The Aka forest foragers that I work with live in the southwestern portion of the Central African Republic, within the tropical rainforest of the Congo Basin. Aka and Ngandu horticulturalist live in association with one another, sharing economic, social, and spiritual relationships. Cooperation, age- and sex-egalitarianism, and sharing are strongly emphasized among the Aka, and children have extensive autonomy. Although Aka feel strongly that the forest is a provider, there is extensive extrinsic risk, including high rates of infant and childhood mortality, high disease and pathogen risk, and deforestation due to economic development in the region.