The Hornbill Edition

We have decided to adopt the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project for the month of August to help them raise much-needed funds. There are only around 400 breeding groups presently in South Africa. The Sasol Birds of Southern Africa field guide records that the range and numbers of this species have been ‘decreased by about two-thirds during the 20th Century’. Less than half of their population is safe within the borders of protected areas and so it is vital to get all South Africans on board for their future. The Covid-19 has meant that the project took a knock financially, and we would like to do all that we can to help this important conservation project moving forward.

We will be working with African FRDM and Birdlife South Africa to help create awareness around this project throughout the month. The target that we want to raise is R250000 – this may seem overwhelming when you first read it – but I believe we can each do our part to make a difference.

Southern Ground Hornbill | Eben Geldenhuys

So how can you get involved?

1) You could give towards the project. Every bit helps, no matter how small it may seem from your side. What is exciting is that through various sponsors, when you give you stand a chance of winning some amazing prizes! The prizes include bottles of African FRDM Gin, a signed print by renowned artist Clive Walker, and a luxury 2-night stay for two at Safari Plains. There are different tiers of giving - and even giving as little as R50 puts you in line to win some amazing prizes.

2) You can share the various posts on Social media around the fundraising drive. These posts will also include educational posts that aim to create awareness around the special species, as well as posts highlighting the work that the Ground Hornbill Project is doing. By sharing these posts, you stand in line to win a weekly Ground Hornbill Goodies Hamper sponsored by Birdlife South Africa (including a Birdlife South Africa Bird of the Year Southern Ground Hornbill soft toy, t-shirt, and pin badge). We will also have some other possible prizes thrown in, so make sure to keep an eye on our social media threads.

3) You can use your social networks to tell others about the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project and the fundraiser. This could be as easy as sending a text or Whatsapp message or sharing a post on social media and tagging some friends.

4) You can send us stories and photos of your special encounters with the Southern Ground Hornbill. These will be used across our various platforms to provide information about these amazing birds. Share them every Thursday and use the hashtag #thunderbirdthursday

We can’t do everything, but we can all do something! We encourage you to look at what part you can play in making this project a success.

To give towards the project click on the following link https://www.givengain.com/cc/help-hornbills/

Please note:

All funds raised through the GivenGain campaign will go directly to the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project – these are paid directly to their bank account, and both African FRDM, and The Birding Life are partnering to help them fund-raise and create awareness for this species.

The Mabula Ground Hornbill Project (MGHP) is a registered Public Benefit Organisation (PBO ref 13/00/00/723), which means that bona fide donations made in cash or property in kind to the MGHP by South African taxpayers, whether companies or individuals are entitled to a deduction from taxable income. The benefits of supporting the MGHP are therefore two-fold:

1. Corporate Responsibility in supporting one of South Africa’s leading avian conservation programmes.

2. Qualification for a Section 18A receipt from the MGHP, which will allow contributors to claim any applicable tax relief.