Two Decades of Purpose: Building from the Heart, Preparing for More

by Gary L. Shapiro, President of the Orang Utan Republik Foundation

Two decades ago, my wife, Inggriani, and I set out on a path with a simple but profound goal: to help save wild orangutans through education, one student, one village, and one informed decision at a time. That goal became the foundation for the Orang Utan Republik Foundation (OURF)—an organization rooted in purpose, compassion, and a belief in the power of people to protect what they understand and love.

Over these two decades, OURF has grown not through vast funding or flashy campaigns, but through careful stewardship, good governance, and a deep commitment to working with local communities—not over them. We've built programs like the Orangutan Caring Scholarship, which has supported over 300 students pursuing degrees in biology, forestry, and veterinary science. Many of these graduates are now professionals making a real difference in Indonesia, and the Government of Indonesia has recently recognized and expressed appreciation of our twenty years of commitment to higher education supporting orangutan and rainforest conservation.

We've engaged communities through the Community Education and Conservation Program (CECP), traveling to remote villages and urban classrooms to bring the story of the orangutan and the rainforest into people's lives. And now, as we prepare to launch the next evolution of our work—the Community Conservation Mentorship Initiative (CCMI) and the visionary ROCKET program, which integrates robotics and AI into conservation—we stand at the threshold of new possibilities.

I often reflect on how far we've come with so little. Our team has done extraordinary things with limited resources, never losing sight of the mission or compromising our values. And throughout it all, I've kept a quiet but steady practice: each day, I think positively and visualize the arrival of a million-dollar gift—not as a miracle, but as a natural extension of what we’ve built with authenticity, persistence, and care.

I don’t sit and wait for it. I continue to show up. I write proposals. I mentor students. I share stories. I collaborate with partners across continents. I believe that the work will attract the right support when the time is right—and that we must always be ready for it.

A sudden financial gift, while welcome, means little if there’s no purpose or planning behind it. That’s why OURF has prepared: with scalable programs, clear outcomes, and deep local relationships. We know exactly how we would use a transformative gift—to expand scholarships, grow mentorship programs, empower more women-led initiatives, and deploy conservation technology that could change the future for orangutans and their forest home.

My dream is not just to do more, but to do it deeper—with integrity, with impact, and with lasting effect. That dream is real. And it is shared by the many donors, volunteers, and partners who walk this journey with us.

If you’re reading this and feel called to be part of that dream—to give, to amplify, or to connect us with someone who can—know this: we are ready. We’ve done the work. And we are prepared to grow, authentically and boldly, for the next 20 years and beyond.

👉 Learn more about OURF’s programs and how you can support at www.orangutanrepublik.org

📩 Want to talk about legacy giving or major gifts? Contact us directly—we’re ready for the conversation.