
BirdLife South Africa awards 12 Owl awards a year. ( Nine Owl awards Two Eagle-Owl awards and one Owlet award which is given to a person under the age of 18 years )
A VERY PROUD DAY.Thank you to everyone who has so generously supported the small is BIG, Save Africa’s smallest finch, the Orange-breasted waxbill conservation project. The project is a proud collaboration between BirdLife South Africa and the Rare Finch Conservation Group.
Below is the citation that was read at the awards ceremony :
An agreement was reached between BirdLife South Africa and the Rare Finch Conservation Group in 2014 to initiate a conservation project focused on the Orange-breasted Waxbill as part of the BirdLife International Keeping Common Birds Common project. Eelco Meyjes is a director of the Rare Finch Conservation Group and has since devoted his time to this collaboration.
Through this partnership, the diminutive Orange-breasted Waxbill has become a superhero and contributing to the conservation of eight threatened bird species and another 84 common birds that utilise similar grassland and wetland habitats. In November 2016, an educational puppet show “Waxi the Hero” was performed for the first time and hundreds of children have now been reached through this entertaining environmental production.
In May 2017, Eelco completed a 3,600 km unsupported solo ride to raise awareness and funds for this project. His cycle ride started in Cape Town from where he continued to Namibia, across certain parts of the Namib Desert, through the Caprivi Strip and then onto northern Botswana and ended at the mighty Victoria Falls.
End of Citation .
The Rare Finch Conservation Group is registered in South Africa as a non-profit organisation and is totally dependent on donors and sponsors to carry out its conservation work on finches. All donations will be publicly acknowledged , unless otherwise requested, on the RFCG website. Donations can be made to the following account. Rare Finch Conservation Group, Nedbank. Account number 1933 198885 Branch : Sandown 193 305 South Africa ( For international donors please add ) SWIFT NEDSZAJJ.
SEE – CONSERVE – ENJOY
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