“Think Big, Start Small, Act Now”

Drawing by Alyssa

..That is the sign hanging over General Jooste’s desk in his office in SANParks. Watching a  rhino take its final breaths, after having it’s back broken and it’s horn hacked off by poachers, prompted Jooste to begin his current position overseeing anti-poaching efforts in Kruger.

The bloody struggle, demands and frustration he, and everyone on the ground must bear witness to daily is unimaginable. Yet, he stands firm. He continues to do what he can, fulfilling his part in the war.

So what can we do? Most of us aren’t decorated military generals, or park rangers. But paying heed to his motto – we can ALL do something.

Mike & Sam

Mike and Sam, a UK couple were married in May of 2014. Both having grown up in South Africa, their love of the bush, and heartbreak over the escalation in rhino poaching, they asked that in lieu of wedding gifts, people contribute money to be donated to rhino conservation. From there, they’ve started to ask other couples to continue doing the same. Thus, Wedding Gifts for Rhinos was born.

Alyssa is a 7-year-old girl who was brought to tears when she heard of our rhinos being killed. With the help of mom and dad, she sells chocolates, printed with a picture she drew of a rhino. Since then, she has branched out, selling knitted rhinos, stickers, etc. The money she gets is being saved toward her end goal of buying a sniffer dog for anti-poaching efforts at SANParks. She has already raised over R15000 in 2 months.

Alyssa with the adults who help make her knitted rhinos.

Sam

Sam is a certified guide in Southern Africa whose love of rhinos inspired him to do the 500km Rhino Awareness Walk. Moved by his grandfather’s words “none of us inherited our wildlife from our grandparents, but it is loaned to us by our children”, he is doing what he can – walking to raise funds and awareness in his community toward wildlife poaching.

In 2012, Tracy, the owner of an arts and crafts store in South Africa, was moved to do something after she saw the poaching of Thandi and Themba. She began selling “rhino tears”, necklaces she designed to raise funds to fight poaching. Her original goal of selling 20, has gone beyond 700 necklaces worldwide.

Tracy

Selling lemonade, losing weight, growing a beard…people old and young, no different from you and I have found ways to do what they can to help our rhinos.

Don’t feel helpless! Join us and do something today! Sign petitions, donate, volunteer, join the global march for elephants and rhinos in your city, sell artwork…use your talent, your time…do what you can.

Think Big..Start Small..Act NOW!