Group photo shoot with Jason Florio, Kartong #ebolafree Gambia, West Africa

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Jason Florio gets the shot – Kartong, The Gambia, West Africa. Image © Helen Jones-Florio

 

We traveled down to Kartong again this past weekend not only to work more on our sea turtle conservation story, but also to help out two of our best friends in The Gambia, Geri and Maurice – who run a truly peaceful eco lodge, ‘Sandele‘, in Kartong – on a campaign to raise awareness of how the ebola crisis in three other West African countries is adversely effecting tourism, and the socioeconomic balance, in #ebolafree Gambia.

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Jason Florio, Helen Jones-Florio, Geri & Maurice Philips – Kartong village, The Gambia, West Africa. Image by Landing Jatta

 

I met this wonderfully inspiring, indefatigable couple in 1998 on one of my first trips down here, when they were then running a small hotel called Safari Garden. The forthcoming campaign involves the 32 full time staff employed by Sandele, and the numerous family members their wages help to support.

Later in the day, we hung out again with ex-hunter turned sea turtle conservationist, LJ, as he took us to meet a couple of local guys, who continue to hunt, to enable us to get a fully balanced picture of our ongoing turtle conservation story.

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Florio & LJ, cycling to Kartong village – image © Helen Jones-Florio (instagram/floriotravels)

 

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Releasing turtles into the Atlantic Ocean, Kartong, Gambia – image © Jason Florio

 

We’ll be posting more about both stories very soon, so please bear with us.

Thanks, as ever, for stopping by.

The Florios – Helen & Jason

Related posts: The Hunter Turned Sea Turtle Conservationist

 

 

 

Published by Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio

Award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and writer, Jason Florio (floriophoto.com), and photographer, producer, videographer and writer, Helen Jones-Florio http://www.rivergambiaexpedition.com/ http://930kmafricanodyssey.tumblr.com/ https://www.facebook.com/floriophotostellstories Twitter @floriophotonNYC Instagram https://www.instagram.com/floriotravels/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jasonflorio/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/florio_gallery/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/doors_facades_florio/

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