TIDE and TNC open Monkey River Tour Guide Association Office/visitor Centre. 

Top row: Eloy Cuevas(TIDE BoD member),Natalie Rosado(TNC) and Wil Maheia(TIDE). Bottom row: MRTGA members.

On Thursday October 12, 2006, TIDE’s Executive Director Wil Maheia, The Nature Conservancy (TNC’s) Conservation Program Coordinator, Natalie Rosado along with the Monkey River Tour Guide Association (MRTGA), officially opened the recently renovated Monkey River Village Tour Guide Association Building.  Funds to refurbish the building were made available through PROARCA (TNC/USAID) and managed by TIDE.

The building will be used for multiple purposes including offices for the Tour Guide Association of Monkey River Village, and as a Visitor Centre to house information on the village and on protected areas co-managed by TIDE.

On hand to witness the opening were MRTGA Chairman Alfonso Zuniga, who gave the welcome address, village council members, tour guides and the Standard Five Class along with their teacher Ms. Harvey from the primary School.

In her address, Ms. Rosado challenged them to do their best in utilizing the building for welcoming visitors and for information displays.  She also thanked TIDE and the villagers for undertaking the project and being present to witness the opening.

Wil Maheia congratulated the villagers for their hard work and positive thinking.  He added that it took the effort of everyone to make this project a success.

Center Before	Center Now