Founded in August 2020 the NPO Warriors for Africa’s Wildlife aims to support conservation through the creation of crafted items.
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To learn more about the work of the NPO and how it assists animals, the NEWS met with founder and Gauteng coordinator Nita Smith.
Nita, a former member of the charity Blankets for Baby Rhinos, said: “WAW was created to provide suburban residents who want to help wildlife but can’t be in the bush.
“During the pandemic, we weren’t able to get blankets for wildlife organisations from international donors,” said Nita, who hails from Edenvale.
“By establishing WAW, South Africans were able to create blankets and crafted items for the animals and the organisations that support them.”
She said the NPO is a platform that merges crafting and conservation.
“First and foremost, we are a craft group,” said Nita.
Nita said growing up on a farm she has always loved animals. When she was 9, she rescued an injured tortoise after seeing it lying on the road.
“I was travelling with my dad and somebody had hit the tortoise with its car damaging its shell,” said Nita.
“I told my dad to stop and we took the tortoise home. I looked after it until its shell had healed.”
Although Nita has always loved animals, she said her passion for rhinos developed in her 30’s when she first visited the Kruger National Park.
“Rhinos are magnificent creatures, they are so docile and majestic. I just love them, everything about them just pulls me in.”
Through her, work Nita has visited several rhino orphanages where she has bottle-fed baby rhinos.
“Although people have said I have been lucky to experience feeding the orphaned rhinos, it is heart-breaking to know that their mothers were killed by poachers.”
Nita explained that WAW is comprised entirely of volunteers who knit, crochet and sew blankets for various animals.
“The volunteers are all types of people of various ages from across the world. Over the years we have become friends with each other and built good relationships.”
Nita highlighted that the organisation is more than an NPO, she described it as a community working together to make things possible.
All expenses are covered by the volunteers unless wool or material is donated to the NPO.
“If a beneficiary requests an item we will often get together to determine if it is possible and once we find a pattern or figure out how to do the project we start from there. If an animal organisation asks for help, we will try to help where we can.”
In addition to knitting, sewing and crocheting, if jewellers or artists donate their work to the NPO it is sold to raise funds for one of the organisations.
Nita said the NPO recently donated 40 ponchos, gloves, beanies and scarfs to the Zululand Conservation Trust.
Although the NPO hosts fundraising initiatives, most are done on its closed Facebook group.
Community members can support WAW at the next Tails and Whiskers mini-market set to be held on April 27. For more information visit Tails and Whiskers Charity Shop’s Facebook page.
Nita said community members who may have wool at their homes and are looking for an organisation to donate it to should consider WAW.
“We have several pensioners who knit for us. I make wool packs for them and deliver to them as often as I can.”
For more information or to donate wool to the NPO phone Nita on 082 9373423.
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