Elephants, Rhinos & People (ERP) was founded to preserve and protect Southern Africa’s wild elephants and rhinos through a strategy that is based on rural poverty alleviation. Read more and watch the video in this blog.
ELEPHANTS | RHINOS | PEOPLE
EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES IN RURAL AFRICA IS ESSENTIAL TO THE PRESERVATION OF ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS
About ERP
Elephants, Rhinos & People (ERP) was founded to preserve and protect Southern Africa’s wild elephants and rhinos through a strategy that is based on rural poverty alleviation. In order to accomplish its mission, ERP carefully selects projects based on their potential to create economic engines for impoverished rural communities in areas adjacent to threatened elephant and rhino populations. Armed with an Ashoka-accredited poverty alleviation model, and by having a multifaceted team positioned to tackle poverty, ERP is able to address the welfare of elephants and rhinos in an unusual but effective manner. ERP brings over 20 years of experience in community relations, poverty alleviation, and impact investment in infrastructure, so as to achieve sustainable, non-lethal wildlife conservation.
Given that the poverty alleviation-based strategy is a medium to long-term proposition, ERP also implements a range of tactical interventions designed to combat the poaching problem, and to improve the welfare of elephants and rhinos in the short term. These interventions include but are not limited to elephant relocations, a veterinary emergency response unit and drought relief programs.
HOW ERP OPERATES
THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO PROTECT ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS FROM EXTINCTION IN THE WILD
Africa’s wild elephant and rhino populations are being driven to the edge of extinction due to the demand for elephant ivory and rhino horn, human-elephant conflict, and wildlife trafficking. Whether trying to protect a herd of threatened elephants or an individual rhino, ERP’s goal is to protect and preserve elephants and rhinos in the wild in Southern Africa, through an innovate rural poverty alleviation-based strategy, as well as through the use of a range of tactical interventions.
Recognizing that wildlife conservation issues are often framed largely around the impact on biodiversity and not the impact on people, ERP works with poverty-stricken communities that share their land with wildlife. By building sustainable economic engines for rural communities in areas adjacent to the threatened species, ERP provides viable, non-lethal alternatives to poaching as a source of community income.
ERP AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
Join the cause by signing up and becoming an ERP Ambassador.
By becoming an ERP Ambassador, you will be joining a collective force of concerned people around the world, all committed to putting a stop to the exploitation and slaughter of elephants and rhinos, and to changing the lives of rural people in Africa.
After signing up you will be able to access our Ambassador Portal, giving you the unique opportunity to meet other Ambassadors, sign up for volunteer work, and be the first to get project updates.
Subscribe here to receive the ERP Digest Newsletter and stay up-to-date with all things ERP.
ERP Harvard Business Review Case Study
EPI-USE Labs is offering you the chance to read this fascinating case study which focuses on groupelephant.com CEO Jonathan Tager as he grapples with implementing and sustaining the ERP program. The case study highlights the difficulty of planning in embarking on programs of this nature as well as CSR programs in general. It also addresses topics such as hybrid (blended) business models, the 'theory of change' underlying CSR strategy, and the challenges involved in defining and measuring impact.
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