An update from Susan Labandibar, founder of the Hutan Project and volunteer coordinator for OFI.
Volunteers are an important part of our work at Orangutan Foundation International. Earlier this year, Helen Laub from the Adelaide Zoo spent six weeks at the Care Center enriching the lives of the orangutans by working with them and stimulating them to further their growth and development during their rehabilitation period prior to release. Helen worked daily with the orangutans, providing them with mentally engaging toys and foods after their “jungle play time.” She would spend extra time with those orangutans who were not medically well enough to go outside and work with them while the others did their outdoor training and games.
To complement the wonderful work that Helen did at the Care Center, we are lucky to have a new volunteer to join our team. Alie Ashbury, affectionately known as Smashbury to her Skype buddies, has just signed on to spend the next 12 months helping Dr. Galdikas from wherever in the world our globe-trotting leader is currently active. Here’s Alie now:
Hi guys! I’m Alie! I’m from Kingston, Ontario. I’ve been fascinated by primates since my first project about orangutans and strangler figs in the sixth grade. I recently completed an Honours degree in Anthropology at the University of Victoria and as part of my degree, I conducted primatological field work in Nicaragua and Indonesia. I enjoy hiking through muddy forests, eating with my hands, and that satisfying feeling of scratching mosquito bites. I hope to eventually pursue graduate studies in primate conservation, and in the meantime I am very excited to be working with Dr. Galdikas and OFI!
As soon as Alie finishes her degree in Anthropology at the University of Victoria, she will blast off with Dr. Galikas to Lithuania and then accompany her to Indonesia, where she will hook up with veteran volunteer, Janie Dubman.
Welcome to our team Alie! Prepare yourself for the experience of a lifetime!
