Meet the Team
Who are the Founding Members
Micah Kupfer
Founder // Director
Micah was born in Johannesburg and moved to Kariba Zimbabwe when he was 5 , after growing up in Zimbabwe and falling more in love with nature he moved to Australia and stayed there for 5 years . Always wanting to start a wildlife sanctuary he moved back to South Africa in 2010 and followed a career in a family business but the sanctuary idea has always been on his mind.
Fast forward 9 years and in July 2019 Micah was diagnosed as a Type1 Diabetic and his life changed , life is too short to not follow your dreams so he focused on setting up a NPC and Okoa Wildlife Sanctuary was born. Micah’s dream is to help animals who have been abused and rehabilitate those who can be introduced back into the wild and for the ones who can’t, to give them a forever home in a natural environment.
Kelly Kupfer
Co-Founder // Director
Kelly was born and brought up in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was evident from an early age that Kelly was passionate about animals. It started with her numerous pets at home, to horse riding, to enjoying all the adventures she had growing up on friends farms and on bush holidays. For the past 12 years Kelly has worked in the corporate events and golf events industry, around South Africa and surrounding countries. She has always been passionate about the wellbeing of all animals but her heart has always wanted to work with wildlife. She met Micah in 2018 and quickly they discovered their mutual love for wildlife and that they both had a lifelong dream of owning & running a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. Now she wants to focus all her time and resources in helping injured, neglected and orphaned wildlife to find their new beginnings, whether this is in their sanctuary, Okoa Wildlife Sanctuary or being rehabilitated to be release back into the wild.
Marianna Frasca
Director
Marianna grew up in Pretoria where she shared her love for animals with her Mom and Dad, as they helped her when she brought numerous abandoned and hurt animals home. She spent 13 years in the South African Air Force where she was ranked as a Major. During her time at the SA Air Force she excelled at sports and was awarded the great privilege to represent her country as a Springbok volley ball player. She was also awarded Air Force Sports Women of the Year. After leaving the SA Air Force she spent 10 years as a fashion designer followed by 16 years as a property consultant for Century21. Throughout this all her passion for animals has always been a part of her daily life. She has rescued many animals that have needed a home, even in their old age, she has partaken in a Game Ranger introduction course at Moholo Game Reserve in Hoedspruit and completed a Raptor & Owl course at Nylsvlei. As it is evident in all her above accomplishments she continues to strive and dedicate her life towards caring and fighting for animals that have no voice of their own. Her lifelong dream was to work and care for wildlife as she is now doing as a Co-Founder of the Okoa Wildlife Sanctuary.
