Josephine Balila, also known as “Maman Fil” works as a community mobilizer in Yangambi, DRC. She was recruited by CIFOR-ICRAF as part of a large-scale effort to restore degraded lands. Her job is to negotiate with the local communities to ensure everyone’s participation in tree planting activities. Thanks to the efforts of Maman Fil and the rest of the mobilization team, about 700,000 acacia and indigenous trees have been planted in agroforestry fields, and in a few years, they will be used to produce biomass energy. About 400 people are employed every plantation season in roles related to construction, team building, occupational safety, and care of seedlings.
