Lexington writer heading to South Africa for primate conservation

PRLog (Press Release) - Nov. 5, 2012 - Lexington, KY. November 5, 2012. – Lexington writer Fiona Young-Brown is about to embark upon her most ambitious writing project yet, and she has taken to the internet to find funders. “I’m Not Monkeying Around” will combine a love of primates, volunteerism in South Africa, and a background in teaching to create both books and an educational presentation about conservation which Fiona plans to provide free of charge to local schools.

Using the crowdsourcing website www.IndieGoGo.com allows Young-Brown to reach out to a wider range of people. By December 15, she hopes to raise an additional $5000 to supplement her existing funds. The additional money will allow her to extend her spring 2013 trip to South Africa, where she will participate in a primate education program at Chimp Eden, a South African sanctuary that is part of the Jane Goodall Foundation.

When asked why she decided to approach funders through IndieGoGo, Young-Brown answered, “This allows funders to feel more involved with the project from start to finish, and beyond. Based upon the level of funding they donate, each funder can receive personal updates on my trip, copies of the resulting books, and more. It also allows funders to share the project with other friends, thereby reaching a much broader network than I might otherwise reach.”

After completing volunteer work at the two sanctuaries in the Kruger National Park region, Fiona plans to produce a photography book of nature images and a nonfiction book discussing the importance of primate conservation. She also wants to take this information on the road, visiting local schools to share the importance of conserving animal species. She plans to offer this program to schools at no charge.

Those interested in learning more about the project can visit the fundraising page here:

http://www.indiegogo.com/not-monkeying-around?a=1680270

About Fiona Young-Brown: Fiona Young-Brown is a published author with a background in international travel. A British native, she has lived in Lexington, KY for twelve years. In addition to her two published books, Lexington: Then and Now and Wicked Lexington, she has written for encyclopedias, magazines, websites, academic institutions, and non-profits.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/12016067/1