Mara Elephant Project’s core funder, the ESCAPE Foundation, Inc. has officially changed their name to the Sidekick Foundation as of October 1. While the name change reflects a more next generation approach to wildlife conservation, the mission, objectives and approach of the original ESCAPE Foundation remain the same.
The mission of Sidekick is to protect and restore endangered keystone wildlife species in the greater Maasai Mara ecosystem in Kenya by funding boots on the ground initiatives and well-informed partners that share their holistic approach. The Sidekick Foundation’s objective is to achieve a balance between human development and sustaining biodiversity for the benefit of all with a focus on protection, habitat and education aimed at developing the next generation of conservation leaders. They believe that lasting impact requires a holistic and mindful approach that invests in informed people and partnerships that nurtures innovation and passion.
The Sidekick Foundation is a family-founded foundation that all began with Fred and Suzie Fehsenfeld’s many trips to Kenya over the last 30 years. During their extensive travels throughout Kenya, they saw a need for investing in passionate conservation-focused people that were making a difference in protecting elephants and their key habitats. What started out as charitable giving soon emerged into a public 501(c)3 foundation that is still funded, at its core, by the Fehsenfeld family. The Sidekick Foundation sees that the protection of elephants and the protection of the communities living alongside them will take strong political leadership, partnerships and an increase in stakeholders’ willingness to work together towards a common goal.All of this directly aligning with MEP’s mission, objectives and approach.
As part of its ongoing support, the Sidekick Foundation has legally registered to do business as MEP in the U.S. So, when you donate through the MEP website it is still being run through this 501(c)3 and is still tax deductible for US citizens; you’ll just see a new name and new logo. MEP is fortunate to have a sidekick that maintains a strong organization to support us in an ever-changing complex world with challenging and diverse issues in the field.
