Clockwise from far left:
Room with a view in Malawi.
Elephants in Hwange National
Park, Zimbabwe. Grant
rescuing a Kudu stuck in a
park fence. Michelle assisting
with feeding elephant
calves with GRI’s Elephant
Orphanage Project in Zambia.
Observation point selfie.
With a combined 15 years of experience
as South African field guides, the
pair have been invaluable to the
conservation groups they’ve visited.
Grant has a helicopter license and has
assisted with game capture and wildlife
veterinary work, while Michelle has a
degree in international economics that’s
been useful in gathering statistics and
data for the parks. In turn, they’ve been
inspired by the efforts and commitment
of those fighting for the future of
Africa’s wildlife, despite challenging
bureaucracy, tight budgets and shrinking
resources. Rebekah Fun k spoke to
them from the road.
What made you embark on this
adventure?
Michelle Campbell: We simply felt we
wanted to do more for conservation.
We were both working as safari guides
in South Africa and were very aware of
the bigger conservation issues, especially
rhino poaching, which affected the
reserve we were in. We felt we had a lot
more to give of ourselves and of our time.
We decided to travel and learn a little
more about the different conservation
issues across Africa and also to assist
wherever we could. There is always a
reason not to do something, but you have
to look past it and do it anyway.
You mention you want to be “hands
on the ground” for conservation
organisations in remote places that
need the help – how do you link up
with these groups?
Grant Pengilly: Most of the bigger
organisations that are easy to find already
have enough support and aren’t really
interested in the two of us offering
help. A lot of the small, more remote
organisations are open to help – even if
it’s just a couple of extra hands around
camp to lighten the load, or someone
to drive a vehicle and do pickups and
drop-offs or run errands. We also have
some specialised skills through our
MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE // 59