I was born in the heart of the forest, wild and free in the depths of the Tshopo Province (DRC)..
But one day, my life changed forever. Hunters captured me. My arm was caught in a trap; it was severed, and the poachers tied a rope around my hip with a piece of wood. My freedom vanished, and with it, a part of me, my family, as my mother was killed to supply the bushmeat market.
Lost and severely injured, I needed care, but the traffickers neglected me, leaving me malnourished and without any treatment.
In September 2023, eco-guards from ICCN (the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation) spotted me being sold on the streets of Opienge and rescued me. I was transported by road to Kisangani, where I received my first medical care thanks to the COPHEGs team.
From there, I began my journey to J.A.C.K., stopping in Goma with a baby chimpanzee. However, due to war and bombings, flights were canceled. During my time with Dr. Kizito (COPHEGs) in Goma, my arm became infected, and he decided to amputate it to prevent a life-threatening infection.
After a long journey, I finally found refuge at the J.A.C.K. sanctuary. Here, despite my disability, I learned to reintegrate, to embrace this new life, and to find joy again within a group of my own kind. Today, I am thriving, surrounded by love, and I’ve rediscovered what it means to be happy and healthy!