WHERE YOUR FUNDS GO
Beneficiaries
Our Trusted Conservation Partners
The Rhino Orphanage
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Desperately driven to find a solution for a baby rhino that was left orphaned as a result of poaching, Arrie van Deventer founded the world’s first rhino orphanage, a registered NPO, in 2012. The Rhino Orphanage was the first-ever specialised, non-commercial centre dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, raising and release of orphaned rhinos back into the wild.
Located in the bushveld of the Limpopo Province in South Africa, the sole purpose of our rhino sanctuary is to provide a safe place where injured and orphaned baby rhinos can be healed, hand-reared, rehabilitated and released back into their natural habitat.
As the world’s first dedicated rhino orphanage and the first rhino orphan sanctuary of its kind, we are considered to be one of the pioneers in this vital area of rhino conservation.
Conservation means many things, but for The Rhino Orphanage, it entails physically building and maintaining facilities that can safely shelter orphaned rhinos and other wildlife. It means employing and training the right people to care for the rhinos and administrate the project. It means being 110% dedicated to protecting rhinos, 24/7, 365days of the y
Project Rhino
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Project Rhino was launched on World Rhino Day, 22 September 2011. It is a rhino-focussed association that brings together a provincial government conservation body, private and community-owned reserves, rhino owners, leading conservation NGOs and anti-poaching security specialists in the common aim of fighting wildlife crime.
Together with South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Project Rhino member reserves are collectively responsible for the protection of the world’s largest rhino population; as well as the most genetically diverse white rhino population. Devastatingly, our rhino have become a target for highly organised poaching rings and crime syndicates, fuelled largely by an ongoing and unfounded demand by traditional Eastern medicine. Rhino numbers have plummeted – more than 8,000 have been lost in RSA in the last decade – whilst the costs of keeping the remaining populations safe have increased astronomically.
Project Rhino initiatives range from urgent anti-poaching and wildlife crime interventions, to a long-term outlook focused on developing empowered communities who own, manage and protect the Conservation Economy. Education – we currently support the Rhino Art foundation which is another project of Project Rhino KZN.
Launched in 2013 in partnership with the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, the Rhino Art – “Let Our Children’s Voices Be Heard” initiative uses the universal language of Art, Recreation, and Theatre to raise awareness about conservation among young people. At each school activation, learners are encouraged to express their voices and hopes for wildlife protection through art and storytelling. Expert facilitators lead interactive sessions that blend conservation education with role-play theatre, highlighting the value of the Wild Economy and the devastating effects of poaching. A typical Rhino Art event transforms a school into a vibrant hub of creativity, reaching an average of 500 learners and their teachers. In poaching hotspot communities, these engagements are often repeated annually or bi-annually to ensure the message of conservation is continually reinforced.
Beyond schools, community soccer tournaments are hosted to bring people together, encourage positive dialogue, and reward learners for their creativity. These events deepen trust between conservation stakeholders, local communities, and game reserves.
Since its launch, Rhino Art has reached over one million young people across 24 countries and five continents, building a powerful youth-driven movement for wildlife protection.
Raising Rhino Rands supports this initiative with our Project called: Adopt a Rhino Donate to a child. Many of our International supporters who are unable to get our rhinos overseas due to high postage costs, often choose this project. They have a rhino made up and then donate it to the Rhino Art project where it is used in their educational programmes either as prizes or gifts to the kids. The Rhino Orphanage also still gets a donation from this and therefore we are supporting two incredible initiatives with just one gorgeous Rhino Adoption.
Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust
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The Pilanesberg National Park, situated 50km north of Rustenburg in the North West Province, is managed by the North West Parks & Tourism Board. The Pilanesberg is, however, more than just a wildlife sanctuary to which tourists flock – it has also spurredeconomic development in the region that in turn has provided social upliftment in this once largely disadvantaged rural community.
The Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust (PWT) was established in 1999 to provide a medium through which contributions can be made to further conservation and social upliftment. The PWT is a non-profit organisation and is registered with the South African Institute of Fundraising.
The PWT has a number of projects, however the one that we support is: Rhino Protection Project
The overall protection of the rhinos remains an in-the-field situation. The Park has, through donations from the PWT and other sources, been able to equip and train field rangers, install various technology, and improve relations with the local communities.
Due to the rise in poaching, this project has become the Trust’s priority. This project is multi-faceted and includes the training of a dedicated K9 unit, and their handlers in the Park. Other areas include the identification and DNA collection of the rhino in the park.