Last Saturday 31st August 2013 was the fundraising dinner to feed rescued chimpanzees at Ngamba Island was held at Sheraton Hotel. The red carpet affair kicked off 7pm prompt with an hour-long cocktail.
The guests were easy to identify judging by the animal prints in their outfits, which was in line with suggested jungle gear dress code. At around 8pm, the over 150 guests who had turned up for the fundraiser were ushered into the elaborately set Rwenzori Ballroom with partitioned tables stuffed with little chimpanzees.
To make the guests comfortable, were a group of six people from the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), who made unique chimpanzee sounds. The captivated audience listened attentively to welcome remarks by Ms Lilly Ajarova, the executive director of CSWCT. She informed the audience that chimpanzees are 97.8 per cent human and are an endangered species due to meat and pet trade as well as bush destruction.
She explained, “At the moment, there are approximately 150,000 chimpanzees in the world, approximately 5,000 of them in Uganda and CSWCT has rescued 48 chimps. As empty plates were removed from the tables, a sentimental story of Ikuru, a chimp rescued in 2001 after she watched her mother shot to death and her body burnt to ashes was narrated.
Chris Pollard, the General Manager of Sheraton Kampala Hotel, gave a speech about the hotel’s commitment to support CSWCT in its quest to protect and rehabilitate rescued chimpanzees.
The chief guest, Minister of State for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Dr Maria Mutagamba, in her speech, urged the guests to love Uganda. “Let us show love for our country by going out to love nature,” she said.
This was followed by the auction of two paintings, two pictures and a chimp footprint. A painting of Medina, a rescued chimp was sold at Shs1.4m. Pollard bought the second painting at Shs200, 000. A picture of Baluku who was rescued after losing two fingers and surviving trade in 1999, was bought by Arthur Busingye at Shs1.6m.
Amos Wekesa the Managing Director of Great Lakes Safaris bought the last picture of Pasa the chimp together with her silver footprint, at Shs2.3m.
With an annual budget of Shs100m for chimpanzee food, Shs25m for veterinary care and Shs105m for maintenance of the facilities at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, it made sense that the tickets for the dinner were each sold at Shs200,000.