Help HERD Go Solar & Stand a Chance to Win a Safari at Jabulani
Help us to keep the lights and power on through intermittent electricity outages in South Africa by supporting our Solar Project. HERD Trust is South Africa’s first dedicated elephant orphanage and currently cares for 17 elephants at the homestead and orphanage. As an NPO and PBO, HERD relies on public funding to support the elephants and provide them with all they need. Help make a difference.
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HERD's Power Supply Is Compromised Through South Africa's Frequent Power Outages
You can donate to help take HERD elephant orphanage in the Kapama Private Game Reserve, South Africa off-grid. We are working with a local company to power HERD Trust operations through solar energy, so that we are not dependent on expensive and interruptive national Eskom power, which is frequently subjected to load-shedding. Forced blackouts are implemented to prevent overloading the national power grid when energy demand exceeds production. This leaves HERD in the dark and without reliable communication systems. Read more in our blog >
Our mission at HERD (Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation & Development) is to care for and rehabilitate orphaned elephants, to give them a new family, and a second chance of life with a herd.
Why We Need Power
Electricity is vital for many aspects of our operation, including:
- Lights and electric fencing for the Homestead & Orphanage
- Orphanage kitchen for milk formula production
- Orphanage facilities during day and night for calves
- Carer accommodation, providing comfort, safety and visibility as they watch over the herd at night
- Communication through radios and phones plus spotlights
- Pumping of water for bana grass, dams, orphanage, homestead and drinking water
- Pressure washer for cleaning the homestead
The cost of using diesel for our generators during load-shedding is very high. By utilising solar energy, we are not only lowering the cost but also the carbon footprint on our reserve and earth. The benefit of going solar is also the amount HERD Trust will be able to save on energy expenses in the future. In our first year, we will save a total of R276,000 by making use of solar and relying less on Eskom, the national electricity supplier. Our total cost of energy saving minus the cost of the initial investment will be R10,497,367 over 20 years. That’s huge.
A Sunshine Safari Competition
To encourage more supporters to donate to our solar campaign, we have launched an exciting competition. Simply donate a ray of sunshine to the campaign – every $50/ R1000 gives you one entry – and you will stand a chance to win a safari experience at Jabulani in our reserve. You can meet the elephants and experience the African sun for yourself. The more you donate, the more chance you have to win the prize.
Terms and conditions apply. Prize includes 2 nights for 2 people sharing. No flights included.
Please note that South African donors who wish to claim a tax benefit certificate cannot be entered into the competition.
Solar Fundraising
The energy crisis in South Africa isn’t something a lot of people in other parts of the world understand. The sole public electrical utility in South Africa is Eskom, and it supplies 95% of the country’s electricity. The typical American is said to experience fewer than 10 hours of power outages a year – whereas in South Africa, we frequently experience more than 10 hours of power outages in one weekend. This makes running an elephant orphanage very difficult.
The use of solar energy is the most readily accessible resource in South Africa, with the sun shining brightly over many parts of the country all year round. Hoedspruit, where HERD is based, receives excellent sunlight in winter and summer. For the sake of our elephants and our environment, we have decided to take HERD off the grid.
Please consider supporting our solar campaign by donating a ray of sunshine to HERD. No donation is too small.
Tax Benefits
Should you wish to take advantage of the tax benefit of donating to this campaign, please contact us at fundraising@herd.org.za to let us know.
HERD is a registered 501(c)(3) charity in the USA and can issue tax receipts for eligible donations. That means that donations you make to HERD may be tax-deductible in the USA. You can make a difference while reducing your tax liability at the same time. We fully depend on the generosity of our supporters to keep our organisation going.
For European donors, you can choose to donate to our solar campaign through the King Baudouin Foundation, and donating by bank transfer by following this link: Faire un don
A reduction of 45% will be granted to donors in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. Our Belgian partners, the Izindlovu Fund collaborate with the King Baudouin Foundation to accept donations for HERD Trust and offer a tax reduction.
Please contact us for more information: fundraising@herd.org.za
Elephant Tales Blog
Want to hear the latest and greatest stories about what the elephants are up to? No two days are the same, and they always amaze us with their distinctive personalities and acceptance of one another. Follow us this way for all the latest stories of what’s happening at HERD.
