The underdeveloped Niger Delta is on the international scene today. Despite immense petroleum wealth, this zone of Nigeria is reliant on a rudimentary fishing economy and is a theater of violence due to misery, to the squandered wealth and to environmental destruction. The Akassa people forms a clan of 30,000 people divided into 18 villages and several fishing ports.

Since 1997, Pro-Natura has undertaken a series of small village projects for development, environment, health and education destined to improve the well being of the region's inhabitants. Pro-Natura's actions are based on the active participation of the Akassa population.

In January 2003, PNI created the Niger Delta Institute for Sustainable Development (NDISD). that is designed to improve the management skills and training of local people through the lessons learned in community development.

Today the project is seen worldwide as program model to assure the Sustainable Development and the Conservation of the Biodiversity of a region with fragile agro ecosystems and a main economic activity such as that of the oil and the familial agriculture base.

This initiative in Nigeria is coordinated by Mr. Bill Knight, who received recently the Small Company Social Responsibility Award. He is in New York promoting the process of expansion of the program in the country

>> http://www.pronatura-nigeria.org/