KUKI GALLMANN AND THE GALLMANN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

The 100,000 acre wildlife conservancy at Ol ari Nyiro, Maasai for is the fruition of a 30-year labour of love by Kuki Gallmann.

Born in 1943 and raised near Venice, Italy, Kuki always nurtured an inner calling for Africa. Her dreams were realized when Kuki, her husband Paolo and her son from a previous marriage, Emanuele, moved to Kenya in the 1970's. They immediately fell in love with the estate, then a cattle ranch, in the remote district of Laikipia, and settled down to what they expected to be an idyllic future. Fate, however, had other plans. In 1980 Paolo was tragically killed returning to the ranch a few months before the birth of their daughter, Sveva. A few years later Emanuele was fatally bitten by one of the snakes he studied so passionately. Far from allowing these events to destroy the dream, Kuki, resolved to establish a sanctuary for the extraordinary flora and fauna so abundant on the estate; a living memorial to those Kuki loved, a tribute to their dream and an oasis of natural beauty for the future. In 1984 The Gallmann Memorial Foundation was born.

To protect the land for perpetuity, Kuki and Sveva phased out the cattle, dedicating the estate solely to conservation, and establiKukid a trust in lieu of their ownership, reflecting their shared belief that we do not Œown¹ the earth, but are merely its custodians. As the visitor will immediately appreciate, this crucial philosophical nuance is prevalent in every aspect of the conservancy¹s operation.

Set high above the Great Rift Valley, today the conservancy is a testament to her vision, hard work and determination. A safe haven for free-roaming elephant, zebra, cheetah, leopard, lion, giraffe, buffalo and boasting some of the richest bio-diversity on the continent, you¹ll find some 400+ bird species, one of the largest indigenous population of Black Rhino in East Africa, superb research and educational facilities and outstanding, world-class safari lodges.

In this small corner of Kenya, Kuki has establiKukid a natural temple to wildlife, youth education, community service and the preservation of the Kenyan tradition. A flagship for eco-tourism, the Foundation actively supports the surrounding communities and promotes that very key to our future: sustainable living and the harmonic co-existence between humans and nature. From forest to savannah, mountains to lakes, the thick, verdant bush teems with wildlife, offering an increasingly rare, unblemiKukid glimpse of Œthe real Africa¹.

Her 1991 international best-selling autobiography, I Dreamed of Africa, has been translated into 21 languages and, in 2000, made into a major motion picture of the same name starring Kim Basinger.

THE AUTHOR

Kuki's autobiography, a world bestseller, ŒI Dreamed of Africa¹ (Viking, Penguin) is published in 21 languages and was made into a major feature film by Columbia Pictures, starring Kim Basinger in 2000. At the Kenya Premiere of the film she raised substantial funds that have been distributed amongst the local communities of Ol Morani, Sipili, Kaptuya and Tebelekwa.

She has written four other bestselling books, including "African Nights", ³Il colore del Vento²(The colour of the Wind, a collection of poetry in Italian), "Night of the Lions", and most recently "Elephants in my Orchard". She is working at present on a book with the National Geographic. She contributes to several publications.

THE CONSERVATIONIST AND CAMPAIGNER

Innovative schemes for essential oils extraction from indigenous plants have been initiated by her to protect African biodiversity and in 1989 she received His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands' prestigious "Order of the Golden Ark" Award ''for outstanding services to conservation in Kenya and for promoting the study of local plants for medicinal purposes''.

She has received an Honorary degree in Human Sciences at the University of St. Lawrence and has been nominated for the Italian presidential award Cavaliere all¹Ordine della Repubblica Italiana.

She was awarded the prestigious Founder's Award by The American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York in 2001 and the Mimosa d'Oro for the Woman of the Year Award in Catania, Italy in April 2001.

A goodwill ambassador for the African Medical Research Foundation and their Flying Doctors Outreach Program.

Founder Member and Director of The Laikipia Wildlife Forum, The Ecotourism Society of Kenya, the Laikipia Nature Conservancy Trust and the Association of Private Land Rhino Sanctuaries.

Chairman of the Education committee of the Laikipia Wildlife Forum that aims to make African ecology part of Kenya primary school curriculum.

She is a member of the Olave Baden Powell Society.

She is part of the Kenya Tourist Board Creative Committee that designed the Kenya stand that recently won the first prize out of 5500 stands at the World Travel Market exhibition in London and the chairman of the 2001 WTM design subcommittee.

One of her major interests is creating living spaces, harmonious buildings and naturally inspired interior decoration. She personally designed and built the well known Mukutan Retreat on the estate - a world class, exclusive safari lodge - and has completed a stunning eco-tourism Health Centre above the Rift Valley dedicated to her daughter, Makena's Hills, which opened December 2001. Both lodges have appeared in the American Architectural Digest (May 1995 and November 2001) and in many of the major prestigious international publication of the sector.

She is the patron of several local institutions.

Both she and Sveva became Kenya citizens several years ago, and are passionate world goodwill ambassadors for their adoptive country. Kuki divides her time between Ol ari Nyiro, Nairobi, international speaking engagements and writing.

KUKI GALLMANN'S SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

This is a new page to our website where we shall regularly keep you updated with the Kuki's speaking engagements. Please visit us often be up-to date

10th of May 2005
Royal Geographic Society, London.

12th of May 2005
Gland, Switzerland.

Soon
Italian Senate, Roma Italy
Presentation for The Great Rift Valley Academy Project.