We have known Mweya for 23 years and counting. In 2001, an infant elephant wandered into a small fishing village in Uganda. How a calf so young — she was a month old, at most — came to be on her own remains a mystery. Flummoxed, the residents collected the tiny orphan and returned her to the bush. Fortunately, word got out, and a full rescue was mounted.

While authorities made the requisite provisions for her transport to our Nairobi Nursery, Mweya spent a six-week sojourn at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, where she shared quarters with several chimpanzees. The primates thought their new roommate would be a pushover, but Mweya quickly set them straight. Small as she was, the little elephant held her own and became the ringleader of the motley group. This experience undoubtedly helped shape Mweya into the matriarch that she is today.

After spending a formative year at the Nursery, Mweya graduated to our Voi Reintegration Unit in Tsavo. Under the guidance of her Keepers, she learned the ways of the wild and honed her leadership skills in the process. When Mweya eventually transitioned from our care, she teamed up with her best friend, Edie, to form an ex-orphan herd. She has always been known for her forceful character — in Swahili, we call her ‘kali.’

Mweya first became a mother in 2019, delivering a feisty little girl named Mwitu. Two years ago, she gave birth to a boy, Mojo — but tragically, he did not survive the drought. Mweya wasted no time in rebuilding her family; by our maths, she must have mated just a month after losing Mojo.

Mweya and her ex-orphan herd typically return ‘home’ in late November. They spend the rains with us before venturing off to Tsavo’s far reaches as the dry season sets in. This year, they left in May and we hadn’t seen them since.

Thus, we were pleasantly surprised to find Mweya, baby Mwitu, Mudanda, Panda, Sagala, Kihari, Arruba, Mbirikani, and Ndii waiting outside the stockades on the morning of 1st October. It is a long, difficult journey to Voi at the height of the dry season, traversing great plains and arid bushland. The girls took up residence in the area, never venturing too far from the compound.

Within a few days, the reason behind their unlikely arrival made perfect sense: They made the pilgrimage back to Voi so Mudanda could give birth at home. In the early hours of 16th October, she delivered her baby girl, Miale, right outside the stockades. Mweya, the consummate matriarch, sensed that the first-time mum would benefit from our support system as she embarked on this new chapter.

Mweya learned this lesson the hard way: She brought newborn Mojo home during the drought, and he never recovered from that journey. The loss of her son was heartbreaking, but it was also an experience that honed her skills as a mother and a matriarch. This time, she was ready. Knowing the risks, Mweya led her herd back to Voi before a baby arrived.

Her timing was impeccable — doubly so, as it turned out. The following week, on the morning of 26th October, we again awoke to find Mweya’s ex-orphan herd waiting outside the stockades. Much to our delight, Miale and an even smaller baby were in their midst. Mweya had given birth just a few hours prior.

Ever the proud mum, Mweya positioned herself right in front of the stockade compound so the Keepers could properly admire her newborn. Mwitu, who has embraced her big sister role with gusto, fussed over her tiny sibling. This is the beginning of the rest of their lives together: Elephant society is matriarchal, and both daughters will remain part of Mweya’s herd for a lifetime. She is ably supported by her

We have named Mweya’s baby Mwangaza, which means ‘light’ in Swahili. After suffering such a heartbreaking loss two years ago, we are thrilled to see this beautiful ray of light enter Mweya’s life.

Mweya has chosen to introduce us to all her wild-born babies. It is an enormous privilege to be part of an elephant’s family and welcomed into such meaningful parts of their life. We are so proud of Mweya for learning from her past and having the foresight to do things differently this time around. Rain is on the horizon, and these little girls will blossom in a blessed Tsavo.

Mwangaza is the 65th known calf born to an orphan we rescued, raised, and reintegrated back into the wild — and the second newborn in a week, following in the footsteps of little Miale! These wild-born babies are the best testament to the success of our Orphans’ Project, showing how one life saved can lead to generations of elephants.