Mara Delta Property Holdings, with real estate assets in Mauritius, Kenya, Morocco, Zambia and Mozambique, has selected the all-important, under-resourced OI Pejeta Rhino Conservancy as one of its primary CSR projects.
On the 18th and 19th of June, in the foothills of Mount Kenya in the OI Pejeta Conservancy, home to the world’s last three Northern White Rhino subspecies, an important fund-and-awareness-raising cricket event took place, signifying the launch of Mara Delta’s Rhino Anti-poaching corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign, which will continue into Africa over the next six months.
The Last Male Standing T20 Rhino Cup (LMS) is an animal welfare event held annually in Ol Pejeta, Kenya. This event helps to create funds and awareness of the plight of the Northern White Rhino and the greater risk of poaching and ivory/rhino horn trade out of East Africa.
This is no ordinary cricket event. Here, in this iconic Kenyan Conservancy, a team of eight battle-dressed Maasai Warriors batted it out against the Ambassadors, a mixed team of eight corporates, including Mara Delta’s Director, Greg Pearson, all exhibiting the determination that is the backbone of Africa, and proving that despite all their differences, in culture, in achievements, in aspirations, they all share the will to build a stronger, more resilient world, where setbacks are stepping stones and victories are game changers.
Last Male Standing Rhino Cup is a collaborative effort between Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the British Army (BATUK), Fauna & Flora International, Australian High Commission (Kenya), the East Africa Cricket Foundation, Last Man Stands, the Primary Club of Australia, the Obuya Cricket Academy, and the Maasai Cricket Warriors.
Mara Delta CEO, Bronwyn Corbett says, “We have a committed team of people and partners who joined us to play this momentous match in this extraordinary OI Pejeta Conservancy to raise funds and awareness to help save these last three historical mammals that deserve all of our attention. We know what is possible when we work together, and our partners see the potential too. We know our future is already brighter than our past, and we know progress is well within our reach.”
Kenyan born and raised, Rob Stevenson is the organiser of Kenya’s Last Male Standing Rhino Cup for the past 3 years, and set up LMS to help rhino conservation in Kenya and cricket development in the Kenyan region.
Last Male Standing has approximately 6000 teams playing T20 cricket globally to raise funds and awareness for the OI Pejeta Conservancy.
Says Stevenson, “In the conservancy, they have the last three Northern White Rhino of which one is ‘Sudan’ a 100-year-old male Northern White Rhino, the last of his species, hence the name Last Male Standing. Last Male Standing supports the conservancy, and the region’s community and cricket development. LMS has grown over the past three years to 24 teams playing from South Africa, Australia, Mauritius and local. Our games are T10 with 8 in a team. This weekend, a strong local team, the Obuya Cricket Academy, chased down 73 runs to win the Last Male Standing Rhino Cup 2017.”
In addition to this, Mara Delta has formed a collaboration with hornï Underwear, a London-based online underwear brand created by former BBC news anchor, Riz Khan, to spread the word far and wide.
Journalist-turned-businessman, Khan, has also officially partnered with UK charity, Save the Rhino International, on its new range of premium, ethically-produced underwear that supports global rhino conservation efforts.
hornï pledges to donate a minimum of 10% of its pre-tax profits to leading rhino conservation initiatives. The brand aims to raise awareness on key conservation messages through events such as LSM’s unique cricket match, the media, and special-edition collections reflecting its mission.
On how Khan came up with the brand name, he says, “I scribbled down the name, and it occurred to me that the brand name ‘hornï’ would have to have an honourable mission, and without hesitation, I was inspired that part of our profits could be donated towards global Rhino conservation. Also, hornï is an anagram of the word, rhino.”
Mara Delta’s CEO Bronwyn Corbett commissioned a team to document the event, as well as the last remaining three Northern White Rhino subspecies, and Sudan.