Volunteering for Chimpanzees

Help me live my dream to make a difference for these amazing animals!



WHO I AM, WHERE I'M GOING, AND WHAT I'LL BE DOING


My name is Amy Atherton, and my life revolves around chimpanzees. My dream since the beginning of high school has been to work with these amazing animals in such a way that will make their lives better. Inspired by the work of Dr. Carole Noon, Dr. Jane Goodall, Jim Cronin, and countless other ape heroes, I have been touched by the challenges chimpanzees face in the wild and in captivity.

My greatest interest in apes has become the area of compassionate care, and I believe that every chimpanzee can and should be given a life worth living, even if that cannot be in the wild. After finishing high school in Adelaide, South Australia, I completed a Bachelor of Science (Biodiversity and Conservation) and I am now working towards a Certificate III in Captive Animals. I have previously spent two weeks as a volunteer at The Jane Goodall Institute South Africa’s sanctuary, Chimp Eden, and then a twelve weeks as an intern at Chimps Inc. in Bend, Oregon. I have also been very fortunate to spend a great deal of time getting to know the evolving chimpanzee group at the fantastic Monarto Zoo, that I have photographed over the years. I continue to be inspired by the individual chimpanzees who capture my heart. It is them who I want to spend my life working for.

I have been invited to spend six months as a volunteer at AAP Primadomus, which is located near Villena, Spain. My role will be that of an assistant animal caregiver, ensuring that quality of life for the rescued animals is as good as it possibly can be. This opportunity will also be invaluable to me, fulfilling a long held dream of doing something to help chimpanzees and other primates over an intensive and sustained period. Through this experience, I will further my knowledge, which will help me make a greater difference in the future. Additionally, I have applied to spend a further month volunteering for chimpanzees, this time at Sierra Leone's Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, taking advantage of the close proximity of West Africa to Europe.



WHAT EXPENSES NEED TO BE COVERED?

Travelling to the northern hemisphere from South Australia is, unfortunately, rarely cheap. I expect to spend approximately $1300 in return travel to Europe, and another $800 return fare to Sierra Leone.

The other main cost will be living expenses over seven months. Accommodation will be provided at both rescue centres, so most of my spending will be on food and personal items. I'm budgeting $75 (50 euros) per week, for a total of $2000. Additionally, to volunteer for a month at Tacugama, I have to make a donation of $1100 USD ($1450).

Remaining expenses include; visas, travel insurance, vaccinations, and ensuring my dog is cared for while I am away.

Most of these costs I will be covering by myself, but I've set up this fundraiser in the hope of covering the $1450 donation to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which will help me as well as the chimps in the sanctuary's care.

The more help I receive, the better the position I’ll be in to continue working towards a career with chimpanzees.


THANK YOU GIFTS!

All donations, no matter the size, are appreciated immensely. I will be offering optional thank you gifts for several levels of donation, as I don’t want this to be completely one-sided! Let me know, after your donation, if you'd like to receive something.

Everyone who donates will receive email updates of my time at the sanctuaries (and any additional chimpanzee travels), if they choose to, giving an insight into the work that’s being done to help the chimpanzees, and what I’ve been doing.

For donations of $50 or more, I can email you a digital cartoon rendition of your pet cat or dog, on a colourful background. This image will be large in resolution, so you may print to display however you choose.

For donations of $80 or more, I can send you a CD filled with photographs I will take of the primates at Primadomus and Tacugama, which you will be free to print on whatever you choose.

For donations of $150 or more, I can send you an A4 size watercolour pencil portrait of one of the chimpanzees or monkeys at Primadomus or Tacugama. This will be undertaken when I return from the sanctuary, so I will be able to tell you a bit about the chimp in the portrait, which will be accompanied by a small photograph of the individual chimpanzee. OR I will send you an A4 watercolour pencil portrait of your pet. I will need to be provided with photos, so please contact me if you are interested.

For donations of $200 or more, I can send you an A4 size carbon or graphite pencil portrait of a chimpanzee, gorilla, or bonobo of your choice. There is some flexibility, but I strongly prefer to work from my own photos, so you’d need to contact me to discuss who you’d like me to draw.



THANK YOU for your support!


These experiences would be priceless in my quest to understand the many facets of the plight of the chimpanzee species, and to do something to make a difference, all the while helping me along my chosen career path. I hope that I can share my adventures with my generous supporters, and so continue to spread awareness and understanding of chimpanzees and the threats facing them.