African Community Project (ACP) is the concept of Garry Brooks a retired
Canadian. Having gone to Zambia with Voluntary Services Overseas in 2002 as a
Community Developer and has continued ever since as a self funded consultant
to communities and Traditional Leaders. Since than his idea of community
forests has grown to the point of making sense to all involved. The project
brings together his knowledge and the communities wanting to become
environmentally sustainable. ACP will help any communities that ask for our
help. Be it providing clean drinking water, supply education supplies to
community schools or basic health needs. In turn we ask the community to
consider their environment around them and start improving it. This means
planting trees, addressing environmental issues like erosion and learning more
about global warming and climate change and how they can be part of a bigger
picture by doing their share. We are not a charity but we will help by showing
communities ways of becoming environmentally sustainable.
I was born on Vancouver Island in Coombs (yes where the goats are on the roof,
but across the road). Most of my life has been spent in Sooke where I
graduated from high school and raised a family. I commercially fished and
owned and operated my own forestry company which included sawing added value
products. In 2002 I retired and relocated to Victoria.
In 2002 I volunteered with VSO (Volunteer Service Overseas) for 13 months as a
Community Developer in Zambia. Since than I have been spending at least six
months of the year there working at village level, concentrating on
reforestation, environmental concerns, clean water and community schools. And
in Mozambique as a Community Developer for the Kapasseni Project from
Victoria.
2004/07 my day job was a Consultant for the EU designing and building solar
powered dry kilns for the carvers and craft people of Zambia.
In 2008 I received the International Achievement Award from the Canadian
Institute of Forestry for my work in Zambia.
2010 Still working on projects in Zambia and Mozambique. Will be going back in
March to start the year.
