Saving Rhinos is no easy task. In fact it’s probably one of the most difficult fights we’re facing in current times. |
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With a myriad of different anti-poaching initiatives in place, none of which appear to be working that well, it sometimes takes the simple acts of a few inspiring individuals to remind each of us that we could well be doing more in our individual capacities to save the Rhino. Alyssa Carter's "Save the Rhinos" causeAlyssa Carter is a mere 8-years-old, and already a two year veteran in the fight to save the rhinos. Her efforts would impress most people but are all the more impressive to me, because my eldest grand-daughter turned 8 in January this year. While she is an exceptional young lass, she has just started Grade 2 and her world involves learning to read, gymnastics and a few extra-mural activities that take a fair amount of time, and the rest is spent just having fun and learning to be a young girl. While she is aware of a lot that is going on in the world around her, probably more so than most of her school peers, to think of her taking up a cause like saving the rhinos, as young Alyssa has, and attacking it with such gusto and determination is a difficult thing to imagine. Her inspiring story started when she was just six-and-a-half. After a day being taught about the plight of endangered animals, it was the butchering of rhinos that really got to her, and with the help of her father Brian, she decided she was going to do something to help. After some discussion, they decided chocolate was a good place to start saving rhinos and so she set about selling it to friends and family, grannies and grandpas and people at church as well as every Friday at her supportive school, where she has added branded lollipops, stickers, biltong and a range of knitted rhino toys to her burgeoning stall. She has also added public speaking to her impressive Save the Rhino fundraising efforts, speaking to 700 students at a school in December and nearly 300 adults at a development conference that same year. Alyssa has realised that rhino fundraising is more effective through business and so will be aiming to speak at more corporate events, golf days and other similar events in future. To date her rhino saving efforts have helped her raise a whopping $26,000 (at last count), $16,000 ($8,000 per dog) of which has gone towards the purchase, training and kennel costs of two highly trained sniffer dogs that can help rangers track poachers.  I hope to get a chance to meet the inspirational young lass this Friday the 6th of March, when she continues her rhino fundraising efforts by painting a life-sized baby rhino. If you’d like to buy chocolates or donate towards her Save the Rhino fund – you can do so at her website http://www.savetherhinos.co.za/ or alternatively, you can like her Alyssa's Save The Rhino's Facebook page and follow her efforts by clicking HERE. Will Frazer and Johan du Plessis - Riding for RhinosIn November of 2013, close Brit mates Will Frazer and Johan du Plessis decided it was time for a challenge. That challenge involved leaving their jobs and setting off on an 8 month bike ride around the world to raise awareness of the plight of the world’s Rhino population and how they are being butchered to satiate the demand coming from eastern Asia and elsewhere. What made the trip all the more impressive was the fact that it was done whole unsupported, with the two lads being completely self-sufficient and carrying only the bare essentials. At last count, the £23,000 and counting (almost half a million Rand), will all go to the Save the Rhino http://www.savetherhino.org/ organisation to allow them to continue their work protecting wild rhino populations across Africa and Asia.  Donations are ongoing and if you’d like to make a donation, please visit their JustGiving fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/ridingforrhinos or have a look at:
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Rhino watch
What is humanity doing to combat the poaching scourge?
