John Kahekwa's Memoir

John Kahekwa's Memoir Synopsis

The life story of John Kahekwa, one of the world's leading conservationists, and his struggle to protect gorillas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amid widespread poverty and the turmoil of war. The book shares John's life story, from growing up in a small village and walking barefoot to school to starting work with the gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park and learning their behaviours, habituating them to be comfortable in the presence of people, and then the incredible suffering they endured in what has been called 'Africa's World War'. The work is, at its core, a tale of exceptional devotion to a cause, a refusal to accept defeat and a determination to continue working, no matter the emotional toll or against seemingly impossible odds.