Omogolo Wildlife Trust's board members are committed to the cause of wildlife conservation and animal welfare.

The board consists of three members:

  • Yvonne Verkaik - chairman
  • Sabine van der Spek - secretary
  • Chantal Klootwijk - treasurer
  • Caroline Bolten - board member

We have been involved in various

conservation projects, and have experienced the dependency on well-willing individuals, companies and organisations that have supported these projects and made them into a success.

We wish to continue our support to those projects that have found a place in our hearts, and to others that do similar work for the conservation and welfare of animals that need our help.

This is the reason why we established Omogolo Wildlife Trust. We form a link between the donors and the projects, assuring a smooth transfer of funds to those projects that need it, or are explicitly chosen by the donor.

We are based in the Netherlands and in Africa, and are in constant contact with our projects so that we can send their feedback to our donors.

Omogolo - What's in the name?

Omogolo is a Setswana word and is used to address an older (usually male) person in a respectful way. We used the name for an old elephant bull that came to visit us regularly in Botswana. The name stuck, the elephant became our mascotte and Omogolo Wildlife Trust had its name!

Yvonne Verkaik

(Founder and Chairman)

Yvonne has been involved in a number of wildlife projects. In Uganda she took care of a few orphaned baby cimpanzees and lead the project during the 1-year absence of the project director. In the mean time she revived Rhino Fund Uganda, raising the funds to set up a Rhino breeding sanctuary and bringing in rhinos from Kenya. She took part in a number of aerial wildlife counts in remote areas in Uganda and Rwanda, was the Africa representative for a German NGO supporting mountain gorilla projects in DRC Congo, Rwanda and Uganda and is now mostly active in Botswana, keeping in touch with our projects there and in other countries. Her paid job is with Omogolo Bush Lodges and Omogolo Travels in Maun.

Chantal Klootwijk

(Treasurer)

Chantal loves being surrounded by animals and has provided a loving home for quite a number of them! She is the lady that manages the finance within Omogolo Wildlife Trust. In her daily life she is Office Manager at a real estate consultancy firm in The Hague.

Sabine van der Spek

(Board Secretary)

Sabine has a big heart for wildlife and has been on safaris in South Africa and Botswana. Her day job, next to running a family with three kids, is consultant for an insurance broker in De Lier, Netherlands.

Caroline Bolten

(Board member)

Caroline is crazy about the African bush and can be found regularly in Botswana! She is a trained guide and loves being surrounded by wildlife. At home she loves her little Sausage dog. Her daily job is with AUNDE Achter&Ebels in Mönchen Gladbach.