In Cameroon, around 6 000 Bagyeli and Bakola pygmies live in an area of almost 12 000 km2 in the southern part of the country.

The Kienké plantation is located close to the indigenous Bagyeli people, and as such has been committed to their protection for a number of years to ensure that they can continue their cultural subsistence lifestyle as hunter-gatherers.

Bagyeli culture is mainly based on its relationship with the forest. They hunt and fish there, cut wood for their houses, gather fruit and leaves and harvest honey. For the pygmies, “the forest is the place where the spirits of nature watch over them, protect them or, on the contrary, punish them”. Through their practices in the forest, the pygmies are renowned for their sense of protecting biodiversity: they only take what they need without destroying the fauna and flora, thus allowing nature to regenerate. Unfortunately, their lifestyle of protecting biodiversity is not to their advantage because the laws do not recognize their way of developing the land (no permanent buildings, no planting, etc.).

Bagyélis communities, divided into 12 villages, live around the Kienké plantation.

To the south of the plantation are the communities of:

  1. Bogandi to Kilombo, located approximately 20 km from Kribi, with a population of about 20;
  2. Ngola, towards Nko’olong – a neighboring village of the plantation, with a population of 15;
  3. And Bounafenda on the road from Hevecam to Bidou 3, with a population of 20.

On the other side, about ten kilometers from the plantation, live the communities of:

  1. Nalea, with 15 inhabitants;
  2. Nadontembi, with 10 inhabitants;
  3. And Fouli, in the Lendi village area, with 30 inhabitants.

Towards Mpangou, we return to the communities of:

  1. Kundu, with an estimated population of about 15;
  2. Nkaga, towards Bikondo.

Towards Mvoumgangom, 10 km from Kribi, lies the community of:

  1. Naminkoumbé, a Bagyelis tourist village with about 30 inhabitants.

The last 3 communities are located on the Kribi-Bipindi stretch. These three communities have a population of about 15 inhabitants:

  1. Bigiedo;
  2. Elimimbang in the village of Bilolo;
  3. And Nkoli Zouli/Shio in the village of Bissiang.

For several years, the Kienké plantation has been trying to play a role in the integration of the Pygmies, by facilitating their access to healthcare and improving access to schooling for the youngest children: providing them with teaching materials, school uniforms, desks, refurbishing their classrooms, etc. and paying the teachers’ salaries.

Access to education will help them to put in place practices to preserve their forests and the knowledge needed to protect themselves from infectious diseases that the outside world could bring them and that the forest cannot cure.

A framework for exchange and dialogue has been established with the Bagyelis of Kilombo, thanks mainly to the facilitation of the NGO BACUDA (Bagyelis Cultural Development Association) represented by its President, Mrs. Jeanne BILOA. The result is an annual partnership (2021, 2022 and 2023) with a promise of assistance from Socapalm for their benefit (solar energy, water, etc.).

In this context, the last 3 years have been crucial in improving communication between Socapalm and the Bagyeli community. Socapalm has undertaken to approach Bagyeli representatives to ensure their presence at tripartite meetings (Socapalm, local communities and the prefecture) and to set up a regular awareness-raising program with them. In 2023, Socapalm Kienké has also developed a partnership with the NGO RAPID (Réseau d’Actions Participatives aux Initiatives de Développement) to provide various forms of assistance, including the process of obtaining birth certificates for the Bagyélis, with the participation of MINAS (Ministry of Social Affairs).

Socapalm, via the Socfin Group, is committed, in its responsible management policy, to respect the rights of indigenous communities by complying with the articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.