🐘From Orphaned Elephants to Empowered Children

From Orphaned Elephants to Empowered Children: A Journey of Compassion and Connection

In this heartfelt presentation, Mark Jones will share the unexpected journey that began with a simple love for elephants and grew into a life-changing mission to support vulnerable children in Kenya. It started with sponsoring orphaned elephants through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an organisation rescuing young elephants affected by drought and human-wildlife conflict. Over time, this passion evolved into the “Elephants for Education” initiative, connecting schools with conservation through elephant sponsorships.

A safari trip planned for Mark’s 60th birthday led to a deeper connection with Kenya’s people and wildlife, and a chance encounter with the slums of Korogocho planted the seed for something greater. Through partnerships with Sunworld Safaris and a remarkable woman named Florence Nyambura—herself a product of community outreach – Mark and his wife Julie became involved with KOCH (Keep On Creating Hope), a grassroots NGO supporting children in Korogocho with food, education, and protection.

From organising wildlife trips for slum children to launching scholarships for girls to attend catering college, their work now touches hundreds of lives each weekend. I’ll share stories of resilience, hope, and how small acts of kindness can ripple into transformative change—both for elephants and for children.