Words: Jonathan Wells
Before Geoffrey Kent became a worldwide travel pioneer and CEO of luxury travel agency Abercrombie and Kent, he spent his childhood in the wilds of untamed Africa.
Born in Zambia and raised on his family’s farm in the Aberdare Highlands of Kenya, Kent’s youth culminated in a two-month solo expedition across the African continent when he was 16. And it was during this time that he formed his opinions on conservation, coining both his and his company’s mantra – “hunt with a camera, not with a gun”.
A great supporter of Friends of Conservation (FOC) – a wildlife conservation charity – Kent’s own company has always put the safety and prosperity of the African environment first.
The FOC protect endangered wildlife and conserve natural habitats which are at risk of disappearing, operating mainly in the ‘Greater Mara’ Ecosystem, Kenya. And, on September 27th, Kent will join forces with another ‘Kenya boy’, Dr Richard Leakey, to discuss the problems conservationists now face.
Leakey, who also grew up in Nairobi, is a renowned paleoanthropologist, activist and conservationist – and intends to share stories and discuss the ongoing challenges facing wildlife conservation with Kent during the one-off event at the prestigious Royal Geographical Society.
From anti-poaching and education initiatives to income generation and health programmes, the ‘Kenya boys’ hope that the evening will raise awareness of the problems currently faced in Africa.
Dr Leakey, who is the current Chair of the Kenya Wildlife Service, will also discuss the challenges of tackling wildlife crime and consider how Africa’s elephant, rhino and numerous other threatened species can be protected.
Tickets for the event are £25 and available at eventbrite.co.uk
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