'I see restoring degraded land as a means of securing our future'

Maimuna Umaro is an Indigenous woman from the Mbororo pastoralist community in Cameroon, who works as an accountant and community project coordinator for projects focused on restoring land health for agricultural productivity and for the good of nature. In a GEF Voices interview, she shared lessons from a lifetime of activism for women’s rights and biodiversity conservation. 

What do you do for a living? What are you currently focused on? 

I am an accountant and a coordinator for community projects. I coordinate the Mbororo community development organization (SURA-MAMA) and am the focal point on biodiversity for the Network of Indigenous and Local Communities for the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa (REPALEAC).  

My work is focused on women and girls’ economic empowerment and Indigenous women’s rights. My passion for biodiversity conservation has also brought me closer to my pastoralist community. I have led projects that help establish forage fields as a way to enhance land productivity for wildlife and people and I advocate to secure land rights for the Mbororo communities in the western region of Cameroon. Through my work, I see restoring degraded land as a means of securing our future.

How did you get into this line of work? 

When I was in college, I assisted my aunties in their community solidarity groups by taking down minutes and listening to their discussions. They always talked about their challenges, and the greatest challenge they faced was the low rate of formal education. Most of the women hardly completed secondary school as they had to drop out due to early or forceful marriages. Volunteering with their group shaped my vision of encouraging girls’ education. Gradually, we began working with Cameroon's Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family (MINPROFF). They gave us technical guidance on how to register our women’s group to participate in all the activities organized by the ministry. Over time, this built my capacity for managing community organizations. 

Is there a GEF-funded project or program that is close to your heart?  

The GEF Small Grants Program is very important to many community-based organizations. This program has supported our organization SURA-MAMA in developing the framework for a project executed in the Douala-Edéa National Park in the town of Mouanko. This project focused on improving biodiversity conservation and the well-being of the local communities by applying the “ONE HEALTH” approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health. This project helped reduce the pressure of human activities on the environment, enhanced knowledge on zoonotic diseases, helped preserve some animal species, and reduced the use of harmful chemicals through integration of sustainable fishing techniques. 

Has anyone you have met through your work made a lasting impact on you?  

I have been able to recognize so many people who positively impacted my life through my work. I would first like to recognize my mentor Lucy Mulenkei, an Indigenous woman from Kenya who co-founded the Indigenous Information Network. She has supported my community work and leadership, facilitated my participation in international events, and led several trainings on biodiversity issues, especially on access and benefit sharing. I’d also like to recognize Nicaise Molombi, the executive president of the Network of Civil Society Organizations for the Green Economy in Central Africa (ROSCEVAC), who has promoted my group’s economic empowerment activities on climate adaptation during international events such as COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco. 

What life lessons has your job taught you? 

When working with your community, there should be transparency and accountability as this builds trust and confidence and can bring long lasting fulfilment. I find a deep sense of purpose in small projects that bring change to communities. I gain satisfaction and have more courage to push further as an empowered woman who can support herself, her family, and her community.  

The state of the global environment is concerning. What gives you hope? 

The proper implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans gives me hope, since all countries were able to review these plans in 2025. Hopefully this will help us take action and restore the biodiversity of each country. 

What advice would you give a young person interested in a career like yours? 

Helping to solve community problems can bring clarity and purpose to your goals. Addressing problems locally and collectively can help you develop leadership skills and enhance your abilities across diverse fields.