WHWF - Home

A Message from Valentine Holden by Valentine Holden
For over 33 years the foundation has been running and keeping my grandfather’s memory alive because of Stefanie’s devotion. She invited me to come to Nanyuki to discover the foundation and its activities in the field. Kenya offers idyllic pictures of beautiful Africa and its extraordinary wildlife, but behind this post card there is a complicated reality. Interaction between the human population and wildlife is not an easy issue in situations of conflict. With Stefanie’s help I was able to begin my understanding of the complexities of the culture, its history and the pressures from the outside world. When I arrived in Nairobi early in the morning I was filled with breathless enthusiasm. I wanted to take in everything I could all at once. It took about 3 hours by car to arrive at the Mt. Kenya Game Ranch where Stefanie lives. During that drive I saw the landscape change from urban to rural. At times the roadside was filled with fruit stands, vendors selling fruits and
vegetables, and women dressed in colorful clothing. The indescribably beautiful reddish color of the soil makes the greenery stand out dramatically. I was already on sensory overload by the time I arrived at Stefanie’s house. The following day we went to the education center. According to Stefanie, my grandfather always wanted to create the educational component of the wildlife conservation ongoing at the Mt. Kenya Game Ranch, which was the first ever game ranch created for the preservation of species in sub-Saharan Africa. The game ranch was created long before the word conservation was in most people’s vocabulary. My grandfather imbued Stefanie with his passion and ideas. Sadly he did not live long enough to make those ideas into realities, and so Stefanie has done everything in her power to realize his vision and has even far exceeded it. The main activities of the foundation are to educate the children and local communities and to support the function of the animal nursery. Children who visit the foundation learn about bio diversity and ecosystems as well as to be reconnected with Mother Nature. There are tents for them to stay in over-night so that they can embrace the beautiful sounds of nature and see the beautiful bright stars in the sky. They are also taught to plant trees and to grow vegetables and fruits of their own.
	I was extremely impressed with the educational programs at the center, and was amazed to learn how many people - children and adults - from local communities come to the center free of charge. The facilities all around the center are very impressive as is the library, which inspires curiosity in the students as it did in me. There are paintings done by former students, all sorts of displays and charts, and a wonderful white board teaching device that brings the latest technology to everyone who is fortunate enough to come here. Another thing I was impressed with was seeing on every building tiles with the names of many of the donors that contributed to the foundation. Chills went down my spine thinking of all the amazing and generous people who keep the foundation alive and have done so for all these years. The icing on the cake, for all the students and for myself, was a visit to the animal orphanage at the Mt. Kenya Game Ranch. This is where the magical connection happens. Watching the kids play with the animals as they are feeding them brings me back to my childhood. It was crystal clear to me that the foundation's work is bringing local people a better understanding and a value of these precious animals and the vital role they play in enhancing the environment we so desperately depend on. At the present time the two species that are most threatened are elephants and rhinos.
Perhaps through programs such as what I have seen at the education center there might be some hope for the future of these two magnificent species. I enjoyed every moment I spent in Kenya … learning about the work of the foundation, and how it keeps my grandfather’s memory alive. It makes me very proud to be a small part of his legacy. As I was growing up, I learned this quote from my grandfather … “Aging is an inevitable process. I surely wouldn't want to grow younger. The older you become, the more you know; your bank account of knowledge is much richer.” I too feel richer for my visit to Kenya, for my growing involvement in the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, and for the knowledge Stefanie has imparted to me about my grandfather that I cherish and respect. I cannot wait to come back to this beautiful place … it is already a second home to me.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The slaughter of the majestic elephant and rhino for their ivory and horns is accelerating all over the continent of Africa. We must quell the demand or they won't survive the decade. The United States is the second largest market for illegal ivory, so please write your representatives in Congress and ask them to introduce or support legislation banning sales of all ivory and providing harsh punishment for violations of the law.

Won't you please join us in writing to the ambassies of the countries fueling the blood ivory trade, indicating that you will boycott all products from their respective countries until they outlaw the sale of all ivory and rhino horn and commit to strigently enforce those laws?

Embassy of the People's Republic of China 3505 International Place NW Washington, DC 20008 Fax: (202) 495-2138 Email: chinaembpress_us@mfa.gov.cn	Royal Thai Embassy 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 101 Washington, DC 20007 Email: rkthai@tld.net
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20035

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________