The campaign will introduce the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda to over half a million schoolchildren in the United States, through the Key Clubs International high school organization.

Together with Ugandan celebrities Maurice Kirya, Isaiah Katumwa, Cindy and GNL Zamba, the Americans set off on Monday on an expedition to Bwindi in support of Mountain Gorilla conservation efforts. Addressing the media on arrival in Uganda, Corey Gibson said his documentary would be circulated through the Key Clubs Organization to spread awareness.

“The Key Club is a leadership organization with members in almost all high schools in the United States. The videos and photos and all the information I’m going to get on this trip are going to go into a documentary that will be circulated through all these clubs,” Gibson said.

Key Clubs International is the oldest and largest service programme for high school students in the United States of America, and focuses on teaching leadership through service to others. The Americans began their tour of Uganda on Thursday, tracking Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, followed by a game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park, a boat cruise in Mweya, then a visit to the Kyambura Gorge.

Amazing Uganda

“I find Uganda amazing! We’ve dedicated ourselves to the people of Uganda, and to the great resources you’ve got here that must be shared by the world. We’re going to do our best so everybody out there knows what Uganda has, and protects it for the next generations,” Curtis said.

Uganda Wildlife Authority Acting Executive Director Sam Mwandha said Uganda was happy to see celebrities joining hands across the globe to continue the ‘Friend A Gorilla’ campaign launched in September last year.

“We started this campaign with the support of Curtis here and other US celebrities, and we were happy to see them continuing the efforts when they returned back in the United States where they held an event in Los Angeles for the Mountain Gorilla. They have now returned for the same cause, showing a great commitment to Uganda and to our Wildlife,” Mwandha said.

The Friend A Gorilla Campaign began in September 2009, and saw the birth of the www.friendagorilla.org website, launched by international stars including Simon Curtis, Kristy Wu and Jason Biggs.