This month we meet Anne-Marie Mascaro, Founder of Monkeyfriendly

Hi Anne Marie, I would love to know more about Monkey Friendly, what was your main reason for setting up the non for profit charity and what work are you involved in?

I saw the ratios of people helping in the conservation world as being off. If you want to say, just for fun-that less than 10% of the world is a primatologist working directly in the field-I thought-what about the other 90%? That was the segment I wanted to tap into. I felt if we left primates’ fate to less than 10% of people in the world, then the situation would look bleak. By tapping into the collective efforts of the masses, I wanted to bring about more change. For example, there are artists that donate their work to primate sanctuaries. There are bankers that create grants for conservation. There are young Girl Scout members willing to lobby against palm oil in their cookies. But these are disjointed groups that don’t normally interact with one another. I wanted to create a space for the 90% to gather and start collaborating on projects that protected primates. Either together with scientists in the field, or in their own unique way. Most people are online nowadays so the Internet seemed like the best place to offer a platform by which to connect. My vision is to grow the website to be a “LinkedIn for the conservation world” in my lifetime. That is the “front-end” goal of our nonprofit. The goal on the back-end is to develop a working model of conservation that we can take worldwide. Youth conservation education programs, alternative income options for locals, creative projects. We are starting initiatives in Rwanda first, and then based on the results, we’ll start projects in other areas where primates and cultures intersect.

Tell me more about your background and how you found yourself working in this sector?

It’s really been a culmination of my life’s work. A seed was planted when I was young. I had an interaction with a chimpanzee used in the entertainment business, and my desire to work with chimps grew over time. When I was in my 20s I got involved in grass-roots marketing efforts for a chimpanzee sanctuary that helped provide a lifelong, outdoor shelter for chimps retired from medical labs. Then I went to Uganda soon after and worked with captive chimpanzees. From there, I went to the UK and did a Master’s in primate conservation. My thesis project was Monkeyfriendly.com but it was created at a time when technology was lacking. Now, the site has been completely redesigned as of 2021 and that combined with our 501c3 nonprofit status is what’s creating traction for projects that were previously only ideas.

I saw you have a few volunteering opportunities, tell me about these and what this involves and how people can get involved?

It’s a great question-thank you. Yes we have a number of initiatives that our 2 organizations have created together. Each project requires people behind the scenes to handle logistics, scheduling, and implementing the projects. Then the actual running of the projects too. For example, we’d like to begin a youth conservation education program so behind the scenes we need people developing the lesson plans. And in practical terms we’d like volunteer teachers onsite in Rwanda too. You can see our full list of projects here and I would encourage anyone to reach out to either of our organizations to see how they can get involved - https://redrocksmonkeyfriendlyinitiative.org/

What is Red Rocks exactly and how does this partnership work?

Red Rocks is an NGO in Rwanda that is focused on people and culture and using tourism revenue to connect local people to new opportunities. They are a few years old and have really worked out a formula for involving the local people in getting paid for their crafts, music, art and talents. It’s this beautiful process of preserving a culture, sharing a culture, and providing a unique experience for tourists too. While their focus is on people, our focus is on primates, so we like to think we form two halves of one whole. Our partnership involves weekly if not daily collaborations on projects designed to benefit both cultures and species. For example, we have just launched an international artist initiative in an effort to attract more international attention to our causes. The art we want to showcase is in line with our values-so it will focus on global social issues or wildlife. We are honored to have a talented artist be our first featured artist-Shai Yossef. He’s exhibited worldwide and we feel that his style represents our union.

I see you have quite a few initiatives at the moment which you are working on, is there one in particular which you are focusing your efforts on?

Yes, having just launched the international artist initiative we are now turning our efforts to reforestation and seed planting projects outside of Virunga National Park in Rwanda. This is the home to the protected gorillas. We are currently in talks with various organizations and welcome others who might want to collaborate. We would love to attract an international partner like the IUCN or WWF to help us launch such a huge initiative. It would benefit people and primates, and that’s what our partnership with Red Rocks is all about.

What really interested you in primates? Do you have a favourite?

It’s hard to explain exactly but anyone that has had a connection with a wild animal would echo my same feelings. I just felt, from a young age-a kinship with chimpanzees. To spend time with the one I did, felt as natural as spending time with my family. I knew that they did not belong dressed up and performing and I had an inherent desire to work in some way to keep them in the wild. I hate to say “favorite” but my business partners would definitely tell you I lean towards the apes. I really love all primates. I have a dream to work on a project that helps protect the endangered tarsier primate in the Philippines. I hope to actualize that in the near future, because they are running out of time. Like all conservation projects, there is not a simple solution. So from my point of view, the best you can do is keep chipping away at the issues one by one. And keep bringing creative thinking and strategy to the equation.

As you are a non for profit, what have been your biggest challenges, is it always funding?

Yes, as a nonprofit I receive no outside funding and that has been a challenge but it never stops the vision. I have had to think creatively in terms of what can I do for free, what can I barter for and what can I achieve through sheer will power? Mutual advertising and publicity has been wonderful. Monkeyfriendly members have promoted us, and our networks on LinkedIn so that helps a lot. I believe in the projects that we do so my philosophy is to apply for multiple grants and see what comes through. Eventually we hope to find a regular contributing sponsor but right now we are 5 months old and I am really happy with the progress we have made, members we have acquired, and partners we are collaborating with. One of the things that drew me to collaborate with Red Rocks from the beginning was that they were open to ideas and myself and my team have unlimited supplies so we were a good match and ideas don’t cost anything. Eventually, we will have a store on the website, to bring in revenue while selling eco friendly products.

What has been your biggest highlight so far, and what you have been most proud of?

Personally, I think it’s been completing a Master’s degree in primate conservation at Oxford Brookes, followed by my MBA in London right afterwards. Anyone that knows me can tell you that passing Level 7 math exams in the UK was the equivalent of me becoming a professional athlete in middle age. It shouldn’t have happened but somehow it did. Professionally, it was without a doubt, taking my thesis project-monkeyfriendly.com and turning it into a working nonprofit so that I could have greater impact.

What are your biggest concerns at the moment?

My biggest concerns involve what I see as short-sighted thinking by people in all sectors, globally. In areas where habitat is destroyed and there are not enough laws and repercussions for the parties that do so-conservation is highly complex. The fate of animals is inextricably linked to people, human behavior, legislation, our compassion and our willingness to change. Palm oil is a huge concern from my point of view because I don’t think enough people worldwide realize that a box of cookies they choose, can inadvertently be causing the downfall of a species they love. But if governments in areas where the industry thrives don’t do anything, then lobbying to change that is critical. Then we can act by influencing supply and demand. Which is why I love your message and showing that there are more products that don’t contain palm oil. If we can get more people to stop demanding these products, then companies will be forced to re-think their strategy. My biggest concern is why aren’t more people involved in turning the tide? I hope that with the small actions of many, we can change the fate of people and various species worldwide. I’d love to see companies start letting employees take a month off at a time to get involved in these causes directly. We’re all so concerned with getting our next paycheck and too often tied to job and family responsibilities that it’s hard to extract our efforts. We do what we can, when we can but we have to do more.

And finally when you aren't working what do you like to do and enjoy outside of work?

Pre-covid I was a huge foodie and traveler. I still am, just now I’ve resorted to take-out food and the travel channel. In the warm months, you will find me outside on the local bike path almost every day. I do an organized bike ride every year in the States called “Farm to Fork Fondo” It benefits local farmers and ends with a barbeque of local food and live music. I like to stay active so hiking, hot yoga-exploring. I’m a huge fan of Blues music. I’ve been known to do random things that peak my interest. My latest thing is I’d like to go to Sri Lanka and study the art of tea. I’m naturally curious and seeking new knowledge and adventures all the time.