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BirdLife Africa inaugurates a new office in La Maison de la Conservation (Conservation House) with the support of the Mava Foundation for Nature.

La Maison de la Conservation (The Conservation House) opened with the support of the MAVA Foundation for Nature.


By Cheikh Bamba Ndao

BirdLife Africa has officially inaugurated a brand-new headquarters in Dakar within the Maison de la Conservation offered by the MAVA Foundation for Nature. After a 28-year presence in West Africa, supporting various conservation initiatives the MAVA Foundation for Nature exits the region, counting among its legacies, the La Maison de la conservation which will house four environmental organizations namely BirdLife Africa, Wetlands International Africa West Coast and Gulf of Guinea (WIACO), the Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine Conservation in West Africa (PRCM), the Regional Network of Marine Protected Areas in West Africa (RAMPAO).

Photo credit: La Maison de la Conservation (LMC) BirdLife Africa, PRCM, WETLAND, RAMPAO with the two representatives of the MAVA Foundation inauguration ceremony on March 1st 2023 in Dakar, Senegal

The inauguration ceremony which took place on March 1, 2023 at the Capucine building, Zone B district in Dakar was graced byMs. Lynda Mansson, Executive Director MAVA Foundation, and   Ms. Charlotte Karibuhoye Saïd, MAVAProgram Director for West Africa. Also noteworthy was the participation of several representatives of state organizations and BirdLifes strategic partners such as the Royal Society for the Birds Protection (RSPB) and the Nature Communities and Development (NCD).

Photo Credit: La Maison de la Conservation (LMC) – Family photo during the inauguration ceremony on March 1, 2023 in Dakar, Senegal

The inauguration of this headquarters marks an important step in creating synergies between conservation organizations for the benefit of biodiversity management in Senegal and West Africa.

Given the special relationship between the four organizations and the MAVA Foundation, a warm gesture of recognition was made to their representatives.

Photo Credit: La Maison de la Conservation (LMC) Mr. Jean-Baptiste Deffontaines, Head of BirdLife Africas sub-regional office for West Africa, presenting the Certificate of Recognition of La Maison de la Conservation to Ms. Lynda Mansson, Director of the MAVA Foundation – Inauguration Ceremony on March 1, 2023 in Dakar, Senegal

Guests and representatives of the MAVA Foundation were given a guided tour of the new workplaces of the four different organizations.Other dignitaries who attended the event included Executive Secretary of RAMPAO, Ms. Marie Suzanna Traoré, PRCM, director, Mr. Ahmed Senhoury, and the director of WIACO Ibrahima Thiam, in addition to diplomats, and government officials among others.

Photo Credit: The Conservation House (CML) Ms. Lynda Mansson and Ms. Charlotte Karibuhoye visiting the BirdLife Africa offices inauguration ceremony on 1 March 2023 in Dakar, Senegal

This new headquarters funded by the MAVA Foundation for Nature will indeed strengthen the historic collaboration between conservation actors. This synergy of actions will allow us to better develop, promote and implement strategies to meet the priorities of countries and sub-regional organizations

Dr. Paul Kariuki Ndang’ang’a, Regional Director for Africa at BirdLife International.