When James Brooks got a chance to meet the gorillas at the Toronto Zoo, it was definitely the highlight of his day.

He is the founder of a charity that helps protect the rare eastern lowland gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo through support for a group of widows and schoolchildren living nearby The widows run a poultry farm, which generates income and provides food for the local children. As of June, the project had raised $1,961.52 – enough to buy 7,846 eggs from the farm, at $3 a dozen, for the schoolchildren.

"If people have food and they have money, they won't need to hunt gorillas and they won't need to move into their habitat," James explained.

(Continue reading in the Toronto Star)