A Journey of Effective Giving

A Journey of Effective Giving
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How to Give Effectively

The first two days were very comfortable: but what would you expect when staying in a palace? With the buzz of old friends seeing each other again and new friendships in the making, the excitement was electric, with people getting to know one another and sharing the deeper truths behind their involvement with the Pioneer Club. There were many moving accounts, and many had the a common thread of wanting to contribute to a great cause and learn how to give back effectively.

With the agenda clear and the intention set, we headed for Ranthambhore National Park to learn more about the Tiger Project and the work being done to protect these beautiful animals.

It was on the first safari that a group of lucky members who were travelling in the same jeep as Roger were graced with the sight of an enormous, wild female tiger relaxing in the dry grass not more than 10 minutes into the drive. The tour guide explained the rareness of this occasion, “It’s only once in a blue moon that the first animal you see in the park is the tiger!”

A Local Legend

On the second day we had the privilege of meeting a local legend, a man by the name of Fateh Singh Rathore. Fateh is the original warden and first Field Director of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. It was due to his efforts in 1973 that Ranthambhore was one of nine parks short-listed to be part of the Tiger Project.

During a Q&A session, one very poignant question was asked: “Fateh, how do you deal with poaching”?

To our surprise, Fateh’s answer didn’t focus on needing more rangers with guns or more patrols to catch the poachers. He said the answer was to provide education for the children of the families that do the poaching. “It’s a poverty issue,” Fateh explained. “Traders from China offer the tribespeople big money to supply them with tiger parts. The tribesmen hunt and kill the tigers with no understanding of the bigger picture. It’s a matter of survival for them.”

The Value of the Tiger