The Mozambique Conservation Leadership Program (PLCM) launched this Monday, February 13, 2023, its 4th edition of pre-professional internships across the country! This year, there are 61 interns, trained in several multidisciplinary areas, who will be allocated to 22 internship centers, including 18 public and private Conservation Areas, as well as 4 conservation institutions at the central level.

The PLCM is a program implemented by the Foundation for Biodiversity Conservation (BIOFUND), in coordination with the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) and the National Employment Institute (INEP), which aims to develop the skills and knowledge of conservation professionals in Mozambique.

The opening ceremony of this new edition was attended by representatives of ANAC and INEP, as well as the World Bank and the Government of Sweden, funders of the program. During the event, the new interns benefited from virtual training on the iNaturalist platform for recording the occurrence of flora and fauna species, carried out by SAMBI – South Africa’s Biodiversity Institute.

“The integration of the PLCM interns is a response to the challenges that the conservation sector faces in Mozambique, such as the low human capacity to operate in the different projects that were designed to advance the sector“, said Luís Bernardo Honwana, Executive Director of BIOFUND, speaking at the opening ceremony.

The interns are eager to begin their internships and acquire valuable skills that can influence and attract other young people to conservation, as well as contribute to the development of the sector. “This will be my first experience in the conservation area, I hope to acquire new skills to help preserve the environment and motivate others to embrace the cause of biodiversity conservation“, said Jeremias Matavele, a graduate in Finance, based at the Marromeu National Reserve.

Since the beginning of its internship program in 2020, the PLCM has already benefited 168 young people, and 107 have already gained diverse leadership experiences in biodiversity conservation in Mozambique in the 3 previous editions.

The PLCM is a unique opportunity for young people who want to contribute to biodiversity conservation in Mozambique and help build a more sustainable and prosperous future for the country. Don’t miss the opportunity to lead biodiversity conservation in Mozambique and inspire other young people to do the same – stay tuned for the next edition of the PLCM. Find out more here!