Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary (TCS) was founded in 1995 by Bala Amarasekaran together with the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL), which allotted 40 hectares of land to be used inside the area which is now the Western Area Peninsula National Park. As of April 2021, the sanctuary cares for 99 chimpanzees and, unfortunately, each year more orphan chimpanzees continue to arrive at TCS. Although registered as an agency under the Wildlife Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, TCS does not currently receive funding from GoSL. Through self-funding mechanisms, TCS perseveres to rescue and care for chimpanzees that have been orphaned due to the illegal bush-meat and pet trade or other human-wildlife conflict. TCS also proactively seeks out and secures grants to protect the 5,500 chimpanzees living in the wild across Sierra Leone and their natural habitat. Everything TCS does starts with the chimps and transitions into wildlife conservation, research, climate change mitigation, advocacy, law enforcement, youth and women empowerment, community outreach, eco-tourism, environmental education and livelihood support initiatives. As a result, TCS has emerged as a globally recognized conservation model which provides a source of learning and inspiration for sanctuaries across Africa and worldwide. Over the years, TCS has become an international brand by being featured in numerous international documentaries and articles in acclaimed international publications, thereby raising the awareness and funding for wildlife conservation in Sierra Leone and Africa. We’re hoping to partner with like-minded organizations to amplify our message and inspire people by sharing some of our untold stories.