Welcome remarks from the President of APCA - Foundation
- Posted In : News
- July 4, 2022
I have the great honor to introduce to you our new organization, Anti-Poaching Conservation Academy (APCA), which was registered on 5 October 2021. Our mandate is to achieve Sustainable Development Goals which requires urgent interventions and meaningful action in the protection of natural habitats and in halting the loss of natural diversity, protecting and preventing the extinction of threatened species, protecting wildlife and conserving wildlife and its ecosystem in Tanzania. We have designed training programs to support government rangers through education to improve skills; support surrounding communities whether in conservation areas, buffer zones in their vicinity outside parks or zones.
Where we will always operate with the approval of the government in support. The implementation of these programs will see us undertake the training of new local instructors, selected rangers and support their subsequent training of all other rangers across the country, drivers, anti-poaching specialists, drone pilots, running of search dogs building schools in the communities surrounding protected areas, small dispensaries with the support of congregations of volunteer fathers and nuns very present in Tanzania, conservation education in schools within those communities.
In this last year we dedicated it entirely to finding funds and building contacts with banks and important companies in the world, so much so that we went so far as to sign a preliminary agreement with an important financial group. We worked with them for a long time, after a long and complete due diligence on the foundation and above all on myself. We have analyzed in detail our projects in Tanzania which concern not only anti-poaching, which is our first priority in the area with equipment, means, men but also the creation of a center for the repopulation of animals at risk, which does not exist in Tanzania, an orphanage of shelter for animals, and a research center for poisons from snakes or other, the world center of this type is called (Butantan and it is in Brazil exactly in San Paulo where I had the opportunity to visit and talk, therefore, we are working on distance to create a synergy, they are happy that we are creating a center in Africa in collaboration with them, we will soon define the guidelines of the project).
All this to provide support to villages in rural areas with problems due to snake bites as well as providing the same serums to dispensaries present with missionaries, hospitals near parks and in the areas interested in our work. I am completing a collaboration with a medical university in Italy in order to have volunteer paramedics who accompany us in our work and make ourselves available to rural populations, dispensaries and wherever there is a need. We have created a local association authorized by the parent company of the Dante Alighieri school, based in Italy, known throughout the world for teaching the Italian language in schools, in Tanzania with the support of the Italian embassy, the only association in Tanzania and only in Tanzania and Kenya exist for all of Africa. The finance managers and the banks involved really liked these projects and they want to sponsor us so much that they are talking about approving the first funds needed to start the foundation. This made us very proud because if everything as we are seeing is confirmed, the foundation will make an immediate leap in quality in the Tanzanian territory. Naturally all this with the good Placido of the President of Tanzania of the government with the ministers in charge
We were invited to Singita LUXURY lodge by the Grumeti reserve company, for a
Survey to see their entire Grumeti Fund structure, very organized on anti-poaching and their organization of Wild Life, we stayed with them for a week and I was able to get an important picture both in terms of logistics and preparation and in terms of funds . Having returned, I am now trying to make an agreement with their partners with our Foundation collaborating by carrying forward their Grumeti Fund Apca Foundation structure together. meeting soon already defined on the phone in detail with the CEO of GRUMETI Reserve to establish the agreements and continue to close a collaboration together as soon as possible, seeing all the aspects for a long partnership, which I would like to establish for 10 years.
Agreement which provides an important donation from the foundation. I have spoken with our financial partners, we will have a meeting as soon as possible, in order to decide on the necessary funds for our projects in Tanzania as soon as possible. We are finalizing the agreements to open APCA Holding in Abu Dhabi while the headquarters will always remain in Tanzania. Another important image for our Foundation. These are our commitments and as President of the APCA Foundation I will do everything to achieve them while remaining in this wonderful country that hosts us and I am an integral part of it for the preservation and protection of nature.
Gabriele Petrone,
President & Founding member,
APCA Foundation