We are thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with HERD, South Africa’s first elephant orphanage.
HERD was established in Hoedspruit, South Africa in 2019 to help young endangered African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) that have been orphaned due to poaching and human-wildlife conflict. Their approach combines ecotourism and conservation to protect the lives of orphaned elephants while giving back to the community they work in.
Young elephants need care and guidance from their mothers, much like human babies. When they lose maternal care, they are less likely to gain skills and knowledge that are vital to their survival, making them more vulnerable to threats. Orphaned elephants are less likely to survive compared to their nonorphaned counterparts. So, when Hoedspruit began experiencing an increase in poaching (targeting adult elephants because of their fully-grown tusks), HERD stepped in to provide a sanctuary for the young orphaned elephants, a place where they could be protected from threats and learn essential survival skills. Today, they support 16 elephants who are part of a tight-knit family, with the eventual goal of releasing the elephants into the wild.
But, HERD knows that true change starts with a healthy community. In South Africa, 30-50% of people live without income, and it is especially difficult for women to find work because they typically stay home to care for their children. This is why HERD started their sustainable livelihoods project called JabuLadies. They provide training and support for 15 women to produce artisan crafts from home, to be sold in the Jabulani tourist lodge connected to the elephant orphanage.
The women make products such as elephant dung paper, Christmas ornaments, bracelets, and embroidered goods. The tourist lodge and orphanage also provide opportunities for locals to be employed in hospitality and elephant care. In addition to making products to sell, the women also work on habitat rehabilitation, removing nonnative species and replanting native ones to bolster the ecosystem. We will be supporting HERD’s JabuLadies project, with a goal of providing local women with income, independence, and community as they take part in this project together.
How your donations will help:
Our goal is to raise $5,000 to provide one month of compensation for 15 ladies. Your support will create stability and longevity for the project and give HERD the capacity to expand their program to include more women.
To support this project, click the button below to donate!
For women, for elephants, for the earth.