training rangers |

Take a stand for African Elephants and Rhinos

Within months of starting my Jennysjumbojargon journey, I realised that I did not want to be seen just as someone sharing ‘yellow pages of smudged memories’..I needed to be doing something more active. Words can be inadequate without any action. One of the highlights of the year for me was coming across Lisa Groenweg and Rory Young. I had found and become totally involved in reading Rory Young’s blog. ‘Anomie’s Child’ for me was like a soul open wide to the breeze and I read and re-read many different stories, embracing each of my favourites. There were times when I could feel the frustration gripping the words and sadness gnawing at the end of each sentence. Even from thousands of miles away, I could hear the passionate wind snaking through the grass while the throb of Africa pounded beneath my feet and the earthy, musty richness of fresh elephant dung lingered in my nostrils. It evoked warm memories of the vast wilderness of sun kissed grass, sturdy trees and elephants that had been tucked away for safe keeping and I realise that I am a passionate child of Africa..through and through and I will do what ever it takes to ensure that Chengeta Wildlife can continue to provide first class training to the anti-poaching units on the ground. Take a stand for African Elephants and Rhinos.

Lisa is an amazing example of how one person can make a huge big difference. She was described as ‘A visionary with a heart of gold‘. A person who wants to change the lives of each and every individual she can.’ She started Chengeta Wildlife and 2014 has been the most incredible year. Like Lisa, we too can do our bit to help combat the horrors of poaching. Collectively, we can ensure the continuation of Chengeta Wildlife’s ability to adequately train and equip the necessary new generation of rangers required to assist the continuation of the circle of life in elephants, rhinos, lions and other wildlife within their natural habitats in Africa.

‘In January of 2014, Chengeta Wildlife financed our first training session. 21 APU scouts from five different organisations in the Gache Gache area of Zimbabwe were trained by Rory. Many poachers were tracked, found, and arrested during the training session. Rory spent eighteen hours a day training and patrolling with the men. The strategy to stop poachers in the area was laid out in detail. With numerous other African countries expressing an interest, this initiative could potentially offer a significant boost to the continent’s success in reducing poaching.

‘A Field Manual for Anti-Poaching Activities is the most comprehensive, intelligent and pragmatic doctrine ever devised to bring the practice of poaching under control. Further, this doctrine utilises existing local resources and personnel with objective and low cost solutions. 50% of all proceeds from the sale of this book will go directly to fund anti-poaching unit training and to provide anti-poaching unit rangers in Africa with free copies.’

Across Africa the scourge that is poaching is removing natural resources at an unprecedented rate. The southern African nation of Malawi is no exception to the hugely negative impacts of poaching on biodiversity and the natural ecosystem processes that sustain both people and wildlife. Starting at the end of August the African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (ALERT) and Chengeta Wildlife, supported by the UK’s Coventry University, partnered with Malawi’s Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW) provided 20 days of anti-poaching training to senior staff working in Malawi’s national parks and wildlife reserves. The training was held at DNPW’s training centre in Liwonde National Park, located south of Lake Malawi.

Malawi trainees and Rory Young during “in-operations” phase of our anti-poaching training session. Poachers were arrested and an entire ivory poaching syndicate was taken down.
This training session was funded by individuals from around the world who decided to take a stand against poachers and the criminal syndicates that are making billions from the illegal trade of wildlife.

Another busy day in the lecture room at Sidokoro, Parc National de Haut Niger, Guinea.The theory phase has been amazing. From Director General level down to AP team leaders, from all over Guinea, the work is being taken very seriously and the discussions have been animated and indicate a high level of motivation and the determination to make the most of the opportunity.

‘This year we have managed to train over 120 DG’s, Directors, Wardens and Anti Poaching team leaders in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, in advanced anti poaching and wildlife protection strategies, techniques and skills.The men trained this year alone are training another 750 that we are currently aware of. But how many more will benefit? What will be the knock on from all of this? Incredible. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart to all of those who have supported Chengeta Wildlife this year. You really have achieved the

impossible.’

The biggest highlight of my year was being approached by Lisa Groenweg and asked to sit on the Board of Directors. I am passionate about what Chengeta Wildlife stands for. Rory Young is an amazing and selfless man who gives strength in these times when lengthening shadows of corruption and greed are devouring the wildlife at an alarming rate. Chengeta Wildlife’s 2015 calendar is full to brimming with engagements. As 2014 has now closed, we need to continue to weave a future for these rangers and animals from a tangled past and we need all the help we can. Please look at our link and help if you can. Sharing the link is fundamental in reaching our fundraising target.

Rory Young is a passionate and committed activist who has been fighting the evils of poaching all his life. He is a dedicated man who has decided to make it his life’s mission to ensure that the rangers in the anti poaching units have the best possible training. Rory has been in the field for well over 20 years now and has honed his skills in the bush as a pro-safari guide and a top class tracking consultant.

While Rory Young gives of his time to train these men throughout Africa, I am asking you to look at our website. Help us to train and equip these men on the ground. Change will come…but we cannot afford to drift in the stream of the world…we need to act now. Africa’s elephants and rhinos have reached tipping point…and we need to all play an active role so that we can lead them out of the dark.

To my Chinese readership, I thank you and sincerely hope that I have managed to convince you that ‘Ivory looks better on elephants’ and ‘Rhino Horn belongs to Rhinos.’ (Infographic gift to Rory Young and Chengeta Wildlife).

I watch as her old arthritic fingers fight with the small silver needle and sun burnt thread on its epic journey of stitching up the elephant cushion. She takes a deep breath. My eyes never leave her face as her corn blue eyes, weathered with the passing of time twinkle and her cheeks glow like ripe strawberries as a huge satisifed sigh escapes her. ‘All done.’ She murmurs. It has taken a little time to do these two cushions as at 85, she always informs me that she can no longer run a marathon. My mum is a delightful and amazing old lady and I love and admire that she wants to help me raise funds for Chengeta Wildlife. I took photos of her beautiful cushions and put them on face book last night. What a fantastic response…and I now have to go and tell her that her work is not done. I have closed the cushion shop as she has orders for 10 more and I know what she will say.

‘I better do them as quick as I can because time is what I have…but how much time..I don’t know.’ And she will laugh at the horrified look on my face and we will work together to get these cushions done. So this coming week, I will snatch moments of time, oil the sewing machine and we will get busy on ‘elephant cushions.’ Stacked up next to me on the table, are beautiful calendars and numerous elephant key rings/chains for sale…all proceeds will go towards Chengeta Wildlife and the amazing work that Rory Young is doing in training rangers.

These are precious moments that are set in my memory like snap shots as I watch my family..the oldest being 85 down to the youngest who is comming up 4. My heart swells with pride when I hear them all talking about Chengeta Wildlife, Rangers and the poaching of elephants and rhinos and what we can do to help fight this scourge. We sit around the ancient dining room table making key chains, cushions or deciding what image would be best for the calendars.

Kayleigh (my oldest grandie) has definite ideas too.

I love the erth. It is the most specolest planet ever. Love Kayleigh. I liv in the UK. KBJ loves elees.

This money for the elees. To save the world.

(Took a few repeats from the author and rolling of eyes towards the ceiling when I took too long to decipher her note)

As a family, we work as a team. While I am now the matriarch of my family, I value what my mum has taught me. She plays a huge part in the family circle. Sadly her links with family members are stretched tight as they span over vast distances as we are now scattered all over the world. She shares her precious memories with her great grandchildren which offer breath taking glimpses into her past where the pulse of Africa throbbed beneath her feet and the cerulean sky drifted into infinity. She pines for her children, grand children and great grand children living in distant lands, and enjoys the ones who are close by. Elephants are no different from us.

Elephant families will also split but their reunions are incredible. Making contact through a swirl of dust, these mighty creatures embrace: ears flapping, tusks clicking, leaning into and rubbing each other: all the while urinating and defecating. Spinning in circles, they encompass the world with their joy and a cacophony of trumpeting screams and rumbles shred the air. Happy and joyful is their reunion.

While we are desperately trying to help Rory Young train rangers to fight the scourge of poaching, many thousands of miles away from where we sit around the dining room table, the sunset, in an explosion of gold is bidding the African day goodnight. While wisps of cloud flutter past the African half moon lying serenely on ber back, the magnificent martriarch wearing her robe of wrinkles and two well worn tusks trumpets in rage as bullets thump into the smallest member of her herd and she hears the bone crack. Trees explode as bullets ricochet and chaos reigns as this elephant herd is lost in a world of ugly greed, violence and blackness. With dawns slow promise of a golden day… a mighty stillness settles. Help us to help them.

These magnificent animals ask only for the space to roam free under the cerulean sky without fear, surrounded by their families and doing what elephants always do: living in the moment. As the superior beings, we do have one thing that no other living creature does: we have the ability to change the way things are. We hold the destiny of every living creature in our hands, and yet so few of us hear their silent cries of agony and their helpless pleas. The greed for ‘white gold’ has become the elephants downfall as the horn of the rhino has become their fate and their numbers are decreasing at an alarming rate. Elephants show all the best attributes of mankind with few of them displaying our darker sides.

Rory meeting with the chief and elders of Sidakoro, Parc National de Haut Niger

‘Meeting with the chief and elders of Sidakoro, Parc National de Haut Niger.
A critical part of the training and ops is how and why to approach community leaders and to sensitize and educate them, preferably developing in the process a positive flow of information from the community. With them on sides half the battle is won. Sometimes it is tedious work, lacking the excitement and adrenaline of pursuit and apprehension ops. That does not make it any less important.
In this case, far from complaining that the park and rangers are a nuisance the complaint from the elders and community is that poaching in protected areas has caused dramatic reduction in wildlife in traditional hunting areas. The majority of that poaching is by outside commercial poachers travelling to the park and then transporting the meat and other products to far away cities. In such situations the community can be and are a natural and important ally.’

While Rory Young gives of his time to train rangers throughout Africa, I am asking all of you…look at our chengetawildlife.org page. Help us to train and equip these men on the ground. Change will come….but we cannot afford to drift in the stream of the world….we need to act now. Africa’s wildlife needs us all to take an active role so that we can lead them out of the dark.

Consumers of ivory and rhino horn..hear their screams and let the heavy silence of loss flank you. Behind every piece of ivory and rhino horn is a story…a barbaric and bloody story. Your desire for ivory trinkets and rhino horn is decimating Africa’s elephants and rhinos. Those ivory bracelets, chopsticks and figurines are the cause of elephants being slaughtered. How can you desire something that is so significant of violence and death.

A call for help in desperate times of poaching by Rory Young. Please watch and share this short clip.

training rangers

Taking A Stand

Elephants Helping Elephants