Eat For Elephants - A Small Idea That Made a Big Difference
Eat for Elephants is a digital cookbook containing almost 40 plant-based recipes, created to raise funds for Save Elephant Foundation (SEF), a registered Thai non-profit organisation dedicated to the care and conservation of Asian elephants.
We wanted to offer something meaningful in return for people’s generosity. So, for just £5.00 (or the equivalent in other currencies), anyone could receive a copy instantly. Every penny of the profit - £2,221.00 - went directly to SEF.
The low donation amount was intentional. Too often, people feel embarrassed to give “only a little”. But at Act Big Live Small, we believe there’s huge power in small - because small acts, added together, can create something truly impactful.
LATEST NEWS: We’re delighted to share that a new cookbook is coming in 2026! This will be another Act Big Live Small project, with all proceeds supporting Asian elephant conservation through Save Elephant Foundation. We can’t wait to share it with you - and we hope you’ll come back and grab a copy once it’s available! 🐘💚
How the cookbook came about
The idea for Eat for Elephants grew out of our 100-Mile Walk Project, which raised funds for SEF’s COVID-related efforts. During that campaign, we noticed something striking: only two people donated less than £10.00 — and both apologised for “only being able to afford a small amount.”
That moment stuck with us. We realised that if we could change the way people think about small contributions, we could open the door for many more to get involved — and collectively, do something extraordinary.
So, our next fundraising project would be built around two simple ideas:
Offer something in exchange for contributions, instead of just asking for donations.
Make it accessible to everyone, no matter how much they could give.
And so, Eat for Elephants was born — a project that blended creativity, compassion, and community.
Powered by Community: The success of Eat for Elephants came down to one thing - people.
From those who helped us spread the word to those who donated and downloaded the book, it was a shared effort. Every post, every purchase, every small act of support helped us raise funds (£2,221.00) and awareness for elephants in need. reminding us that small gestures can create big change.
What People Are Saying
“These recipes are amazing! I am blown away… seriously, I expected 5 recipes, not an entire freakin’ book!”
— Sara Robertson.
“I have a copy, everyone should buy one, fabulous recipes!”
— Moira McCarthy.
“Another brilliant concept to raise funds for these wonderful, sentient beings.”
— Anita Skelhorn.
“Recipes are beautiful and easy to make”.
— Andrea Tainui.