In a nutshell
The German association Chimfunshi e.V. has been active for almost 40 years, focusing on wildlife rescue, education and nature conservation at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage.
Our headquarters are in Hamburg and we have another project office in Berlin, but our hearts beat for Zambia.
We are a small but mighty team of volunteers, permanent employees, association members and an extremely active board of directors. This is our story:
Chimfunshi Germany
In 1989, Hamburg businessman Stephan Louis founded Chimfunshi e.V. with the aim of protecting endangered chimpanzees and supporting the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia.
The organisation's mission is to help the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust with great commitment, a small team and numerous donors and sponsors to save chimpanzees in need, to protect Zambian nature and wildlife and to improve the future prospects of the people in and around Chimfunshi.
Through keynote speeches, education projects, campaigns, collaborations and networking, the organisation aims to raise awareness of the Chimfunshi project, attract further supporters and promote cooperation between Chimfunshi and international scientists, institutes and universities, as well as other chimpanzee sanctuaries worldwide.
A home for chimpanzees in need
When Stephan Louis first visited Chimfunshi in 1988, he immediately became enthusiastic about the Siddle family's chimpanzee conservation project and realized that the area's thousands of acres of Miombo tropical forest habitat, including the vitally important headwaters of the Kafue River, riverine habitats and aquifer wetlands offered ideal conditions to create a species-appropriate and much-needed home for chimpanzees in need from around the world. He began to support the project significantly financially, bought adjacent land areas and, through the Chimfunshi Verein zum Schutz bedrohter Umwelt e.V. he recruited others organisations and individuals to support the project.
Thanks to the financial help from Germany, the conservation project grew quickly. Chimfunshi Zambia was transformed into a foundation, and Stephan took over the chairmanship of the founding board.
Chimfunshi e.V. today
In 2011, Stephan Louis passed away unexpectedly at the age of only 57. Since then, his brother Sebastian Louis has continued the project with the same commitment and in the spirit of his brother, as Chairman of Chimfunshi e.V. and Chairman of the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust. Sebastian Louis regularly travels to Zambia to support the work on site.
The foundation board of Chimfunshi e.V. currently consists of Sebastian Louis (chairman), Helmut Rauber (co-chairman) and Christian Heddergott (treasurer).
In addition to this honorary board, three employees and a varying number of volunteers take care of the fundraising activities and project work. The small team is efficient and well-connected, so that external expertise can be brought in when needed.
Please note: Chimfunshi no longer permits the close physical proximity of humans to chimpanzees and other wild animals and in no way supports the keeping of chimpanzees as pets. Chimfunshi is a wildlife rescue center. All chimpanzees are cared for exclusively by trained professionals. Any photos showing humans in close proximity to Chimfinshi's chimpanzees are historical photos from the earlier days of the sanctuary.
