It is on! 10 Women, 10 countries, 10 000km for elephants

IT was an emotional and exciting morning for local conservationist, Carla Geyser and her team of intrepid adventurers as they finally embarked on their 10 000 kilometre journey across Africa to raise funds and awareness for elephants. This after two years of meticulous planning and research.

The first-all female expedition from South Africa to Kenya fittingly kicked off today – on National Women’s Day – at Sibaya Casino.

While travelling through ten different countries the women have goals they hope to realize: community upliftment, youth conservation education, public awareness of the declining elephant population and fundraising support for the non-profit organisations working to protect SA’s threatened ‘gentle giants’.

She added that she and her fellow conservationists also aimed to help reduce human and elephant conflict challenges through the education and awareness programmes.

“While it is incredibly emotional morning we are also feeling excited to get on the road. I am looking forward to putting the key in the ignition and to turn the car bonnet north,” she said.

“At the moment 98 elephants are poached daily, that is one every 50 minutes. We want to make people aware of the state of things and make them realise that they need to take ownership by going out and doing something,” she said. 

For Geyser, some of the most exciting elements of the journey involves telling the tales of the unsung heroes who are fighting on the ground to keep wildlife safe, and witnessing how she and her fellow crew members will change over the course of the journey.

“This is a once in a lifetime and indeed a life changing experience for us all. I can’t wait to see what the expedition has in store for us,” she said.

For more information, you can follow them onwww.blueskysociety.org or www.facebook.com/ElephantIgnite.