A letter written by Emerson 3rd Grader Veda Diptiman
Hello Emerson Students, Parents, and Teachers!
I’m Veda Diptiman, a third grader at Emerson School. I’m very passionate about issues involving endangered animals, especially Asian elephants (different from African elephants). Education is key in helping improve their critically endangered status and I’ve been trying to spread the word about this very important conservation movement at school by making presentations to middle-schoolers, with the help and guidance of our Middle School science teacher, Mr. Tim Wilson; I hope to do more with the lower school as well! My mother has helped me learn a lot including collecting information, setting up PowerPoint presentations, and writing this letter as well.
I hope that you are like me, interested in lending a helping hand, no matter how small, to such meaningful causes. Trust me, even you single handedly can make a difference all the way across the globe! Like me, you can adopt an elephant and send money for its care and rehabilitation; my adopted (from last year) baby orphan elephant was recently released into a safe sanctuary in India upon becoming happy and healthy. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW.org) is currently one of the largest animal welfare and conservation charities in the world, and has a very extensive program for the rescue, care, support, rehabilitation, and conservation of endangered Asian elephants, especially in India. Famous actor Leonardo DiCaprio (from the movie Titanic) became an activist and global ambassador for the IFAW and its illustrious elephant conservation program.
My hope for Dhemaji is that she’ll one day be strong enough to be released back to the wild
Not only does the elephant conservation movement need our help but now I’ve heard about another baby elephant which was orphaned and I thought we could help together, you and I. The baby elephant’s name is Dhemaji; when she was just two months old, she was swept away by a river while her herd was trying to cross. She got stuck on a sandbank in the river and got separated; her mother was later found murdered by poachers. IFAW’s elephant conservation team rushed to the scene and brought Dhemaji back to their Wildlife Rescue Center’s veterinary clinic for treatment. She spent weeks getting care, but thanks to the expert treatment provided, Dhemaji survived. Now she needs extensive care and lots of support before being well enough to be taught the skills necessary to survive in the wild. Dhemaji needs to have a steady supply of nourishing milk so she can continue to grow strong and healthy…she needs ongoing veterinary treatment to make sure she remains healthy…and she needs careful supervision as she is integrated further into the small elephant herd at the Rehabilitation Center. My hope for Dhemaji is that she’ll one day be strong enough to be released back to the wild in the protected Manas National Park in India, a sanctuary for Asian elephants and other endangered animals, a journey that could take several years.
So, won’t you join me in helping this baby elephant and contributing some money towards its care and rehabilitation? Along the way, I can help you learn more about these magnificent gentle giants and how to help protect them and hopefully bring them back from their critically endangered state, through class presentations, newsletter articles etc.
Your support will be a lifeline for Dhemaji and others, who so desperately need us. Let us band together, as a school that cares, as dedicated citizens of this world, as budding conservationists, to help adopt and care for this endangered baby orphan elephant. Let us help her and aid this conservation effort. Let us make a difference! And, don’t forget how cute and adorable these animals truly are! =) Thank you for reading so patiently and for your support in advance!
Should you want more information, wish to make a donation, or wish to contact me for a class presentation, please do so by contacting my parents (See Emerson’s family directory).
Sincerely,
Veda Diptiman
