HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco visits Africa to aid rhinos
HSH Princess Charlene is involved with various organisations worldwide and is the co-patron of The Giving Organisation Trust. She is passionate about wildlife conservation in South Africa and fighting rhino poaching, which is pushing rhinos to the brink of extinction.
Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco is visiting the African continent as part of a wildlife conservation mission, including essential rhino conservation work.
Charlene is involved with various organisations worldwide and is the co-patron of The Giving Organisation Trust. She is passionate about wildlife conservation in South Africa and fighting rhino poaching, which is pushing rhinos to the brink of extinction.
The rhino poaching crisis began in 2008 with thousands of African rhinos killed for their horn. Since 2015, poaching numbers have decreased, but a rhino is still killed for its horn every 22 hours in South Africa.
Other African countries affected by rhino poaching include Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
As part of her mission, the princess was on the ground while rangers darted the rhinos from a helicopter and dehorned them.
“This crisis has stolen almost 10 000 African rhinos from our beautiful earth,” said Charlene.
“If we are to save these incredible animals from extinction, we have to do something. We cannot afford to lose anymore.”
Dehorning is used in rhino conservation as a method to prevent poachers from killing rhinos for their horn. When combined with adequate anti-poaching monitoring and security, including intelligence-gathering, dehorning reduces the risk of poaching and increases a rhino’s chance of surviving.
“Statistics show that South Africa’s rhino populations have fallen quite drastically. In the last ten years, poachers have relentlessly killed these rhinos, and they have not had time to recover. If we don’t act now, the rhino’s future in Africa is uncertain,” Charlene added.
She concluded, “We have to protect our rhinos and their future by protecting and dehorning them, safely and as gently as possible. I’m passionate about playing a role in saving the rhino and championing their cause.”
The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation
South Africa sport has the power to inspire young people and transform lives. This central idea prompted Charlene to launch a foundation that would work to end death and disease caused by water fatalities.
The foundation focuses on the fact that drowning is a preventable epidemic that predominantly affects children and youth. In the six years since its inception, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation has established 149 projects in 33 countries, reaching nearly half a million people, mostly children.
These programmes raise awareness about the crucial issue of water safety and teach people to swim. The foundation also uses the transformative power of sport’s positive values by giving children access to various sporting disciplines.
Its sport and education initiatives include providing financial support to talented athletes who lack the funds to realise their dreams.
In South Africa, the foundation has implemented projects in Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. These projects reach out to underprivileged youth and teach them how to enjoy the benefits of sport in a safe and controlled manner.
Thus far, the foundation has worked with thousands of South African youth, and through the efforts of the SA chapter, many more young lives will benefit.
The foundation’s valuable work also extends to children from disabled communities, who are often marginalised and neglected.
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