Not many 11-year-olds would ask, "Can we skip my birthday party this year?"
Not many 11-year-olds would ask, "Can we skip my birthday party this year?"
Jules Murray did just that ahead of her 11th birthday.
Instead, she asked her friends to join her in painting Save the Rhino pictures, which were auctioned, raising R30 000.
Jules donated the money to the Chipembere Rhino Foundation (CRF), a local NGO dedicated to protecting and preserving the diminishing number of rhino in South Africa.
That was just the start of the DSG pupil's work to raise funds for rhino conservation.
She's now just turned 14. She was 13 when she recently addressed the World Youth Rhino Summit and, to date, she has raised R160 000 for rhino conservation.
Born in this country, Jules has been living in Hong Kong for nearly 10 years and recently returned to South Africa.
Her Save the Rhino journey started after she heard about the terrible things that were happening to rhinos back in the country of her birth, which made her determined to make a difference.
Her 11th birthday fundraising bought three radio tracking collars for rhinos in the Eastern Cape reserves. When Jules and her family later visited South Africa, the Chipembere team invited her to join them in the helicopter and to help collar the rhino.
“The day had a huge impact on me. To be up close, and to see and touch these gentle giants was a truly humbling experience,” said Jules. “Meeting the CRF team was so inspiring. I knew I had to carry on doing what I could to raise money and awareness to save these beautiful creatures. So I started the JuMu Rhino Fund, determined to raise more money.”
Jules then started selling rhino trinkets made by African children’s charities to generous Hong Kongers, raising another R30 000.
A second rhino party in Hong Kong, at which every person painted their own ceramic rhino, raised yet another R30 000.
Soon Jules was asked to talk about saving the rhino at various schools in Hong Kong, handing out copies of the Mandarin version of the book, "Bongi’s Quest", which tells the story of a young rhino who survived the horrors of poaching.
“We even managed to get a few cars in Hong Kong wearing a Rhinose!” says Jules, who has been featured on the front page of the kid’s section of the South China Morning Post (the largest daily newspaper in Hong Kong), in Nat Geo for Kids and the Envirokids magazine, as well as on radio and on South Africa’s conservation TV show, 50/50.
Jules’s latest project is selling rhino wristbands at 12 schools in the Eastern Cape, while her friends in America and Australia are also selling wristbands and raising awareness at their schools.
All the funds raised have been used by the Foundation to fund rhino collars, cover veterinarian and helicopter costs and to equip two rangers, who guard the rhinos moved from South Africa to Botswana round the clock.
The Foundation also invested in Dixie, who is training as a human scent tracker dog to track down poachers.
“I am so grateful to the many people around the world have been very generous in helping me to raise awareness and funds to make a real difference in saving our rhino. I hope I can inspire others to do something to make a difference too,” said Jules.
“Wherever we live, young people need to actively participate in determining the future of the world's shrinking wilderness areas.
"We must be the responsible generation, the protectors and preservers of the planet’s threatened fauna and flora.
"Let’s educate as many people as possible, so that the animals, the plants, the beautiful wilderness areas are left for the next generations to appreciate and enjoy one day!”
Her efforts are very much appreciated.
“We thank Jules and all those who have supported her for the incredible contribution to the conservation of the magnificent rhino species. Such passion and commitment is inspiring and Jules’ contribution reminds us that everyone of us can make a difference!” says Brent Cook, founder of the Chipembere Rhino Foundation.
“Every step of the way and saving one rhino at a time, your donations and support count and make a difference on the ground as, together, we save these iconic animals for future generations to enjoy.”
For more information on Chipembere Rhino Foundation, please visit www.chipembere.org or follow their story on www.facebook.com/Chipembererhinofoundation.
