History of Tusk
Tusk Trust is a dynamic organisation, which has 20 years experience initiating and funding conservation and community development programmes right across Africa. Supported by UK celebrities such as Rory Bremner, Ronnie Wood, Griff Rhys Jones, Joanna Lumley, Ruby Wax, Zoe Ball, Ben Fogle and Alistair McGowan, the charity’s work to deliver direct sustainable conservation has been widely covered on television and in the media. In 2005 Prince William became the charity’s Royal Patron.
Since its formation in 1990 by Charles Mayhew MBE and Sir Timothy Ackroyd Bt., Tusk has earned a reputation for being non-bureaucratic and for maximising donor funds (on average 80% of net funds) reaching the field. The charity has supported more than 100 projects and invested over £10 million into the field.
Tusk’s current portfolio of 40 field projects spread across 17 African countries is designed not only to protect wildlife, particularly endangered species, but to help alleviate poverty and encourage sustainable development and education amongst many poor rural communities who live alongside wildlife. Conservation of wildlife remains a key objective with substantial funding being applied towards the protection of many threatened species such as elephant, rhino, cheetah, chimpanzee, mountain and lowland gorillas, African wild dog, giant sable and even marine species like turtles.
As the ever expanding human population and its demand for more land brings it into increasing and often disastrous conflict with wildlife, Tusk’s aim is to forge an inextricable link between the preservation of Africa’s natural heritage and the future of it’s land, culture and peoples and one that seeks to engage global support for a vision that will bring about an end to such conflict through education, job creation, and ultimately self-sufficiency.
Tusk has, with its project field partners such as the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, been at the forefront of establishing and promoting community driven conservation programmes. The charity’s holistic approach recognises that the long-term future for wildlife is dependant on education and sustainable development. A number of the charity’s initiatives therefore incorporate work to improve environmental education, security, healthcare, and responsible tourism. One such programme managed by the Northern Rangelands Trust and supported by Tusk has seen two million acres of community land come under a common conservation policy with initiatives that are directly and simultaneously benefiting 65,000 people and a significant wildlife population in northern Kenya.
Tusk strives to provide practical, logistical and financial support to a diverse range of projects. In the past this has included the purchase of vehicles, aircraft, radio equipment, as well as the construction of primary and secondary schools, clinics, water improvement schemes, roads, buildings, bridges and airstrips, as well as covering the direct costs of rangers. The charity enjoys a reputation for being financially efficient with an average of 80% of the net funds raised reaching the field.
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PRINCE WILLIAM MARKS TUSK'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY. At a reception held at HSBC's private banking headquarters in St James's London on the 7th January, Tusk's Royal Patron... More ...Latest Tusk Video
