“Why elephants?” you ask…

As we step into a new year, I find myself reflecting on just how far we have come with Elephant Havens.

In 2017, Bee approached us with a simple but extraordinary dream to create an elephant orphanage in Botswana. At the time, Botswana was home to the largest population of elephants in Africa, yet there was no place to care for the most vulnerable babies—those who had lost their herds for reasons beyond their control.

Today, that dream is very real. We have rescued 39 orphaned baby elephants and now employ more than 50 local Botswana citizens. What once felt uncertain has become a place of hope, healing, and love.

I often think back to our very first supporters, those who asked thoughtful, important questions that challenged us to think deeply about what we were building.

One question has stayed with me all these years, “Why elephants?”

Back then, my answer was honest but simple. “Because I love them.”

Now, I think I can explain it better.

We have just returned from three weeks at Elephant Havens. Every night after dinner, I would quietly slip into Joy’s boma. Joy came to us when she was only three weeks old, sunburned, alone, with no mother anywhere to be found. I would sit beside her for a few minutes, just to say goodnight before she fell asleep.

Without fail, she would plop herself down next to me and gently rest her head in my lap. In those moments, I am certain I am the luckiest human on the planet.

One evening, when I arrived, Joy was already asleep. I sat quietly beside her, not wanting to wake her. She stirred, looked at me with those beautiful brown eyes, and I gently put my finger in her mouth for her to suck, just like a human baby with a pacifier. She relaxed instantly and drifted back to sleep, reassured that she was safe and loved.

During the day, I watch the other babies—also young, also orphaned—instinctively care for the tiniest among them. They wait for them, protect them, and walk beside them. Somehow, without having had an elephant family to teach them these lessons, they simply know to love those younger than themselves.

How do they know? I can only answer, “Because they are elephants.”

I often say that elephants have all the good qualities humans have and none of the bad.

Because of what the elephants have taught us, I believe Elephant Havens has become a place built on compassion, patience, and care—for animals and for people alike. It is a place where love is felt, not just spoken.

If this story touches your heart, I invite you to be part of it. Whether through a donation, sharing our mission with others, or planning a visit to experience Elephant Havens for yourself, your support makes this work possible. Every act of kindness helps ensure that babies like Joy grow up knowing safety, love, and a future.

Please know that you are part of our family. We are deeply grateful for all you have helped us create, and we look forward to continuing this journey together.

With much gratitude and love,
Debra