World Elephant Day Fundraiser for Bhejane Trust

About Bhejane Trust

Founded in 2010, Bhejane Trust supplies over 1 million liters of water a day to elephants and wildlife through 48 water points they have installed and continue to maintain, throughout the Zimbabwe National Parks in northwestern Matabeleland.

Committed to stopping the commercial slaughter of elephants, rhinos and the poaching of other wildlife, they support field rangers, deploy highly successful anti-poaching units and fund informers who provide information about felons and incidents.

Because of the protection and care they provide, these parks are now becoming a sanctuary for rhinos, elephants and all of Africa’s wildlife.

What’s with me, Tembo NYC & elephants?

12 years ago, I volunteered at Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary for rescued elephants from the tourist and logging trade in Northern Thailand. Rather quickly my eyes were opened to the intelligence, compassion and unfortunate plight of these magnificent beings. My heart ached to make the world a better place for them. For 5 years, I went back to this sanctuary and then expanded my volunteering to include Bhejane Trust and various other wildlife projects throughout Africa.

At the end of summer, I will be visiting Bhejane Trust. As Zimbabwe has been hit hard by covid, the lack of tourism, climate change and a corrupt government, I would love to bring much-needed equipment to the organization so that they and the park rangers they support, can continue to perform their mission of protecting elephants, wildlife and their beautiful national parks.

I am beyond grateful to have had the privilege to learn a lot from and about elephants and to meet them where they live. Is there any wonder why I named my company Tembo, which means elephant in Swahili.

— Deb Chusid, Founder of Tembo NYC