Next steps apr 2009
There are lots of developments at the elephant island. Since my last report we have revisited the village several times to talk about the next steps . The most needed improvements for the coming period are the well-being of elephant Nok Noi, and finding more tourists. With all the villagers we are discussing the interim assessment of the project: what have we achieved so far, and what needs to be done to achieve our goals. The area is perfect for the project we have in mind. It is green, there is plenty of water, and most importantly: Nok Noi has an entire group of people caring for her, and has involved the whole village. In the near future we will take two specific steps: Nok Noi will get company and more freedom. Today she spends too much time on a chain, and she cannot interact with other elephants. When the other elephant arrives, we want to move them to the island of Koh Loi. With the last Chang-group we have already been planting banana trees here.
It is not very big, but it’s a beautiful place for Nok Noi and her future friend. A number of things will have to be build: cabins for the mahouts and the volunteers, quarters for the elephant and a cable bridge or bamboo raft to get to the island quickly. We’ll show you some pictures of the architectural style at the Elephant Nature Park. The villagers can easily build this themselves, and is free, the villagers tell us.
The financial situation has been discussed as well: we’ll need 12,000 Baht (240 Euros) a month for the elephant fund. 4,000 Bath for the food; 4,000 for the mahouts paycheck; and 4,000 to pay off Nok Noi’s loan to Bring the Elephant Home. If we have a group once a month, we have already reached this amount. With a unique project like ours this shouldn’t be a problem. A volunteer organization in Singapore as already promised to send a group once a month, provided things become more animal-friendly. This is promising.
In order to provide Nok Noi with a friend , we and ten villagers go looking for a second elephant. In Baan Ta Klang we find a twenty-five year old elephant who has stood on a landmine. She can walk, but only slowly.
The elephant meets the villagers kindly, and everybody is enthusiastic. They pity her for being chained day and night. It doesn’t matter that she walks slowly, with us she doesn’t have work anyway, the villagers say. The Mahout tells us he can easily treat the foot himself. Another possibility is an older elephant who is begging at the bridge over the river Kwaai. She is thin, overworked, and far too old to work. We are told several stories about her. We would love to take her back to the island, but we are also worried. Wouldn’t her age cause a problem, and can we handle all this? The villagers will have to make the decision in the coming weeks. Plans are to bring the second elephant to the island early May.
Another important discussion it the growing of the trees needed for Tree-planting Day on the 28th of June. We decide who will grow which seedlings, and discuss the financial arrangement: Bring the Elephant Home will buy the seedlings that meet our standards (40 -60 cm high/ healthy) for 12 baht a piece. Of this 2 baht will go directly into the Nok Noi fund (this is sufficient for the annual payment).
For the remaining ten bath the villagers also have to help at Tree-planting Day, and take care of the planted seedlings.
With so many good quality trees being grows, demand rises in other areas as well. Hopefully this will create more jobs for the people, and more money for the elephant fund. A few more important steps in the right direction!
