How we can co-exist.

THE CHARITY

Through our programs, H-ELP currently contributes to the development, welfare and safety of elephant handlers and trainers across India, Thailand and Myanmar. The relationship between human and elephant has been established over centuries across Asia and it is important to understand that we need to co-exist in a harmonious way. Understand the complexities of the issue by visiting the H-ELP website. Donations are all tax deductible and are directly given to the areas, people and elephants who need it.

ROLE AS CHAIR (now board member)

Since 2017, being involved with H-ELP has been such an honour. The culture of the organisation is everything it should be. Everyone looks after each other, respects each other’s roles and understands where each individual’s strengths are. Being volunteer’s it is important to develop patience and understanding to the realistic goals in which can be achieved in the time frame allowed. Dr Andrew McLean’s life work is such an important legacy to continue. Business framework is what M has been appointed to create and develop.

FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES

From fundraising events to individual initiatives . There are many roles you can play in raising money for H-ELP. From holding a function to a dinner party or an online auction. As seen above this was a creative piece for a media wall where we created such a spectacle for a fundraising ball in 2018. It was donated by local business’ and installed by local people as a donation to the cause. Believe it or not all fruit and vegetables were taken home for the chooks and there wasn’t one banana left at the end of the evening.

Testimonial

I first came to know Marlee Horobin around five years ago through my work with our not-for-profit registered charity, the Human-Elephant Learning Programmes Foundation (H-ELP). Until that time, the H-ELP Foundation was struggling financially. We had a great product: a charity that involved a new humane way of training elephants in Southeast Asia (that meant that the old cruel way could be abandoned), and we had a world-first track record of success in three S. East Asian countries and yet our work was seemingly invisible except for a few posts on social media. 

Marlee suggested we take what I thought was quite a risk in setting up a gala ball for the H-ELP Foundation, because she knew that we had quite a lot of supporters out in the public and in our local state of Victoria. The Gala ball went ahead and was a huge success. We raised five times more money than we had ever done in past years. Marlee then came onto the board of the H-ELP Foundation, and with her guidance the funding of the H-ELP Foundation has never looked back. 

Last year Marlee was voted as Chair of the H-ELP Foundation in recognition of her leadership abilities. Marlee has demonstrated that she has the necessary attributes to maintain sustainability and promote development of the H-ELP Foundation such as the ability to take a balanced view of problems that may arise and to facilitate solutions in an empathic strategic manner. Marlee is a team person and thrives in a team environment and puts across her views with humility and determination. 

Much of the work of the H-ELP Foundation has originated from an academic standpoint of animal welfare and animal learning. Fundamentally what was needed was an ability to bridge the gap and reach out to the potential market and present our work to the general reader.  Marlee has excelled in these abilities, and a Senior Vice Chairman, and Founder of the H-ELP Foundation, I feel very privileged to have Marlee as Chair. The fact that she is willing to work so tirelessly in a voluntary capacity in a not-for-profit charity speaks volumes of someone and I am full of admiration for Marlee Horobin because nothing, it seems, is ever too difficult for her and she forges ahead with an unfailing cheerful disposition

Andrew McLean, PhD

CEO, Equitation Science International | Behaviour Consultant, Melbourne University Veterinary Hospital | Honorary Associate, University of Sydney | Honorary Fellow & Trustee, International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) | Director, Pony Club Australia | Senior Vice Chairman, Human Elephant Learning Programs (The HELP Foundation Ltd) | Member IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group