SAFARI CONSULTANTS ARE RAISING MONEY for Ride4rangers
In support of the Ride 4 Rangers initiative, the Safari Consultants team have committed to collectively cycle and walk the virtual distance between Cape Town and Victoria Falls, 1,200 miles (1,930 kms), in total over 14 days. The challenge which is taking place from 10th to 23rd August 2020, is one which we are all excited for and determined to achieve our goal. We know the difference it will make to the African people, wilderness areas and wildlife that hold a special place in our hearts.
The impact of COVID-19 has been felt globally and the travel and tourism industry came to a sudden halt this year. Tourism is a key source of funding for wildlife organisations and communities throughout Africa. The loss of park and conservancy fees from visiting tourists means budgets have been severely impacted. Prized wilderness areas – such as Tanzania’s Serengeti, South Africa’s Kruger National Park and many more – are struggling to pay rangers’ salaries. The rangers are critical to the safety of already highly endangered species.
While we cannot be in Africa ourselves, we can still choose to support the industry and that’s the main aim of Ride4Rangers – to raise funds to support the rangers out in the field and protect our beloved wildlife.
All funds raised are being strictly managed by the African conservation charity Tusk and will be distributed across 60 different projects and conservation areas across East, Southern, Central and West Africa. The initiative is to support over 5000 rangers and their wider families. Incredibly Tusk have a donor who has offered to match-fund all the monies we raise. So thanks to Tusk, the Ride4Rangers efforts will be able to double its impact on the ground.
We have set up a Just Giving page where you can donate. We would greatly appreciate if you are able to support us in our challenge and help us try and support Africa’s amazing wildlife and the people who protect it, through this challenging period. Every single penny raised will make a difference.
Here is how your support could help:
- £100 could purchase a GPS-enabled camera to monitor wildlife
- £200 could fund a Lion Guard Rangers salary for a month
- £250 could provide material needed to build a predator-proof livestock enclosure
- £500 could sponsor a 4-man anti-poaching team in the field for a month
Many many thanks – your support is hugely appreciated.
Week One Update- 17th August 2020
We have reached the halfway point of our Ride4Rangers fundraising challenge. We would like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who has already donated, and sent messages of support. We have been completely overwhelmed by your response and the donations that have come in. It has really motivated the team to get out and cover the ground.
Between us, we have managed to cover over 600 miles so far. We have had a few minor hiccups with grazed knees, chains coming off bikes, sore ankles, and of course the Great British weather has been keeping us on our toes – we were avoiding the extreme midday temperatures at the beginning of the week, and dodging the thunderstorms and the heavens opening by the end of the week!
Here’s an insight to the challenge so far:
Moving forward, as we start Week Two we have 600 more miles to cover. The motivation of raising as much money as possible for this cause is at the forefront of our minds. If you would like to donate, please find the link here.
We are very concerned about the effects of a prolonged absence of tourism from safari Africa. From high profile species such as elephants and rhinos, through to antelopes hunted for their bush meat and pangolin for their scales, the wonderful wildlife of Africa and the people who protect it, need our help and support now more than ever.
If you have not already been able to do so, we would be hugely grateful if you are able to help us try and protect Africa’s amazing wildlife through this challenging period.
Week TWO Update- 27th August 2020 – CHALLENGE COMPLETE!
Two weeks later and we have officially come to the end of our fundraising challenge. 1200 miles turned into just over 1300 miles thanks to some enthusiastic over-achieving members of the team who went above and beyond.
Our original target of raising £3,000 turned into over £13,400 thanks to your incredibly generous support and donations, and including the private matched donor from the Tusk Trust, this will increase to over £26,800. What an incredible achievement and what a difference it will actually make in Africa.
A huge thanks to all those who donated and for all your support which has made this possible.
After a very difficult few months for everyone, Ride4Rangers was an uplifting and energising experience to take on. It is easy to feel a bit helpless when you stop and think about the global impact that Covid-19 has had and is continuing to have across the world and specifically for us in Africa.Ride4Rangers has seen the African travel industry come together and find a way of doing something productive to help our colleagues and industry friends out in Africa. Most importantly it will enable the continued protection of the precious wildlife and wilderness areas that now find themselves in such a threatened position.