Teresa Bastian first visited Rajasthan in India in 2011 when recovering from illness and immediately realised her goal in life, to save elephants from cruelty.

A couple of years ago Teresa set up a rescue project "Rescued by Angels" - involving a proper company formation - in Jaipur to support Indian elephants. She runs the project herself and co-ordinates all volunteer tours ("Angels Tours") alongside doing all the administration work. Kana Ram Nehra is the director and local contact in Jaipur and does the driving of most of the customers. Another volunteer, Michele Folmer, runs the hotel department. The three set up the company together in October 2013, with "Rescued by Angels" commencing activities in November 2014.

The project has links with Wildlife SOS near Agra which rescues bears, snakes and leopards, as well as elephants, from abuse and neglect.

"A Hand to Give" is a social and welfare initiative to educate tourists when it comes to the importance of travelling ethically, including working towards the welfare of India's majestic elephants; it also supports diverse educational projects aimed at children.

Separately, India Authentic Tours offers "ethical" tours in India focusing on culture, spiritual, education and leisure; as well as planned day excursions, they also run volunteer programmes working with rescued elephants and bears. It arranges transport by train, plane, car and minibus, and accommodation in 3*, 4* & 5* hotels, Heritage and Homestays.

Wildlife SOS currently supports 23 elephants - of which 3 are blind - which have been rescued from temples, tourist safaris and circuses. Last year, Raju the elephant received world-wide media coverage when he was brought to tears when being rescued after being held in chains and beaten for more than 50 years.

 

To raise money for rescuing elephants - average rescue costs are 10-12,000 USD - Teresa began designing and selling hand printed, organic fair trade t-shirts. With the €500 profit realised (after providing local employment to poor families in India) she re-invested it back into the initiative; instilling a FairTrade ethos and after subsequently having other items produced and sold, including scarves and jewellery (silver, etc.), the total currently stands at 8,500 USD. She hopes to raise the difference and reach her goal by March 2016.

In addition to saving towards the total, some funds raised go towards the other initiatives, including two laptops purchased for Wildlife SOS.

To help Teresa and "A Hand to Give" to reach their goal by which they will be able to save one elephant in India this year, send her a message through the "Rescued by Angels" or "A Hand to Give" Facebook page.

Teresa Bastian originates from Cambridge in England and works at a children's home in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg. To contact her, email: ahandtogive@hotmail.com.

For further information, see www.facebook.com/rescuedbyangels,  www.facebook.com/ahandtogive, www.indiaauthentictours.com  and www.wildlifesos.org.