If anyone saw it the way to do this is like Sigourney Weaver on her return to Gorilla's in the mist. Buy up all the spots on the trip and fill the spots with kids from the orphanage where you will find a number of well mannered respectful people who would be ecstatic to see their national treasure but will likely never get to.

That would be my plan when/if I reach that next spending ability.

Oh Eben, that's terrible! When we were doing our chimp walk in Mahale, we had some chatters, but <u>nothing</u> like that! And I bet they still have no clue!

Pred/Bio - that is great what Sigorney did - really kind.

Cyn

Predator, what a great story. I had no idea Weaver did that. Maybe if 2 couples got together we could buy the tickets for 4 orphans... (just thinking when someday I do the gorilla trek). What is the name of the orphanage, do you know?

Yes, that was a good part of the show. There is an older woman, I think well into her 90's that was a friend of Diane Fossey that runs an orphanage. Weaver went and spoke to the kids about gorilla's and then they could only take 2 of the older kids who were of course thrilled and were selected on their merits to be the ones to visit the gorillas.

I immediately thought I wish I could provide that kind of opportunity. Education of the locals and getting them into conservation jobs is key for the future.

I am not sure of the name of the orphanage but I am going to email the Diane Fossey foundation and try and ask. I will suggest they start just such a program -- I imagine they could even land a grant to provide the opportunity for a few kids. I wish I had more time to just start things myself.

So sorry you had to endure these clueless mornons! It makes me that much happier that our safari will be a private one! Thanks for sending!

I would absolutely contribute to a foundation that once a year (or whatever) takes 2 - 4 local kids to see the gorillas.

Eben sorry to hear of your experience....if only gorillas could write reports and post them on travel websites with photos of the idiots!!!

Sorry to hijack this thread but it would be fantastic if the actions of the fools lead to a positive reaction.

clematis and wayne: I sent a big email to Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund to spur the idea of a youth visitation program that could be funded by contributions and/or grants as well as possibly include host tourists who would bring the youth on their gorilla trek. The organization is in Atlanta so I'm sure they were closed up for the day but I'll report back if I can get anything going.

Wilderness Safaris does have their Children in the Wilderness program that allows a number of youth to visit camps in Botswana and Namibia. Paul Newman was a founding influence -- if I had his dough this Rwanda idea would be cake. They bring in youth for a week at a safari camp, over 7,000 camp nights in the last 4 years. I tried to organize a trekkie (sneaker) drive where I was going to have Colorado school students donate their old shoes to send to the Namibian portion of this program because when I checked to see what I could do the organizer told me many of the kids had no trekkies and the hot sand was tough. Unfortunately there are importation laws that made this simple idea too complicated for me to sort out. Any way this link tells about the program which I think is great.

http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/co...onitem_id=2685

The orphanage is called Imbabazi and is located just outside Gisenyi near Lake Kivu.It is run by Rosie Carr who passed by us in Gisenyi.We had brought gifts and money but when i got food poisoning we had to bypass it and went to an orphanage in Uganda instead.

thanks dlo, that was it.

Fabulous, Pred. Keep us posted. And thx to dlo for the name of the orphanage.