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Mozambique Conservation
Organization (MCO) is a non-profit company
chartered to support on-the-ground improvements
in natural resource conservation, public
health and education. We work directly
with local rural communities to implement
conservation operations and educational
policies that teach Mozambicans the
value of their unique and vanishing
natural environment. By cultivating
the indigenous peoples with conservation
knowledge, employing them as the protectors
of their home environment and showing
them the economic value of this plan,
our conservation plans will be sustainable.
Our vision is the emergence of rural
Mozambique as a global conservation
partner with employment opportunities,
conservation knowledge and skills, and
access to education, clean water and
healthcare.
Our concentric ring approach supports
organic Mozambican development. The
first step is to use our financial resources
to seed conservation practices. We will
accomplish real results by utilizing
a series of provincial focused programs.
By using Mozambican personnel and material
and partnering with private local companies
in our targeted areas, our overhead
costs remain low. Local employment by
MCO in the field of conservation will
create the opportunity for economic
advancement in the area. The flow of
earned wages to these remote rural areas
will breed a free market system that
will help to stop the sale of Illegal
“bushmeat” and ivory and the over harvesting
of hardwood trees that the local populations
depend on for survival.
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To continue our concentric ring approach,
our next step will be to follow-up with
educational and public health programs
that will advance the conservation programs.
The area of our focus around the Niassa
Reserve is truly a geographical jewel
that needs these conservation practices
put in place immediately in order to
stem the tide of destruction before
it’s too late. This remote area is one
of the last great wilderness areas on
the African continent with many unique
and fascinating indigenous flora and
fauna that MCO pledges to help protect
and restore.
Our
Area of Operations
The Niassa Province is the northwestern
province of Mozambique. It sits at the
southern end of the Great Rift Valley
on the eastern shore of Lake Malawi.
This remote area is one of the last
great wilderness areas on the African
continent with many unique indigenous
flora and fauna. It is also one of Mozambique’s
poorest provinces. The province has
very little established industry with
the current sectors of forestry, tourism
and agriculture providing less than
10% of the indigenous peoples with employment.
The largest source of income for the
indigenous tribes comes from making
charcoal out of illegally harvested
hardwood trees and the sale of “bushmeat”
from poached game. The lack of employment
opportunity has forced the indigenous
people to over utilize their natural
resources, and in turn, the flora and
fauna are disappearing rapidly. |
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KEY
PERSONNEL
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William
R. Muns—Founder of MCO
A businessman from Texas, William R.
Muns, founded the Mozambique Conservation
Organization (MCO). He has established
several global technology companies
and is a frequent traveler to Africa.
His experiences there influenced his
decision to concentrate his philanthropic
efforts in the country of Mozambique.
Recent wars had caused widespread destruction
and disregard of the natural resources;
much work was needed to restore the
country’s wildlife to pre-war conditions.
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Mr. Muns was raised
in a Texas farmland by parents that
were teachers at the secondary and
college level. The lessons they imparted
made him an early advocate of both
education and the need for conservation
to improve quality of life and understanding
of one’s environment. He believes
that Mozambique is one of the most
stable sub-Saharan countries, both
politically and economically. By making
great strides in lifting its people
from poverty and by building self-sustaining
healthy communities, MCO is helping
to protect one of Africa’s last great
wilderness regions.
Mr. Alexandre Luis Comé – Local
Managing Partner.
Alex joined the MCO team in July 2007.
Prior to joining he was managing his
own financial consulting firm, which
catered to the ecotourism industry.
Alex holds a degree in accounting
from the University of South Africa,
Johannesburg and brings vast financial
and accounting experience with him
including stints at KPMG and BCI-Fimento,
one of the largest banks in Mozambique.
In addition to MCO Alex is a shareholder
in several other Mozambique companies
involved in ecotourism, construction,
equipment sales and material fabrication.
His experience in these fields and
conducting business generally in Mozambique
make him an ideal partner in MCO.
Mr. Comé is especially interested
in the conservation of the wildlife
and the empowerment of the local communities
in rural areas of Mozambique.
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