GIVING TUESDAY NOW
The EWT is excited to be participating in Giving Tuesday Now, a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on 5 May 2020 – in addition to the regularly scheduled 1 December 2020 Giving Tuesday – as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. Giving Tuesday Now is an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity – to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and heal. During these unprecedented times, when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings us together, and allows us to stay connected through kindness, even as we are physically apart.
We are living through history, and the only thing one can be certain of right now is that change will continue to define our lives for the foreseeable future. It is safe to say that the world will never be as we knew it to be just a few months ago. In itself, this may not be a bad thing and we have a unique opportunity to rewrite the story of humankind’s modern colonisation of Planet Earth, and to redefine what it means to live in harmony with each other and sustainably with Mother Nature, going forward.
Conservation and wildlife protection are deemed essential services under the current lockdown regulations, which has allowed the EWT to continue undertaking critical conservation work in the interests of saving some of our most threatened species. In recent weeks, our team members have continued to work tirelessly to relocate Cheetahs and Wild Dogs, and respond to calls for animals in distress such as injured raptors, cranes and snared Wild Dogs.
The EWT’s continued fight to save our wildlife does not just benefit those species. We are working tirelessly to support our rural communities whose livelihoods have been suspended, through the provision of skills development and training resources, online capacity building courses, water provision and even food parcel delivery. Many of our staff members are contributing, in their personal capacity, to food provision for the most vulnerable, and the spirit of Ubuntu runs deep in our culture.
We’re sharing the stories of a few of the Conservation Champions who have made a difference to the EWT in the past.
Conservation Champions Mandy Quin and Stephen Tregoning from Quinn Real Estate in Bedfordview have always been avid fans of our Country Club talks and supporters of the EWT especially our work on carnivore conservation. We caught up with them to find out more about why they choose to give to the EWT:
“We are thankful to be in a position to contribute, and give because of our passion for wildlife. We choose to support the EWT because of their tireless commitment to the conservation and preservation of Africa’s wildlife. Knowing that our contribution may make even a small difference to the conservation and preservation of wildlife is very meaningful. Our top tip for others who wish to make a difference is that you shouldn’t think your contribution is small – it could be the difference that could offer the support required.”
Conservation Champion Shaun Schneier, a philanthropist living in Cape Town, is a long-time supporter of the EWT. Shaun’s background is marine environmental science and coastal management as well as environmental economics. We caught up with him to find out more about why he chooses to give to the EWT:
“I believe their mission is vitally important and that the EWT selects important projects and is professionally and competently run as an organisation. This makes it gratifying to assist the EWT by giving in order for them to keep protecting endangered species. If you are considering becoming a donor, my top tip is to choose an organisation with sound objectives, that has a proven track record, issues tax certificates and has professional and competent staff.”
Want to be a Conservation Champion too? There are so many ways to make a difference. You could make a donation, no matter the size, towards our Giving Tuesday Now target of R50,000 at https://www.givengain.com/cc/help-us-to-help-them-during-the-fight-against-covid19/ or you could start an online fundraiser and encourage all your friends to get involved! To find out more, contact Tammy Baker at [email protected]