By Frank Kamuntu
Billionaire businessman and co-founder of the Ruparelia Foundation, Dr Sudhir Ruparelia, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT) for his philanthropic contribution to the trust, especially the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Sudhir who is also the founder and Chairman of the Ruparelia Group – one of Uganda’s largest business conglomerates with investments in financial services, real estate, education services, hospitality, agriculture and media/broadcasting was along with other contributors to the Trust, awarded during the Trust’s 25th Anniversary, held at the Speke Resort Munyonyo, one of the Group’s hotels.
The dinner was among others attended by Dr. Jane Goodall an English primatologist and anthropologist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute. The Institute is one of the co-founders of the Trust and Sanctuary.
“We at the Ruparelia Group, and I personally, are grateful to have been accorded a chance to be part of 23 of these 25 years of the Ngamba Island and pledge to continue being lifelong partners to this noble cause,” the businessman said in a recorded video speech.
Sudhir’s Life Time Achievement Award in recognition of the significant and sustained contribution to Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary for 25 Years.
The Group started working with the Trust way back in 1999, just 2 years after the founding of the Sanctuary in 1997. Some of the initiatives the Ruparelias have actively contributed to include the 1999 Census Project and several other events hosted by the Ruparelia Group such as the Ngambap20 Anniversary dinner.
In March 2018, the Ruparelias solidified this partnership with the lifetime adoption and naming of one of the Chimps at Ngamba Island Ruparelia, after the Group.
The Ruparelia’s also formally incorporated their works with the Trust under the Ruparelia Group’s Ruparelia Foundation.
“Since then we have been privileged to annually contribute towards ensuring that “Ruparelia” (the Chimp) and all other rescued Chimps at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary have a safe place to live and receive all the food, medical care and love they need,” says Sudhir.
Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia attended the Ngamba Island Jubilee Dinner at Speke Resort Munyonyo where he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his significant and sustained contribution to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee sanctuary for 25 Years.
“The Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a project that is so dear to us. It is a core component of our environmental and wildlife conservation pillar of the Ruparelia Foundation which was founded in 2012 by myself and my wife, Jyostna Ruparelia; adds Dr. Sudhir.
The Foundation is the family’s sustainability and corporate social investment initiative that runs its programmes under the theme: “Enriching Lives Together”.
Other pillars are sports, education & talent development; arts, culture, heritage and religion, as well as supporting vulnerable people. Over 600 initiatives and projects have to date benefitted from the Foundation.
“I would like to thank the Trust for giving us the opportunity to become your Partners in Wildlife Welfare. We also wish you, many more years and lifelong success. I would also like to congratulate the Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT) also known as the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and its founders, especially the Jane Goodall Institute for the over 25 years of being Partners in the Welfare of Wildlife in Uganda,” he concluded.
