J.A.C.K.

Category: Congo - DRC, Education, J.A.C.K., Refuge Centre, donations | Date: Jul 14 2009 | By: jack

Hello Friends of JACK !

When Franck was attending the PASA meeting in the US last June, he met Beth of the Brevard Zoo who offered JACK a big suitcase full of books and puppets.

This Environmental Teaching Suitcase, imagine, is a wonderful donation that will now enable JACK progress in its education program as I already mentioned Conservation in Africa can mainly be done through Education.

So, end of June, Franck and I worked with kids of the 1^st Kindergarten of the Belgian Program School of Lubumbashi. 

What you must know is that for the last 6 months, Miss Séverine, teacher of the 1^st Kindergarten, had been working with her little ones (aged 3 to 4).

At this stage, you usually teach basic vocabulary: children put words on their environment and learn they live in a house, have a garden with trees… They also study what they eat, discover the different shapes and colours, start counting, etc.

This year, the little kids of Miss Séverine not only had that basic program; they also studied further as to compare themselves with a particular animal: the chimpanzee!

By doing so, at the end of the school year, the little ones knew about the habitat of the chimp, its food, its physical aspect, his facial mimics, etc. They did a wonderful work and Franck and I visited them to congratulate these very young pupils.

Also, during this particular visit, we had the Brevard Zoo teaching suitcase  and together with the little friends of JACK we built up the story of a baby lion called “Simba’, lost in the forest as his parents had been poached… Simba was looking for new friends of the forest and every child was given a puppet to play the long, long story….

I was amazed how so young kids could interact and I felt very impressed by their knowledge about chimps and their environment.

Miss Séverine has done an excellent work and it is thanks to people like her that chimpanzees hope to have a better future. Children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow and this kind of action represents a lot in the survival of the Great Apes and their general environment.

Thank you Séverine for all your patience and hard work.

Thanks also to Beth and the Brevard Zoo for enabling JACK improving its education program.

And great thanks too to Erika, Princesse, Dan, Shamin, Alex and the other pupils of the 1st Kindergarten for your interest and participation. JACK spent a great time with you!

Roxane

5 responses so far

Category: Congo - DRC, J.A.C.K., donations, donors | Date: Jun 11 2009 | By: jack

Dear Friends of JACK,

Haven’t been posting for the last days and really apologize!!

All is fine at JACK and Franck came back last week from the US where he had positive meetings and contacts.

Today, I want to share this particular event: a huge donation, again!

Yes, as since its early beginning, JACK has been closely followed and advised by a good friend, Simon HICKS, chairman of a British Charitable Trust “Conservation Works” which aim is to give advice to projects that put endangered species first while setting up a knowledge base that evaluates, analyses and informs ‘what works’ in Conservation.

Both Simon and his wife are working in Conservation Programs and we met them in May 2006, just after JAK (the first baby we started with) had been seized by authorities.

Thanks to Simon, our NGO has established particular links with the Congolese Government. A Consortium has indeed been set up between the DRC Government, para-statal organisations and JACK. That’s the reason why JACK doesn’t work alone. We work with the Ministry of Environment (the only people empowered to confiscate wildlife), the Congolese Botanical and Zoological Gardens (who host the JACK Refuge in the Lubumbashi Zoo) and the Congolese National Parks as the aim is to release the chimps in areas protected by ICCN.

Today, Simon is no longer staying with us in Lubumbashi and because he moved to Nairobi, he decided to donate our NGO his car as a sign of friendship and collaboration between Conservation Works and JACK.

We are most grateful to Simon and his Charity for having donated this car because JACK didn’t have any.

As to mark the occasion, the Trust Merchant Bank  (TMB) in Lubumbashi without whom  J.A.C.K. wouldn’t have existed decided to create an exceptional sticker.

Being our main sponsor, the TMB wanted to share its commitment in the Protection of the Congolese wildlife through this sticker which also shows JAK, the first little one we started with in April 2006 and who was assassinated a few months later by saboteurs…

Merci à la TMB et à toute  son équipe pour son soutien tant moral que financier! Grâce à vous, J.A.C.K. arrive à réaliser de grandes choses!!!

Baby Maïka on the picture with us

Also, before his departure, Simon wanted to give Franck a very particular present: a book that had belonged to his family and which is (we believe) one of the first books ever written on pygmies or chimpanzees (1739). A wonderful present too!

Thank you Simon and Karen for all that kindness and for encouraging us. Your friendship is precious and although you aren’t in Lubumbashi any more, collaboration continues…

Roxane

6 responses so far

Category: J.A.C.K., Refuge Centre, donations | Date: May 21 2009 | By: jack

Dear Friends,

Let me introduce you to Justine.

Justine is the youngest supporter JACK has ever had and she has been with JACK for about two years now. She is 9 years old, lives in France and has been interested in Great Apes for many years.

Her parents are animal lovers too, but Justine’s preferences are on chimpanzees - especially the chimps of the JACK Refuge!

That’s the reason why Justine’s family has adopted Doguy : they have always put much attention to the different needs of their young adopted chimpanzee and JACK is very grateful for their help and interest.

Merci Justine pour nous soutenir et pour être si passionnée par ces nobles créatures. Un jour, je suis certaine que tes rêves se réaliseront et que tu pourras venir voir le petit Doguy (qui devient grand!) à JACK!

Merci aussi à tes parents et à ta petite famille qui te soutiennent et t’encouragent à aller au bout de tes rêves…

A bientôt,

Roxane

5 responses so far

Category: Background, Chimpanzee, Congo, DRC, J.A.C.K., donations | Date: Nov 17 2008 | By: jack

Hello Friends of JACK,

These coming days are going to be very particular as our Southern Province of Katanga is hosting the “PASA Vet Workshop 2008″.

About 22 delegates have travelled from their place to reach Lubumbashi and for most of them this experience will be their first one in the DR Congo.

Thanks to the kindness of the highest authority of our Congolese Province, Mister Moïse Katumbi Tshapwe, the Governor of Katanga, this event has been possible and we also want to thank Madam Thérèse Lukenge, Provincial Minister of Environment of Katanga , who opened the Workshop early this morning and cheerly welcomed the PASA delegates.

It is the first time PASA organises one of its workshops in the DR Congo and it is a real honour to us to welcome the whole team here in Lubumbashi.

On Wednesday the 19th of November, PASA delegates will have the opportunity to come and to visit JACK. Mr Doug Cress, Executive Director of PASA, and Rosa Garriga, vet at Tucugama, already paid us a visit yesterday mentionning they didn’t expect to see so much.

JACK is still very young and unlike most of our visitors, Mr Cress and vet Rosa were impressed by the work that we have been achieving for the last two years…

Well, dear Friends, let me come back to you later on these days. It’s already late and we still need to have a few things done before tomorrow.

Roxane

8 responses so far

Category: Chimpanzee, Congo, DRC, J.A.C.K., donations, donors | Date: Sep 30 2008 | By: jack

Dear All,

I know, I ‘ve remained silent for the last few weeks. Lots of things are currently taking place  at JACK and the main event is the construction of two new night enclosures for the growing chimps of our Refuge.

As recently mentionned, our friend arrived from France and works started a few weeks ago thanks only to the woderful contribution of the Sweden Chimpanzee  Trust.

Despite the heat (49° C/120° F), “Francky” is working extremely hard together with the welder (Georges) and the bricklayers. Works must be finished before the rainy season begins end of October !!

Francky and Georges

Within a few days, the 13 chimps of JACK’s main group will discover their new quarters and I’m sure it’ll be an immense surprise to them. Even Coco and Mwisho who still are in quarantine will have the opportunity to move and to appreciate new enclosures. I’ll send you the pictures to share these particular moments with all of you !

As to answer to Christine’s question in regard to raising money to pay back Francky’s ticket: yes, we do have an adoption program. But, the collected funds go straight to the orphans only. We can’t use these donations for any other purpose and that’s why we suggested the friends of JACK on Wildlife Direct to help us…

Roxane

3 responses so far

Category: Chimpanzee, Congo, DRC, J.A.C.K., donations | Date: Jul 31 2008 | By: jack

Friends of JACK,

I have just noticed I haven’t given you the most recent donations’list.

Here are the following donations received since lastMay:

A/ single donations

- May: Cathy R (150$), Wanda H (25$+ 25$), Sheryl B (25$), Anonymous (2000$)

- June: Danalea S (50$) and Oliver T (50$);

- July : Thurlow (100$) and Candice D (200$)

B/ monthly donations

- May : Anonymous (30$ + 10$), Birgitta S (10$) and Kevin C (10$);

- June : Anonymous (30$ + 10$), Birgitta S (10$) and Kevin C (10$);

- July : Anonymous (30$ + 10$), Birgitta S (10$) and Kevin C (10$).

Again, thank you dear Friends  for your donations which are of great support for the continuation of our project.

Roxane

One response so far

Category: Congo, DRC, J.A.C.K., Refuge Centre, donations | Date: Jul 21 2008 | By: jack

Hi Everyone,

As Chantal told you last week, my family and I took 12 days off. Since we started JACK two years ago, we had never had the opportunity to take more than 2-3 days off all together. When you are starting up a Centre like JACK, it isn’t easy to find a reliable  person ready to take over such huge responsibilities. So, Chantal felt fine to run JACK on her own, obliged us to have a break and did an excellent job! THANK YOU again, Chantal,  for having devoted your time to the Refuge and to the chimps!

In a previous post, I spoke about the welding machine we ordered and wanted to buy with your donations. Well, a few days ago, Franck bought the machine and it is now at the refuge.

Because the price of the machine had been increased, Mister Deepak Parnami, the manager of the YAMAHA Shop of Lubumbashi, agreed to make a discount keeping thus the same amount as asked and collected thanks to your kindness. Thank you again, Mister Parmani !

The purchase of this machine is very very important. JACK must improve its facilities and provide better night accomodation to the growing chimpanzee orphans. The works will start in September and will be finished by the beginning of the rainy season (early November). I’ll keep you posted and will send you the pictures !!!

Again a great THANK  YOU to all of you : this purchase couldn’t have taken place if you hadn’t sent JACK the money ! And, remember, your donations are crucial to the development of our small rescue center for young chimps seized by local authorities!!!

Roxane

6 responses so far

Category: Chimpanzee, Congo, DRC, J.A.C.K., Refuge Centre, donations | Date: Jun 23 2008 | By: jack

Dear All,

Last week, I remembered you about the money you sent end of April/early May for the purchase of the welding machine.

The bank has called us  saying your money finally arrived. But, when Franck went to buy the machine, bad news: no welding machine was left. Here, it’s always like this: once you see something very particular in a shop, you have to buy it at once !! So,  JACK has immediately ordered a new one that will come midth /end of July. But, don’t worry, once again, I’ll keep you posted and send you the  pictures of the machine.

Also, in addition to your single donations of May, we received your one-time donations of the previous months and wanted to show you what we did with this money.

We had no gate at the entrance of the Refuge Centre. Visitors very often managed to enter the complex, reached too easily the quarantine area putting the isolated chimpanzee babies at risk (quarantine place is close to the main entrance of the Refuge!!!)  Therefore,  we decided to put a gate to prevent anyone from coming in.

BEFORE: NO GATE = NO SECURITY

TODAY : A NEW GATE = SECURITY 

More things have to be done to improve the complex (build extra night facilities, bring electricity as we still have no power, add extra fencing around the complex).  

Proof of purchase

But, today, and mainly thanks to your donations, security has been enforced ;  this, again,  is a new step in JACK’s everyday life. THANK  YOU !!!

 Roxane

5 responses so far