Experience The African Rainforest

There is no better experience than taking time off the daily bustle and tussle of city life to camp in the rainforest.   
By Ndimuh Bertand Shancho
ERuDeF under its International Volunteering Program has since 2008 received over 200 persons coming from different parts of the world; Canada, UK, USA, Australia, Netherlands, France, South Africa and Germany to have a firsthand experience of the Tofala and Mak/Betchou rainforests in the Lebialem Highlands, South West Cameroon. 
These forest areas are home to a number of endangered species, including the Cross River Gorilla, the most threatened of all of Africa's primates, chimpanzees, Drills and various endemic birds and plant species.  
There is also a range of other species found in the forest like monkeys, porcupines, cane rats, deer, bush dogs, bush cats, antelope, bush pigs, bush babies, blue duiker, elephants and sitatunga.
Volunteers sometimes spend two to six weeks in the forest; camping, trekking, tracking and recording information about gorillas and chimpanzees with special focus on feeding signs, number of nests (fresh and old), gunshot/gun shells, vocalization and many others. 
This experience usually leaves volunteer yearning for more. A 28-year-old Finish, Hanna-Maija Lantinen, spent 17 days in the Mak-Betchou rainforest and 21 days in the Tofala rainforest and was amazed by what she saw.  
“I saw elephants, heard the vocalization of chimpanzees and gorillas’ fresh tracks and nests as well as chimpanzees during my stay in the forest. It was a fantastic experience and I am so happy to have lived those moments,” Hanna said.
Sixty-eight-year-old John Michael Daniel, retired teacher, after spening two weeks in the Tofala rainforest, had this to say; “We were very quiet, walking up hill, tracing the apes, stopping and recording information as the needs arise. Then the exciting moment; we saw monkeys, got very close to chimpanzees and actually saw them shaking the branches responding to our presence.  There was one occasion when we actually heard footsteps in the forest and thought it was a person. We went to find out what was happening but could only see fresh banana peelings indicating that the foot steps were those of a gorilla. This was really exciting,” Daniel said.
An American couple, the Barrets, also spent a fortnight in the Tofala rainforest bathing in the forest waterfall could not hide their feelings.
“Waterfall in the forest was awesome; we took our bath in the waterfall, used it to clean our dresses.
It was particularly interesting for us to use our hand to wash dresses and dry them on the camp drying line in the forest,” the Baretts said.
Nontie Kabanyane from South Africa is one of those who visited the Tofala rainforest in the rainy season. She was on the whole thrilled by the wet and slippery nature of the rainforest. 
She was elated to have learned about the different animals, fruits and trees in the forest, tasting some of wild fruits. 
How To Enjoy Tofala Rainforest 
No specific experience is required needed; just a keen interest in wildlife and conservation is what counts. Volunteers between the ages of 20 and 70 must be very fit and prepared to trek through harsh environments with extreme temperatures.
Send an application directly to ERuDeF or to partner organisations like African Impact and African Conservation Network including your motivation and detailed information (nationality, sex, age upon date of arrival, arrival and departure dates and time, contacts and other necessary information). 
An invitation letter will be mailed to you in response to together with the volunteering cost. Upon arrival, the volunteer is picked up at the airport and lodged in a hotel in Buea for at least two days prior to departure to the field. 
An orientation meeting is always held for prior to departure. During this orientation meeting, every departmental head at ERuDeF presents the functions of his/her department. The main activities on the field include: great apes bio-monitoring and conservation education in the forest adjacent communities. On their return from the field, an evaluation meeting is organised with the volunteer at the ERuDeF headquarters in Buea. 
The program ends with a visit to the Limbe Wildlife Centre and a sea fish lunch at the beach. 
Apart from the rainforest experience, volunteers conduct conservation education in the local schools and communities. Here children are taught the ecology of the great apes, their importance, habitat needs and the importance of conserving them. Contests for the children are also organised and prizes awarded.