Ninfa Carianil Damaso
Role: Forest Guard and Community Conservation Leader for the ProAves Reserve Águila Arpia
Location: Raudal de Mapiripana, Guaviare, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Harpy Eagle (VU), Jaguar (NT), Orange-breasted falcon (NT)
Ninfa is a community leader who is in love with conservation. She was the first female ranger of the ProAves Foundation to win the important IUCN International Ranger Award hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Commission on Protected Areas.
Ninfa has become the voice of conservation in her community thanks to her dedication and enthusiasm for her environmental education work. She has become an example of strength and courage for all women in her community who, like her, want to be protectors of the environment and its most vulnerable species.
Johana Alejandra Castro Arango
Role: Subdirector, Central Region of Colombia
Location: Departments of Valle del Cauca, Quindio, and Tolima, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Golden Dart Frog (EN), Andean Bear (VU), Blue-billed curassow (CR), Indigo-winged parrot (CR), Yellow-eared Parrot (EN)
Johana is a biologist and the Subdirector of the Central Region of ProAves Reserves, in charge of leading the team of rangers across five nature reserves in the departments of Valle del Cauca, Quindio, and Tolima.
Johana was raised in the countryside and is passionate about nature and reptiles. Above all, she holds a special place for snakes in her heart. Women’s empowerment is an important theme for Johana who is a model for the leading role that women play in the world. Johanna is known for her strength and sensitivity in her project work, helping to spread women’s empowerment and leadership to women in her communities on a daily basis.
Andrea Caceres Franco
Role: Subdirector, Amazon Region of Colombia
Location: Departments of Meta and Guainía, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Harpy Eagle (VU), Jaguar (NT), Orange-breasted falcon (NT)
Andrea is the Subdirector of the Amazon Region of ProAves Reserves, where she leads a team of rangers in three nature reserves in the departments of Meta and Guanía. Andrea is a self-proclaimed nature-lover, who is a biologist by profession and a conservationist at heart.
She is known for her curiosity and capacity for wonder, which is why she enjoys connecting with nature, community work and women’s empowerment.
Andrea also supports the onboarding and ongoing training of women and community members within the Guaviare River conservation corridor.
Eddy Jhojanna Gómez
Role: Forest Guard and Community Conservation Leader for the ProAves Hormiguero de Torcoroma Bird Reserve
Location: Ocaña, North Santander, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Recurve-billed Bushbird (EN), Helmeted curassow (EN), Cerulean Warbler (VU), Niceforo’s wren (CR)
Jhojanna is a forestry engineering professional and tourist guide, and has dedicated her entire life to conservation. She is currently a ranger at the ProAves Hormiguero de Torcoroma Bird Reserve in the municipality of Ocaña, in North Santander. She was raised in the countryside, and learned her love and respect for animals, nature and wildlife from her grandfather. Jhojanna has always been interested in educating children, youth, and community members about the importance of conservation. A few of the many activities she carries out in the conservation area of Hormiguero de Torcoroma include ecological walks, bird displays, visits to rural schools, and talks in the communuty. Jhojanna is also the mother of two daughters, a 19-year-old and a 9-year-old.
Margarita Álvarez Osorio
Role: Environmental Educator
Location: Jardín, Antioquia near ProAves Nature Reserve Loro Orejiamarillo, Colombia
Helping to Conserve:
Yellow-eared parrot (VU), Tanager Finch (LC), Chestnut-capped Piha (CR), Golden-ringed tanager (VU), Black-and-gold tanager (VU), Rose-faced parrots (LC), Blue-whiskered Tanager (NT), Dusky starfrontlet (EN), Cotton-top tamarin (CR)
Margarita is passionate about nature and her role as an environmental educator and spends her days visiting schools in the municipality of Jardín, Antioquia to teach children how to conserve wildlife and their habitats. Margarita is also the group leader of the Women for Conservation chapter in Jardín, supporting and empowering women to achieve their goals. She is known for her kindness in the community and is the mother of one daughter.
Kelly Julio Donado
Role: Community Conservation Leader
Location: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Santa Marta Parakeet (EN),
Santa Marta sabrewing (EN)
Santa Marta bush tyrant, San Andres vireo (VU), Perijá thistletail (EN)
Kelly is Women for Conservation’s Community Leader in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region of the Caribbean, near the ProAves El Dorado Reserve. She works daily with women in the community to save wildlife from extinction, specifically supporting the conservation of the Santa Marta Parakeet (Pyrrhura viridicata), an endemic and critically endangered species.
Kelly organizes and leads environmental education workshops for children in rural schools, and is also in charge of making eco-friendly artisan jewelry with her women’s group. Through these artisan workshops Kelly aims to uplift the indigenous identities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region, pay homage to Mother Earth, and support women in obtaining a sustainable income source. Kelly is also a mother and is known for her dedication to community service.
Maria Ciria Torres Ramírez
Role: Community Conservation Leader
Helping to Conserve: Blue-billed curassow (CR), Andean Bear (VU), Golden Dart Frog (EN), Indigo-winged parrot (CR), Yellow-eared Parrot (EN)
Location: Boyacá, Colombia
Ciria is Women for Conservation’s Community Leader in Puerto Pinzón in the municipality of Puerto Boyacá, Colombia where she leverages her passions to lead community projects. Her love of literature led her to develop a successful reading project with the children in her community. As a skilled artisan, she also trains women how to make handicrafts and jewelry from the Colombian tagua seed for the women to have a sustainable and eco-friendly income source. Ciria and her women’s group promote conservation education in the community, specifically supporting the conservation of the Blue-billed Curassow, an endemic and critically endangered species.
Luz Estela Buitrago Castrillón
Role: Community Conservation Leader
Location: El Carmen de Atrato, Chocó, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Yellow-eared parrot (VU), Tanager Finch (LC), Chestnut-capped Piha (CR), Golden-ringed tanager (VU), Black-and-gold tanager (VU), Rose-faced parrots (LC), Blue-whiskered Tanager (NT), Dusky starfrontlet (EN), Cotton-top tamarin (CR)
Luz Estela, known as Lucy, is Women for Conservation’s Community Leader in El Carmen de Atrato in Chocó, where she supports different community programs and environmental projects. For over 25 years she has worked with rural and indigenous communities and children in her region across various social services to support community healthcare and well-being. She coordinates and mobilizes community members for workshops on family planning, environmental education, gender empowerment, and environmental education, among others. In addition to her role as a community leader, Lucy is a nurse, an entrepreneur, and a mother of two children. She is known for her cheerful disposition and as a defender of human rights who is in love with her region’s biodiversity.
Janeth Yepes
Role: Sustainability Manager at ProAves El Dorado Reserve
Location: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Santa Marta Parakeet (EN),
Santa Marta sabrewing (EN)
Santa Marta bush tyrant, San Andres vireo (VU), Perijá thistletail (EN)
Janeth is head of Administration and Ecotourism at the ProAves El Dorado Reserve, a stunning and diverse nature reserve in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. Janeth is passionate about nature and empowering women in the area by connecting them with environmental trainings and workshops about the fauna and flora of the region. She is known for her dedication to her career and as a mother to her 11-year-old son.
Andrea Diaz
Role: Former Environmental Education Coordinator
Location: ProAves’ 27 Nature Reserves, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Gorgeted puffleg (CR), Golden Poison Frog (EN), Velvet-purple coronet (LC), Long-wattled umbrellabird (VU), Toucan barbet (NT)
Andrea is a forestry engineer and dedicated ornithologist, and worked as the environmental education coordinator of Women for Conservation and ProAves. Thanks to her contributions, she was able to share the importance of conservation to all regions of Colombia empowering women, children, and community members to become citizen scientists and protectors of wildlife.
Fanis Mosquera
Role: Former Forest Guard for ProAves Reserve Las Tángaras
Location: El Carmen de Atrato, Chocó, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Yellow-eared parrot (VU), Tanager Finch (LC), Chestnut-capped Piha (CR), Golden-ringed tanager (VU), Black-and-gold tanager (VU), Rose-faced parrots (LC), Blue-whiskered Tanager (NT), Dusky starfrontlet (EN)
Fanis worked as the Forest Guard for the ProAves Las Tángaras Reserve. During her time with Women for Conservation she contributed to wildlife monitoring and mastered techniques for bird and wildlife identification. Fanny led trainings, awareness workshops and environmental education activities in her community. She is a lover of conservation and a mother of two children.
Luisa Chávez
Role: Former Subdirector, Amazon Region of Colombia
Location: Departments of Meta and Guainía, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Harpy Eagle (VU), Jaguar (NT), Orange-breasted falcon (NT)
Luisa was in charge of the Amazon Subregion of Fundación ProAves, and oversaw a team of rangers in three ProAves nature reserves: Halcón Colorado and El Jaguar located in Meta, and Águila Arpía located in Guainía.
Yuly Rincón
Role: Subdirector, Northeast Region of Colombia
Location: Departments of Santander and North Santander, Colombia
Helping to Conserve: Yellow-eared parrot (VU), Tanager Finch (LC), Chestnut-capped Piha (CR), Golden-ringed tanager (VU), Black-and-gold tanager (VU), Rose-faced parrots (LC), Blue-whiskered Tanager (NT), Dusky starfrontlet (EN)
Yuly was in charge of the Northeastern Subregion of Fundación ProAves, where she led a team of rangers in four ProAves nature reserves: Pauxi Pauxi, Reinita Cielo Azul, and Cucarachero de Chicamocha in Santander, and Hormiguero de Torcoroma in North Santander.
Marline Rasoanirina
Partner Organization: Fanamby, member of KMMFA – Komity Miaro sy Manara Maso ny Faritra Arovana
Endangered Species: Giant Baobab– Adansonia grandidieri (EN)
Marline is 29 years old, married, and is raising 4 school-age children (2 girls and 2 boys) and is also the head of her household.
Fenosoa
Partner Organization: Fanamby, member of KMMFA – Komity Miaro sy Manara Maso ny Faritra Arovana
Endangered Species: Giant Baobab– Adansonia grandidieri (EN)
Fenosoa is 36 years old, married, and has 7 children (1 girl and 6 boys). She is the head of the household and currently is the only breadwinner in the family because her husband is unemployed. Though her three children are of school age, due to lack of income, only one of them is able to attend school.
Lucienne
Partner Organization: Fanamby, member of KMMFA – Komity Miaro sy Manara Maso ny Faritra Arovana
Endangered Species: Giant Baobab– Adansonia grandidieri (EN)
Lucienne is 30 years old, and is a single mother raising 4 children (3 girls and 1 boy). She is the head of her household and only one of her daughters goes to school due to a lack of income.
Huguette Hermine Raharimalala
Partner Organization: Fanamby, member of KMMFA – Komity Miaro sy Manara Maso ny Faritra Arovana
Endangered Species: Giant Baobab– Adansonia grandidieri (EN)
Huguette is 20 years old and is the youngest of the 6 women rangers. She is a single mother of a 5-year-old daughter who does not yet attend school.
Justine Sevasoa
Partner Organization: Fanamby, member of KMMFA – Komity Miaro sy Manara Maso ny Faritra Arovana
Endangered Species: Giant Baobab– Adansonia grandidieri (EN)
Justine is 32 years old, married, and has a 3-year-old daughter. She is currently the sole breadwinner of her family because her husband is a farmer and is unemployed during the rainy season.
Celine Hovagno
Partner Organization: Fanamby, member of KMMFA – Komity Miaro sy Manara Maso ny Faritra Arovana
Endangered Species: Giant Baobab– Adansonia grandidieri (EN)
Celine is 23 years old and a single mother raising an 8-year-old girl and a newborn boy. Thanks to the additional income from the community patrol, her daughter is able to attend school.