About Us
Many iconic African animals will become extinct within our lifetimes. The primary threats are hunting, habitat loss and disease. Chimpanzees and gorillas are hunted as a source of meat. In addition, entire families are killed to satisfy an ever-growing foreign pet trade. Elephants and rhinos are killed for their tusks and horns. Deforestation by foreign investors results in habitat loss for all these animals.
Children of Conservation is dedicated to the conservation and protection of endangered species through education, habitat preservation and wildlife sanctuary support.
Children of Conservation projects are designed not only to help the animals, but also benefit the local people working tirelessly to protect these creatures, preserve their habitat, and end the devastating bushmeat trade.
Our Work
Conservation focused education
Over the past eight years, Children of Conservation has provided educational scholarships to the children of hundreds of sanctuary workers in Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa and Cameroon. We are immensely proud that some of those children have now graduated from university. They are wonderful ambassadors for conservation and habitat protection. In many villages the benefits of conservation have now come to outweigh the benefits of killing gorillas or chimps for bush meat. Working at the sanctuary, or participating in conservation and habitat protection are considered to be noble professions because of the benefits they now incur.
Sanctuary Support
We work alongside ape sanctuaries including Ngamba Island Orphaned Chimpanzee, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage, Chimp Eden, Limbe Wildlife Center and Sanaga-Yong. Providing support to their local communities strengthens their work and allows them to worry less about the wellbeing of their workers and local families and to concentrate on their lifesaving work.
Infrastructure
In Zambia, we built a middle school to bring education to the underserved communities surrounding the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage. It was completed in 2017 and currently provides an otherwise unattainable education to more than 190 children.
This year we plan to construct a new middle school project and health center in Uganda. These facilities will benefit the workers at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and will allow the children of workers there to receive an education they otherwise would not have access to.
Who We Are
Children of Conservation was formed in 2009 by Atlanta-based philanthropists Michele and Kerry Stumpe.
You can meet them at our annual fundraiser in Atlanta this September. Click on our events page for more details. We also offer the opportunity to visit our projects with Michele and Kerry. For information on how you can join them on a trip of a lifetime to Africa, go to our Get Involved page.
Executive Director, Lorna Campbell, has worked in animal welfare for more than ten years. She is aided by the Board of Directors, Advisory Board and dedicated volunteers across the US and Africa.
For more information about how you can help Children of Conservation, contact us at info@childrenofconservation.org.