Misbahou, a strategic coordinator at Dahari, recounts his time in England. He received a Darwin scholarship and completed a six-month training program to strengthen his skills in biodiversity conservation. 

As I mentioned in my blog post from December of last year on this prestigious fellowshipThis refers to a Darwin Scholarship, awarded to local staff working on Darwin Initiative projects in biodiversity-rich countries. This was the case for me through the "Community Engagement for Sustainable Development in the Comoros" (ECDD) project—an initiative funded by the Darwin Initiative and the French Development Agency between January 2010 and December 2013. The purpose of this grant is to strengthen the capacity of local staff in the field of biodiversity conservation.
After spending two months in Madagascar between September and October 2013, with organizations experienced in biodiversity conservation, namely Blue Ventures and Durrell Madagascar, the next stage of this training was to take place in England with partner organizations of the NGO Dahari, namely Bristol Zoological Society and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. The main objective was to participate in a 12-week training course on the conservation of endangered species (Durrell Endangered Species MANagement, DESMAN) at the Durrell Conservation Academy in Jersey.

A month before leaving for England, I took some English language tests, and the results weren't as good as I'd hoped. Following this test, I was accepted to International House of Bristol, a school of training in the English language for international students wishing to pursue studies at English universities.

On November 26, 2013, I left the Comoros for Nairobi, where I was to obtain a visa for England. I managed to get my visa without much difficulty, and on November 30, 2013, I arrived in London. I didn’t encounter any problems at Heathrow Airport; I was able to find my way around—to be honest, I just followed what others were doing. Upon leaving the airport, I immediately recognized the person who had come to pick me up, as they were holding a sign with my name on it. I was then taken to my host family. The prospect of living with a host family was not easy for me to imagine; however, it was an opportunity to express myself in English on a daily basis.

The day after my arrival, I immediately began my English training at IH Bristol, which lasted for ten weeks. This period of study was a key step for what was to follow. Indeed, I was due to go to Jersey for 12 weeks of training intended for professionals working in the field of conservation. The goal is to strengthen my skills on the management of conservation projects for species threatened with extinction.
This training takes place every year, and I am the only Comorian who has had the opportunity to participate. All the modules offered were very useful. We received des cours théoriques et pratiques dans plusieurs thématiques à travers lesquels certains cadraient bien les domaines d’intervention de l’ONG Dahari. Nous avons également eu des périodes de relaxation en participant à des événements emblématiques de l’île de jersey à l’instar de Commonwealth Day.

Throughout this training, I acquired new knowledge in several areas such as conservation project management in general, facilitation techniques, management and leadership, developing action plans for biodiversity conservation, and preparing project proposals and funding applications. I also benefited from learning practical aspects such as field data collection and sampling techniquesI also learned a great deal about the importance of the zoo and its role in the conservation of endangered species through captive breeding, the utility of genetics, and the significance of geographic information systems for biodiversity conservation.

It was also an opportunity to share enriching practical experiences with the Durrell staff at the zoo, who possess specialized expertise in conservation.

It was also an opportunity to share enriching practical experiences with the Durrell staff at the zoo, who possess specialized expertise in conservation. to open my mind and learn a great deal about the various approaches used in other countries for biodiversity conservation since the 12 participants in this training course came from 11 different countries.

However, the first few weeks in England were difficult for me—finding myself in a foreign country with a culture completely different from my own, and, above all, encountering new eating habits. Furthermore, I had to adapt to a climate that was diametrically opposed to the one I was used to. which was not easy during the first few monthsFortunately, the mutual support we showed one another throughout the program meant that, outside of class, we lived like a family. Our cultural and linguistic diversity strengthened our team spirit, and, in my view, it is precisely this diversity that constitutes the true richness of the DESMAN program.
My training in England was the most significant experience I have ever had. It enabled me to build connections with my fellow participants, through which we can share experiences related to biodiversity conservation. Now, it is time to put all the knowledge into practice. acquired throughout this training, in order to contribute to the growth of the NGO Dahari as it advances its biodiversity conservation efforts.

Thanks to the Darwin Initiative for the funding, and to the Bristol Zoological Society and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust for the support you have provided me.