“When people ask me what brought me to Laos and to start an NGO, I always tell them the same story: It was love at first sight for the red-shanked douc… it’s beauty captivated me and started me on a journey…!”
Says Camille the founder and director of Association Anoulak who was recently interviewed.
From age 15, Camille knew she wanted to work with primates. She has loved animals since childhood, and at 15, she wanted to work on primates because she was fascinated by the lives and work of Jane Goodall and Dianne Fossey. The Critically Endangered Red-Shanked Douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) was her first inspiration—like a mentor—that took her on her journey.
Camille came to Laos in 2010 first for her PhD research and then to set up Association Anoulak, focussing on the region of the Annamite Mountains and its many endemic and threatened species.
And so, for the last 14 years, Association Anoulak has been one of the only small organizations doing biodiversity conservation in the region, particularly in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park. We did a lot of research on different species to improve species conservation planning and expanded our projects to empower the local communities. With our team, we gained local trust and expanded our network.
Nature conservation is really about the people: none of it would have been possible without the people we worked and partnered with and their knowledge and skills.
“Seeing my team and spending time with them, seeing local people’s smiles, working with the youth and seing all their energy give me hope!”
Camille was interviewed for the French TV to talk about the work of Association Anoulak in Laos. Watch the interview (all in French) below:
