Save the Shoebill

29/10/2026

We are continuing to make progress with Kenneth Tumusiime and his team in Uganda!

Thank you to all who have supported us this far and keep up the momentum to see this through to the end!

The Shoebill is worth it! The many other species in that area are worth it! This facility and conservation project will impact the lives of many in that community and ensure the natural habitat is sustained and maintained!

With love

Save Shoebill

Saveshoebill.com

25/10/2026

Sammy and Tilly go to see the conservation center that Kenneth Tumusiime's team is building near Lake Mburo, Uganda. Tilly finds the water tank first, and she is impressed.

The tank is real. Back in March we shared that a 10,000-liter tank was in place to harvest water and support construction. Since then, the walls have gone up in grey block on a red brick base.

When the conservation center is done, it will be a place where local people can train in conservation and responsible tourism. Kenneth's team is building it block by block, and we are glad to help from here in South Carolina.

Sammy and Tilly come from our picture book, The Shoebill & The Turtle. Thank you for following along with them.

13/10/2026

We're $3,000 away from completing our conservation center near Lake Mburo, Uganda.

The center sits on three acres we've already secured. It will be home base for Kenneth Tumusiime and the Save Shoebill Conservation Project team, who'll use it to train local guides, run shoebill counts, and welcome the families who share these wetlands with one of Africa's rarest birds.

We've kept overhead low, so your gift goes to the work on the ground. Friends of Save Shoebill also holds Candid's 2026 Silver Seal of Transparency.

One more tip: many employers match charitable gifts. Search "Friends of Save Shoebill" or our EIN 88-2396668 in your company's giving portal, and your gift could count twice.

Help us finish it:

Give a tax-deductible gift to Friends of Save Shoebill Conservation Project. Your donation funds Shoebill sanctuary land, a training building, and locally led conservation in Uganda. EIN 88-2396668.

02/10/2026

We have made great progress this year! A majority of our donations are $100 or less. There is no contribution too small!

Check out our page for pics and videos of the progress!

Donate at Saveshoebill.com

28/09/2026

The Adventures of Sammy the Shoebill and Tilly the Turtle Episode 4: The Still Hunt

Tilly wants to learn how Sammy hunts. First lesson: patience. Tilly says turtles already mastered that. Sammy agrees patience for the hunt, and patience for protecting the wetlands that are home.

Together we can make this place sustainable for generations to come.

Three acres secured near Lake Mburo. The field training building is rising. Same patience that wins the hunt is how we save this place.

Only about 3,300–5,300 mature shoebills left worldwide. IUCN Vulnerable.

From the kids’ book The Shoebill & The Turtle. Real Uganda partner work with SSCP.

saveshoebill.com

Friends of Save Shoebill · 501(c)(3) · EIN 88-2396668

24/09/2026

For all the new followers, we thought it might be a good idea to summarize who we are and what we are working on!

From Charleston, South Carolina, a small U.S. charity is building a training camp in Uganda for one of Africa’s rarest birds.

Friends of Save Shoebill is a 501(c)(3) based in the Lowcountry. We raise dollars here so our Uganda partner, Save Shoebill Conservation Project, can protect wetlands near Lake Mburo, starting with 3 acres already secured and a field/training building under construction now.

There are only 3,300–5,300 mature shoebills remain worldwide (IUCN Vulnerable). Lowcountry folks already know why wetlands matter, as we’re familiar with the ACE Basin and Caw Caw. We’re just extending that care across the globe.

We hold Candid’s 2026 Silver Seal of Transparency to show our legitimacy along with photo and video updates of our progress in Uganda.

If that sounds like work worth backing, please visit our gofundme at saveshoebill.com/donate

Thank you for your involvement and we look forward to our continued work to SAVE SHOEBILL!

Give a tax-deductible gift to Friends of Save Shoebill Conservation Project. Your donation funds Shoebill sanctuary land, a training building, and locally led conservation in Uganda. EIN 88-2396668.

23/09/2026

Progress continues!

We are very close to hitting our next fundraising threshold! Please contribute and share what you can, every bit counts!

SAVE SHOEBILL

Saveshoebill.com/donate

20/09/2026

The Adventures of Sammy the Shoebill and Tilly the Turtle — Episode 3

Sammy and Tilly have their 3 acres near Lake Mburo. Next up: a small training building so local monitors can learn nest counts, keep an eye on the wetland, and teach neighbors why papyrus matters.

Only about 3,300–5,300 mature shoebills left. IUCN Vulnerable. This is real Uganda wetland work with our field partner SSCP / Kenneth Tumusiime.

We’re a US 501(c)(3) (EIN 88-2396668)

Current goal: $5,000 for that field/training building (GoFundMe shows smaller increments)

Watch the Reel, then chip in if you can: saveshoebill.com/donate

Friends of Save Shoebill · Summerville / Charleston · 2026 Candid Silver Seal

17/09/2026

We just earned our Silver Seal of Transparency from Candid

Our Candid profile now includes our Uganda programs (sanctuary land near Lake Mburo + field training), who’s in charge, how to donate, and our IRS filing so donors and grantmakers can check us before they give.

Friends of Save Shoebill is a U.S. 501(c)(3) funding Kenneth’s team on the ground.

Profile: https://app.candid.org/profile/14058046/friends-of-save-shoebill-conservation-project/?pkId=1838dbb9-2e30-43b5-8ec8-dfa828785f5a&isActive=true

Donate: https://saveshoebill.com/donate