Running has been a passion of mine over lockdown. It's been an opportunity to stay fit, both physically and mentally! I’m always looking to improve more...leading to the thought of running a whole marathon! This then led to me having an idea...why not combine this with raising money for a charity that creates change in an area I am truly passionate about!
This led me to the charity called Rhino Ark! Primarily, the charity was founded to address a massive conservation crisis in Kenya’s Aberdare Mountain forests. Rampant poaching of Rhinos and African Elephants in the Aberdare National Park was at an all-time peak and the adjacent farming communities were demoralised by the constant raiding of their land by marauding wildlife. At that point, Rhino Ark’s main aim was to build and maintain a protective electric fence to contain wildlife within the National Park and curb illegal logging and poaching of wildlife, including the endangered Black Rhino, and the African Elephant. Although Rhino Ark's initial focus was on fencing, its conservation portfolio has expanded over the years to also include building capacity of partners with the Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Wildlife Service in fence management, combating wildlife crime and responding to wildfires; supporting community-based ground patrols; ecological monitoring; aerial surveillance; environmental education; promotion of bio-enterprise development; and securing wildlife corridors! Rhino Ark’s vision is to ensure that humans are living in harmony with habitat and wildlife. I hope this has provided a great introduction to the charity and highlights the reasons why I'm aiming to raise money for such a great cause! My goal is to raise £1,500 for the charity, feel free to check out the link to my ‘Just Giving’ page below. Help Share & Raise Awareness!