At the start of the 2023-24 academic year, after 2 months of preparation, ERAIFT's 1st fundraising campaign in the USA, called "Protect Nature", has just entered its field implementation phase with the arrival of the Fundraising Team in New York on September 1. The team consists of Patrick Gaincko, Campaign Manager, and Olivier Mushiete, ERAIFT Fundraising Director.

September is also the month of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. All member countries and major international NGOs are present. It's a perfect opportunity to launch the Protect Nature-USA Fundraising tour.

The mission's main objective is to initiate a fundraising process with American conservation institutions, as well as with certain philanthropists identified in advance. To achieve this goal, it is essential to raise awareness of ERAIFT, its mission, vision and projects. In the same dynamic, Patrick Gaincko and Olivier Mushiete will be promoting IFA Yangambi.

The Protect Nature-USA Fundraising campaign will cover several American cities, including New York and Washington DC. Reflecting ERAIFT's participatory approach, the mission aims to create long-term relationships with contacts and ambassadors who will be keen to share the passions, experiences, ambitions and impact of the ERAIFT alumni community.

It should be emphasized that the Protect Nature-USA Fundraising mission is part of the roll-out of activities under the project to build the capacity of biodiversity practitioners, scientists and policy-makers for the sustainable management of protected areas and forest ecosystems in Africa. This large-scale initiative in the Congo Basin sub-region and West Africa is funded by the European Union and ERAIFT, a category 2 center under the auspices of UNESCO. AGRINATURA EEIG and ERAIFT are jointly implementing the project.