DURBANITE Carla Geyser is spending her 40s change Africa through conservation. On World Elephant Day (August 12), Beautiful News will release a short-film of Geyser, who led a group of 13 women on a journey from South Africa to Kenya to raise awareness and funds for the protection of elephants last year.
The 100 day, 16 000 kilometre journey to Kenya was aimed at garnering support for elephants. Covering 10 countries along the way, Elephant Ignite crew, as they called themselves, visited 37 different organisations that are committed to protecting the animals. Their campaign raised awareness and crucial financial support for these important relief programmes.
Now that she is back, Geyser wants to continue holding female expeditions to different countries in Africa.
“I am having a serious case of wanderlust,” she tells me when I call her. She plans on doing another expedition on August 9 next year from Durban to West Africa, visiting Angola, Rwanda and Uganda along the way.
“Being in my 40s has challenged me. I wanted to do something significant with my life and seeing the plight of the elephant and how it is killed made me want to create awareness no matter how small it may have been.
“Even though poaching was our main focus, through the journey I became familiar with how huge the human-elephant conflict is. I met with farmers and other role players who gave insight on different aspects of the elephant plight and this opened my eyes to a number of issues that still needs to be addressed,” she said.
Geyser will launch her adventure travel tours from SA to Zambia in March next year. Part of the proceeds will go to nonprofit work in Africa. The tour would be around 23 days.
When asked where she would visit again, she said Malawi. She was inspired by the work many of the organisations do for the elephant flight.