As road conditions around Monkoto continue to deteriorate, the Association of Motorcycle Drivers of Monkoto has tirelessly mobilized its members to maintain the most critical sections as best they can. However, the advanced state of degradation far exceeds the capacity and goodwill of this community-based organization. Thanks to the support of the Salonga National Park Management Unit (UGPNS), these efforts have now taken on a new scale with the rehabilitation of 45 km of roads along three essential routes. This initiative reflects UGPNS’s ongoing commitment to linking nature conservation with the well-being of local communities.

Last December, the Association of Motorcycle Drivers of Monkoto (ACM) sought assistance from the UGPNS. The organization received financial support as well as essential equipment to improve the movement of people and goods, making several key road sections—vital for the town’s economic and social life—passable once again.

The work, carried out from Monkoto outward, covered a total of 45 kilometers across three major routes: 15 km toward Boangi, 15 km in the direction of Bokele, and 15 km along the road to Yongo.

Interventions mainly consisted of intensive clearing of road edges, cutting down trees obstructing or threatening the roadway, and repairing several critical points that had made certain stretches nearly impassable. Thanks to these actions, circulation has been partially restored along these strategic routes used daily by local populations.

Beyond improving access, the initiative also generated direct income for young people in the area, where economic opportunities remain scarce. A total of 2,100 paid work tasks were completed, involving nearly 500 young people—around one hundred of whom come from Indigenous Peoples communities—from Monkoto and villages along the rehabilitated routes.

In this isolated region, where many roads have virtually disappeared due to lack of maintenance and rapid vegetation regrowth, mobility challenges significantly contribute to the high cost of living.

Although rehabilitation needs across the wider Salonga landscape remain immense, local communities have welcomed this targeted intervention from the Park with relief. For them, it represents a positive and hopeful signal while awaiting more substantial public investments capable of sustainably reconnecting these territories that have been living in deep isolation for many years.