Little girl, big difference

Carter won the SANParks Kudu Award for an individual corporate contribution to conservation in 2013 after she raised a significant amount of money towards sponsoring a sniffer dog for the Kruger National Park.

“Rhinos are my favourite animal,” said Carter.

“My parents asked me what I wanted to do to help them, and then I said that I want to buy sniffer dogs to help catch poachers.”

Brian, Carter’s father said, “[Alyssa’s class] was learning about endangered animals in Grade 1 [ in 2013] and Alyssa came home that day with tear marks on her face and told us that she cried when her teacher told them about rhino poaching.”

Carter went away and later returned to her parents with a drawing of a rhino, and asked her parents if they could print the picture onto something to sell to raise money to help the rhino.

Brian helped his daughter to research where the funds raised could go to help stop rhino poaching, and that’s when they decided on SANParks’ Honorary Rangers Volunteer Project.

“We saw the passion in Alyssa’s eyes and immediately started encouraging her idea,” said Brian.

“After my wife, Natalie, and I sat down with Alyssa to think where we could take this idea, we decided to print the picture onto chocolates with edible ink.”

Since then, Carter has appeared on radio stations such as Talk Radio 702 and Radio Today, and has being featured on the TV show Great Expectations in their little heroes slot. She has also spoken to children at several schools about her campaign.

Brian stressed the importance of getting his daughter’s message out there.

“At the end of it all, this is all about helping a little girl to realise her dream of helping to save the rhinos,” he said.

Details: To get Alyssa to speak at your event, go to www.savetherhinos.co.za or call Brian Carter on 082 855 3281.

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