Help Aketi Heal

Give an orphaned bonobo the first year she deserves.

Nine-month-old Aketi should still be clinging to her mother.

Instead, after her family was killed by poachers, she spent nearly two months alone in the hands of wildlife traffickers.

She arrived at Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary dehydrated and had rope wounds on her hips, a heartbreaking sign of how she had been kept.

She was weak and had difficultly eating solid food, forcing our veterinary team to put her back on formula just to help her regain her strength.

Today, Aketi is safe at Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But her journey is only beginning.

She now depends on her substitute mother, dedicated veterinarians, and an entire team of caregivers for everything: every bottle, every meal, every medical check, every comforting hug, and every opportunity to learn how to be a bonobo again.

Every day she grows stronger. She's beginning to enjoy bananas, wild berries, and tender plant shoots. She's becoming more confident. She's learning to trust.

But none of this is possible without you.

Our Goal: Raise $15,000 to Give Aketi Her First Year of Care

Your gift will provide everything Aketi needs during the most critical year of her recovery.

Your donation can provide:

$25 — Milk, enrichment toys, and comfort for Aketi for one month.

$50 — One month of veterinary care to keep her healthy and growing.

$100 — One month of nutritious food as she transitions from formula to solid foods.

$300 — One month of care from the substitute mother who comforts, feeds, and nurtures Aketi every day.

$400 — One month of support from the dedicated bonobo keepers who provide around-the-clock care.

$1,200 — All of Aketi's food for her entire first year at Lola ya Bonobo.

$2,500 — Help cover the extraordinary cost of Aketi's rescue, including emergency response, transport, veterinary supplies, rescue coordination, and the dedicated staff who brought her to safety.

Any amount helps give Aketi another chance at life.

Where Your Support Goes

Your generosity will help provide:

Every Orphan Has a Story. You Can Help Write Aketi's Next Chapter.

Aketi lost everything because of the illegal wildlife trade.

She cannot return to the forest today.

She cannot survive on her own.

But with your help, she can recover.

One day, if all goes well, Aketi will join other rescued bonobos at Lola ya Bonobo, where she'll climb trees, make lifelong friendships, and experience what every young bonobo deserves: safety, family, and the freedom to simply be a bonobo.

Today, her future begins with you.

Please make a gift today and help Aketi heal.