Orangutan Conservation in Sumatra: Why Each One Wild Is Changing Direction

This image was taken by the local farmer who shared his concerns with us about the land being sold. This orangutan was visiting the very land we are trying to rpotect.

When I first launched Each One Wild, I shared that 15% of profits would be donated to primate rescue charities. That was always genuine. It still is.

But as things have evolved, so has the direction of where those funds are going — and I want to be completely transparent about that.

Instead of donating to external charities, that 15% is now going directly into building the Each One Wild Foundation.

And the truth is… it’s actually going to be much more than that in practice.

Fifteen percent is still the minimum I commit to, but in reality, pretty much all profits from Each One Wild will go into the foundation in one way or another. This isn’t a side project for me — it’s my heart, and it’s where all of this was always leading.

Even the money that isn’t formally “donated” will still be used to support the bigger mission. It will fund the basics — living out in Sumatra, being on the ground, and being able to continue working directly with primates, especially orangutans..

I also want to take this opportunity to explain a little more about what the Each One Wild Foundation actually is, and why I’ve created it.

Most people know I have a huge passion for working with and protecting primates, which really stems from my time in Bali working with rescued macaques. When I left Bali and came back to the UK, I never really thought I would have the opportunity to return and continue that work — even though I’m still very connected to Bali Monkey Rescue and support them as much as I can.

But somehow, things shifted - life can be like that at times.

Call it luck, timing, or something else, but an opportunity came up that I couldn’t have predicted. After my daughter asked if we could visit Sumatra to spend time with orangutans during the school holidays, an Indonesian friend of mine — who is now also a trustee of the foundation — spoke to me about a situation in a region of North Sumatra.

Local farmers there are deeply concerned about a large area of unprotected jungle that sits just outside of Leuser National Park. This land is at real risk of being sold off for palm oil plantations. And this isn’t just any piece of land.

It’s home to wild orangutans, Sumatran tigers, and rhinos. All of these species are critically endangered.

Our goal, through the Each One Wild Foundation, is to purchase and protect that land before it’s lost and support orangutan conservation in Sumatra. Alongside that, we want to work with local communities to create an education centre and, eventually, a rescue space for orphaned orangutans.

It’s still very early days, but we’ve already started building strong local connections, which is a huge step forward.

Because the reality is quite simple. If that jungle becomes palm oil plantations, these animals will not survive. And I plan to do everything I can to prevent that from happening.

I also want to be really clear about something else.

Neither myself nor any of the trustees have any intention of taking a wage from the foundation. Not now, not after registration, and not even if we are lucky enough to receive significant donations in the future. This has never been about building something for profit. It’s about creating something that can genuinely protect and support these animals long-term.

So while the direction has shifted slightly, the intention hasn’t changed at all.

If anything, it’s become more focused.

Thank you for being here and supporting this journey. It genuinely means more than I can explain.

Laura