woman and cook trained in forest conservation in past 10 years. Manager of Misty Mountain Conservation Center.
Alen
Very nice guy who is assisting madam Immaculate to manage our Conservation Center.
Isi
The strongest guy I have ever met. Working for our association since 2012. The oldest employee (actually he is one of the youngest among us).
Bobe
The youngest one. Member of the Family since April 2017.
Henry and Ivo
Trained marine soldiers are helping us with law enforcement and raising the awareness.
Roger
The best technician. He is carpenter, builder, , electrician. He just know everything technical you could just imagine.
Vitalis, Derek, Seraphine
Our super teachers.
Our Forest Friendly Family is growing quite fast. They are already far more members, but I would like to keep the others for next time, so would not shoot all bullets ones.
To become part of our Family is really easy. Just be forest friendly in most parts of your life.
Forest friendly could also mean to join us in our effort by following us, voting and resteeming our posts. Here´s manual how to do it!
You could obviously increase value of our other recent stories:
Hypnotic bird
Swim with hippo
Why humans need green color
Stop bushfires
Thank you plenty.