The people of Sindabezi Island rescued Horace from the Zambezi River when he was hurt and separated from his mother. They nursed Horace back to health, although it would have been a terrifying challenge to be so close to a hippopotamus! If you ever visit Sindabezi Island, there’s a chance you will see Horace, because, much to the delight of the villagers who helped him, Horace frequently visits. They say that Horace comes close enough to stand, and watch, as if Horace knows they helped him and because he wants to say thank you. 

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The Tongabezi Trust School was started by the Parker family in 1996 to help underprivileged Zambian children who lived in the village closest to the lodge. When it first opened, there were only fifteen pre-school students. Today, it has grown to approximately 280 children and many of their parents are employed by the eco lodge. If you stay at the lodge, in one of the open-sided thatched cottages, you will see and hear wildlife from the surrounding jungle and, of course, hopefully catch sight of Horace.

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While the main character of Horace Knows is indeed named after the real hippopotamus, and the story is set around a real place called Sindabezi Island, the other characters and details of the story are fictitious and were created by Lizzie.