Rhino Poaching Awareness

We recently hosted James Way-Jones, the CEO of the Smartway Group. James is running an awareness campaign for Rhino poaching. Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve hosted James and his family and a journalist, Colleen Blaine, on Valentines Day and we had a full house of game drives. There were children and adults from various countries on the game drives and all were made very aware of Rhino poaching. Everyone learned a great deal and they were all given media reports on the latest stats and explained the problem of poaching. The tourists from the UK were also told the reasons why global awareness is needed surrounding the problem to prevent further poaching, to pressure the right decision makers into action and in being proactive in the long term education to protect the environment and allowing everyone to be a part of the solution. Everyone who was there was very enthusiastic and had lots of fun in the learning process. Colleen Blaine, a freelance photographer and writer took these awesome photo’s and there will be a short article on the Getaway blog coming out soon.

If you would like to support anti Rhino poaching and be a part of the long term solution in educating children in your local community, order a copy of the children's story book, Bongi's Quest: www.africaneducationalstories.co.za (go to the “How you can help page” and be a part of the solution).

The aim is for mass distribution of the educational books to teach the youth how to value, preserve and nurture the environment they live in. In a very short space of time this booklet has already had a huge distribution reach to countries as far as Canada, the UK, Wales, Australia, Egypt, Hong Kong and many African countries to name but a few. It was recently given out as a free African gift by Rhino activists dressed in Rhino suits to over 200 international mining delegates and key decision makers for African mining projects, at the African Mining Indaba, the largest mining conference of its kind in the world, in Cape Town. Rhino poaching awareness and the problem also had a reach of over 800 key decision makers at the international African mining conference.

It is currently being translated into Cantonese and Mandarin for mass distribution in Asian countries and the plan is to translate the book into Vietnamese too. Sponsors and supporters will be required for the next phase. The book has already been supported, endorsed and promoted by:

• Smartway Group and James Way-Jones
• Colleen Blaine, freelance photographer and writer
• Braam Malherbe of 50/50, extreme environmentalist who ran the Great Wall of China, the entire SA coastline and recently completed an Antarctica trip 
• OSCAP (Outraged SA Citizens against Poaching) – www.facebook.com/groups/OSCAP and www.oscap.co.za  – Non Profit Company/Organisation
• Rhino Rescue Project (www.rhinorescueproject.co.za) – proactive rhino horn treatments
• Rhino Revolution (www.rhino-revolution.com)
• Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit (www.protrackapu.com)
• Land Rover Nelspruit
• MAASAI 
• Pick N Pay – Hoedspruit
• Kruger 2 Canyon News
• Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve
• Kariega Private Game Reserve
• WAR (Warriors for African Rhino) – www.warriorsforafricanrhino.org – Rhino support coalition group