Virunga National Park has brought the rural community of Mutwanga its first electrical grid. If you have been reading this blog over the last two years, you’ve witnessed the massive amount of work that has gone into this project.

Well, construction is now complete, water is flowing down the race channel and spinning the turbines, and electricity is being generated. This is a huge breakthrough for the park in terms of promoting socio-economic development, and ultimately peace and security.

The revenue that will be generated by the Mutwanga hydroelectric plant is also a big first step on the path toward helping the park fund operations even when tourism is closed by conflict. “Hats off” to the team and the European Union for their generous financial assistance. Thanks also go out to the Howard G. Buffet Foundation and the 11th Hour Project for their support of Virunga’s other vital development projects.