Voices for Asian Elephants

This organization is driven by passion for the environment, careful stewardship of priorities and financial resources, and an unwavering commitment to elephants and communities. It uses its funds wisely to find practical, tangible, and impactful projects that save elephants’ lives .

Sangita’s efforts with VFAE are driven by her passion and her fearless vision to create a safe refuge for her beloved Asian elephants. The organization’s activities are innovative and having a positive impact in shifting attitudes and protecting the environment, the local habitat and the delicate balance between humans and animals. I’m so impressed with Sangita’s approach in using her unique set of skills, talents and knowledge to educate, communicate and use technology to find solutions to a complex problem and motivate the public and a diverse set of stakeholders to take action.

I have been following Sangita's epic journey in creating a better life for both captive and wild elephants, for several years. I am consistently astonished at how much she accomplishes. She is a peaceful warrior who tirelessly works to affect real change. From buying land to create food corridors, to the elesense signals on railroads, she creates practical solutions. From campaigning to change laws, to the introduction of animatronic elephants at festivals, she is making a difference. Anyone donating to VFAE can be assured your money will be used wisely. It is important we support Sangita's efforts to protect this special and endangered species.

I have a lengthy association with Sangita and VFAE that goes back several years and during this association, I also served on the board for approximately 2 years.

I tremendously value Sangita's passion, focus and commitment to make a difference in the lives of Asian elephants and that is the reason myself along with many others who share this passion continue to physically and financially support VFAE.

The many projects undertaken by VFAE have been successfully executed and they have definitely made a difference, including the latest endeavor on providing robotic elephants to temples based on a commitment from them to not use captive elephants. I, personally believe this will make a tremendous difference in ensuring the eventual end to elephant captivity and slavery.

I strongly urge anyone who wants to end elephant captivity in India and particularly Kerala to actively support VFAE and Sangita.

I, for one, will continue doing everything in my power to ensure Sangita and VFAE accomplish their goals!

As with any organization, the most important element is the people who are tasked to get the job done. Founder Sangita Iyer lives and breathes the elephants of Asia as I do, and she's surrounded herself with a host of like-minded, action-oriented people. For those of us who live outside of Asia, it's hard to know how to make a difference for elephants who live so far away. But thankfully, Sangita and Voices for Asian Elephants is that difference. I've been a donor for a long time and intend to continue for the rest of my life.

Working with Voices for Asian Elephants has been truly inspiring. The organization’s mission to protect the endangered Asian elephants and preserve their natural habitats reflects a deep commitment to wildlife conservation and community education.

A special mention to Sangita Iyer, whose passion and leadership shine through every initiative. She brings incredible energy, vision, and determination to the cause, inspiring everyone around her to do more and care more. It’s rare to meet someone who leads with such authenticity and compassion, and Sangita embodies that fully.

I feel privileged to be associated with this nonprofit and to witness the positive difference Sangita and her team make every day. I highly recommend supporting their mission and contributing to this important work.

I am on the Board of Voices for Asian Elephants and being part of the movement to save these amazing animals is inspirational. My fellow Board members and the volunteers give so much of their time to help this great cause and working with them is fulfilling .
At the core of it all is our Founder and Exec Director , Sangita Iyer , whose leadership , work , and sacrifice for VFAE makes us all take that extra step to make this organization the best it can be .

This is the real deal! Sangita Iyer, the powerhouse behind this organization is tireless in her efforts to support and save elephants. Her passion for these magnificent animals comes from deep in her soul, and she continues to forge ways to create safety for them. With film, book, enlisting prominent personalities such as Jane Goodall, there is no stone left unturned. I am proud to be a supporter of this dynamic organization since its inception.

Voices for Asian Elephants works tirelessly, creatively, and very effectively to protect and preserve the Asian elephants of India. The organization's programs have prevented hundreds of elephant-train collisions, prevented electrocutions of elephants from sagging wires, helped avoid elephants falling into abandoned wells, provided villagers solar-powered flashlights to help them avoid nighttime encounters with elephants, bought land to preserve as elephant habitat, rewilded land frequented by elephants - the list goes on and on. The organization has very low overhead and constantly monitors the situation in the elephant range states in India so that it can implement the most targeted and effective programs. If you are interested in preserving endangered species, especially those critical to combating climate change, you can't go wrong in supporting. this organization.

VFAES is a great organization that is committed to the survival of elephants in India's last remaining natural habitats using innovative and cost-effective methods. By involving local communities in numerous projects, an environment is created that promotes peaceful coexistence and the mitigation of human-elephant conflict. Numerous projects have already been successfully implemented and have led to the saving of numerous elephant lives.
The Founder Sangita Iyer is an author, broadcast journalist, writer, biologist and documentary filmmaker. With her award-winning film "Gods in Shackles" she exposed the atrocities committed by religious institutions against Asian elephants.

The founder of Voice for Asian Elephants Society, Sangita Iyer, is a truly inspirational woman. She works tirelessly to draw attention to the plight of India's wild and captive elephants and improve their lot. She is unafraid to speak out about the terrible suffering and cruelty inflicted on captive temple elephants and confront those who perpetrate it. Her multi award-winning documentary, Gods in Shackles, sets out in detail the horrors temple elephants face on a daily basis.

VFAES has many projects in place - from pioneering an electronic warning device to prevent elephant deaths on India's railways, to engaging local people to plant saplings to provide food for India's wild elephants, as well as providing solar powered flashlights to villagers to enable them to keep their crops secure without resorting to cruelty to scare the elephants away.

I cannot recommend this organisation highly enough.

VFAES is an organisation that does fantastic work to help Asian elephants. Their projects include one to save elephants from being killed on railway lines, another to rehabilitate captive elephants, another to put barricades around wells, to name a few. Sangita Iyer is a tireless, selfless advocate for Asian elephants.

VFAES is the one and only organization dedicated to improving the conditions for Asian elephants in India. They are a small organization with very low overhead expenses and excellent use of donor funds. Their work in decreasing preventable of healthy elephants killed by speeding trains in India is notably effective. They employ local people in their projects in India. Founder Sangita Iyer's excellent documentary "Gods In Shackles" is very well produced and documents the plight of these magnificent, gentile and highly intelligent animals. Please consider making a generous contribution to this deserving organization, VFAES, and to a worthy cause.

Dolores W.
Donor/Volunteer since 2014 Ongoing

Since 2014 VFAES has been the premier Org. accomplishing successful work Projects aiding India's elephants. All are in dire situations both Captive, Temple/Festival elephants and Wild. Projects include Work shops providing needed education/awareness to Kerala's Forest Dept staff, Police, Chief Wardens, Cadets, Elephant Govt Care Centers. Road side Elephant Warning crossing signs, Flashlight Program, Water Hole Program, Forest replenishment/Tree Saplings, Court Litigation Filings, Techno Based Ele-Sense Train Hit Prevention AND...... Robotic Life Size Temple/Elephant Replacements used instead of tortured live Elephants... and more. Founder- Sangita Iyer's Docu Film Gods In Shackles started it all & followed by her Book. Both endorsed by Dr. Jane Goodall & more. Sangita is a Certified Nat-GEO Wildlife Explorer. With this she has made multiple series of short films detailing the value of elephants & the importance of their survival, not just unto their self but re humanity as their Eco impact on it is explained & why it is needed to be sustained/preserved/protected.

VFAES work so hard to be a voice for Asian elephants and one of only a few who focus on Indian elephants.

They do so much with their donations, with many projects:- from saving elephants from speeding trains, helping the local communities with flash lights, to speaking up in governments; calling for greater protection for both wild and captive elephants.

A truly wonderful organisation!

This organization is doing amazing work to help elephants. Their work with the elephant alert systems for trains is preventing tragic elephant loss. But it doesn’t stop there. And founder Sangita has written a great book and produced a cutting-edge documentary called Gods In Shackles about the abuse of temple elephants. The awareness that they’re creating is invaluable to this amazing endangered, keystone species. ������