Poaching has pushed rhino populations to the brink of extinction. South Africa is home to approximately 70% of the world’s remaining rhinos. One rhino is killed for its horns every day.

Having worked with rhinos for almost a decade, Council of Contributors (CoC), a nonprofit organization founded by former Minnesotan Kennedy Zakeer, has purchased a 1540-acre plot of land situated in proximity to the UNESCO Waterberg biosphere. Zakeer’s primary objective is to deliver expert care to rhinos of all ages, conditions, and circumstances.

This exciting rhino haven will rehabilitate orphaned, traumatized, or injured animals.  They will offer safe-refuge for physical and psychological healing, for as long as it takes – with an emphasis on best-practice, limited access protocols that prepare for eventual integration in to the wild.  The CoC rhino orphanage and sanctuary will be operational in mid-2024.

As the rhino facility scales up, Zakeer and the Olseth Family Foundation will implement an elementary education and awareness program at a select school in Minnesota and/or Oregon.  We have the power to turn the tide on poaching through building tenderness for all creatures and working together across continents.