In 1974, Betty Leslie-Melville, founder and chairman of AFEW, began the first successful project of raising the number of endangered Rothschild giraffes from 130 to over 300. AFEW's second project was to establish the first educational nature sanctuary in independent Africa. Last year AFEW brought over 40,000 African school children to the center free of charge to teach them how to conserve their animal heritage.
Children now overflow the center, so more classroom space is needed.
Orphans from Nairobi experience all the creature discomforts of their home country as a giraffe pokes its nose into their business yesterday. They can't afford a car or the entrance fees to go into game parks.