Africa News
Pitt, Jolie donate cheetah enclosure─── 05:30 Wed, 07 Jan 2015
Windhoek - American film stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have continued supporting a Namibian private wildlife sanctuary with a new enclosure for endangered cheetah the latest donation, the sanctuary said on Monday.
"Five of your seven magnificent cheetahs are strolling into their new seven-hectare enclosure, purring their appreciation for the Jolie-Pitts," the Naankuse Foundation said in a newsletter. Maddox, from Cambodia, was adopted by Jolie, with the actor receiving him in Namibia in 2003 while shooting "Beyond Borders".
"We hope one day to be able to show Shiloh [Jolie-Pitt] the piece of paradise she created".
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt is the firstborn of actors' three biological children , with the pair also having three adopted children.
Shiloh, eight-years old, was born in Namibia in May 2006, to where the couple retreated for several weeks to prepare for the baby's birth away from international media hype.
Jolie and Pitt established the Jolie-Pitt Foundation in Namibia in 2006 to mark the birth of daughter Shiloh in that country.
"The foundation continues to bless our many projects," the Naankuse wildlife sanctuary stated.
The recent completion of a five-hectare enclosure for baboons -- either orphaned or brought injured to Naankuse and nursed back to health but cannot be released into the wild -- was entirely funded by the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.
"New housing for our [employed] San (Bushmen) - fully covered by the Jolie-Pitt Foundation is just one of many projects," the newsletter said.
Jolie first became involved with Naankuse after working with local conservationist Marlice van Vuuren on a film shoot -- "Beyond Borders" --in 2003 in Namibia.
Van Vuuren and her husband Rudi are co-founders of Naankuse, some 50km east of the capital Windhoek.
Jolie has "since visited Naankuse several times, together with Brad Pitt and their six children," the Naankuse website notes.
"They take an active interest and involvement in our projects, feeding the animals in our sanctuary and meeting the San Bushman community here."
The Jolie-Pitt Foundation helps Naankuse's long-term projects, like conservation for carnivores and wild dogs, and supporting vulnerable people in Namibia like the San.
"Our vision for the new projects is to grow them into something that Shiloh can be part of, an internationally recognisable foundation that is sustainable in the long term and stays true to its mission of doing good, regardless," Naankuse said.
Both Pitt and Jolie have donated to many causes internationally, including Global Action for Children and Doctors without Borders.
They contribute to projects worldwide in honour of their children including the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation in Cambodia, which works with rural villagers and local governments to improve access to health care and education and to alleviate food insecurity.
Sapa
