Contributor: Benji Dawson 🖋️ 📸 🎥 🎤

Blayne “Benji” Dawson’s path to volunteering with Gorilla Highlands Experts was peculiar — as he explored a more mindful diet he became fascinated by how food fuels energy and overall wellbeing. That curiosity led him to gorillas and their incredible strength, sustained almost entirely through plant-based nutrition. Benji got interested in the ecosystems they depend on, left his cosmetology career behind and came to Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2017. He was met with warmth and connection that shifted his entire life perspective. Back in America he became a boat captain educating others about the delicate marine ecosystem and coral reef restoration, and a student of medicine in Key Largo, Florida. [bio updated: 2026-04]