Afrika Expedition Force Seeks To Accomplish Two Missions In One Adventure

A unique and interesting humanitarian aid mission was launched last weekend, with a group calling themselves the Afrika Expedition Force heading into the Central African Republic in hopes of completing two missions there. The expedition is a joint venture between United Against Malaria and the Jane Goodall Institute, with both organizations looking to achieve their own goals while working together.

The team, which includes explorer Kingsley Holgate, arrived in the C.A.R. on November 20th, and immediately went to work handing out lifesaving malaria nets to pregnant mothers and children in schools. That, in and of itself, is a worthy endeavor, as malaria is an epidemic in Africa that kills many people on a yearly basis. But the team is also in the C.A.R. to rescue four chimpanzees and relocate them to South Africa, where they'll find a new home at the Chimp Eden Sanctuary.

The group is hoping to have their current mission wrapped up within a few days, which means handing out all the malaria nets and finding the champs. After they've taking control of the primates, they'll need to test them for various diseases, before they can be cleared for travel as well.

You can read more about the expedition on the team's official website and follow along on their journey with their Twitter feed and their Flickr Photostream. You can also learn more about the organizations involved, by watching the video below.