About us
We’re on a mission to save and protect bonobos and their rainforest home – forever.
We do this through rescue, sanctuary, and rewilding, by partnering with local communities to tackle root causes and save rainforest, and by raising the profile of bonobos locally and globally.
How We Accomplish Our Mission
We rescue endangered bonobos that have been orphaned by the illegal trade in wildlife.
We give them essential care and sanctuary as long as needed, and then, when possible, release them back to the rainforest.
We partner with and support Congolese communities near bonobo habitat to save rainforests.
We manage and protect the forest preserve, ensuring wildlife and their rainforest home are protected for the long term.
We raise global and local awareness of endangered bonobos and the root causes that threaten their survival.
We work with local and international authorities to uphold and strengthen the laws supporting endangered wildlife.
An International Team
Friends of Bonobos (US) was founded by Claudine André, who also founded Les Amis des Bonobos du Congo (ABC) or ‘Friends of Bonobos in Congo.’
Friends of Bonobos is the US-based nonprofit that supports the work of ABC, which includes Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary and Ekolo ya Bonobo Community Reserve. We raise funds and awareness globally for bonobos and their plight, and for ABC’s critical work to save and protect them.
The on-the-ground work in the DR Congo is managed and run there, originally led by Claudine André, and now led by her daughter, Fanny Minesi. Both of them grew up in the DR Congo and have spent most of their lives there. They are the powerhouses behind this mission and these programs – some of the most effective and comprehensive bonobo conservation work on the planet.
Founder
Leadership – drc
Team – us
Kendra is a creative problem-solver who excels in leading end-to-end project delivery with a focus on clear goals and timely execution. She provides support to FOB’s development and communications teams and serves as assistant to the Executive Director. Originally from Panamá, Kendra is an avid traveler. She is proud to support bonobo conservation not only for the well-being of bonobos but also because it helps protect our planet.
Amanda makes connections with FOB’s major donors. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for her entire career and found her passion for animal rights and conservation as a volunteer fundraiser for a local dog rescue. She finds that FOB coalesces multiple causes – environmental, animal rights, and community engagement. While protecting bonobos first drew her to FOB, she’s learned how we, as humans, are connected to the environment and to the bonobos that we strive to protect.
Kathleen Cook brings more than eight years of experience working across Africa, with a focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she has traveled over twenty times to support projects spanning conservation, clean energy, and community development. Her career has centered around using storytelling, strategic marketing, and relationship-building to create meaningful impact.
