Feature film screenwriter, Kimberly Seilhamer, stood in her kitchen and made vegetable glycerin soap for the first time in 1999.  Seeking an alternative to those harsh, industrial-grade soaps and lover of fragrance and color, Kimberly found a hobby that she enjoyed almost as much as writing.  She gave her soaps to family, friends, and business associates, and before long, people were requesting to purchase her product.  Already having a career made this a difficult choice for her, and Kimberly ultimately decided that unless she could conceive of a way to build a company that related to film and could offer a beneficial product, she would not make time for the soap venturet.  Three days later, the spirit of Baakari was born.

Baakari, the Bull African Elephant, would embody this quest for good will and spiritual awakening.  Kimberly built the boutique soap company, simply known as BAAKARI, on the belief that we all can change the world, one person at a time, one company at a time.  BAAKARI would endeavor to preserve the gifts of nature, educate the public, and provide its clients with a soap product of exceptional quality.  She launched an e-commerce site in 1999 and it quickly gained popularity on the internet because of the BAAKARI STORY, a short story Kimberly wrote.  Kimberly planned on launching a production company for Baakari projects... but the struggle to balance between family, writing for film, and managing the soap company did not accommodate this dream.  Inevitably, it became difficult keep up with the growth of Baakari and financially, she was not in the position to take it to the next level even though she had prepared the soap for mass production.  It was 2003... and in the four years since its inception, Baakari had made an impact. But without funding, the company's opportunities  were slowly dwindling away.  Then Kimberly was diagnosed with cancer.   

Kimberly was forced to make a difficult choice:  sell BAAKARI or pack it up and put it away for another day, another dream.  She and a dear friend set about the task of selling the equipment and packing all the "BAAKARI" stuff away, including the life-size 1350 pound concrete statue of JoJo the Mountain Gorilla, handmade by New York sculptor, John Kennedy.  BAAKARI was not for sale. The screenwriter could not give up hope that her character of BAAKARI would make his way in this world and make a difference.

Kimberly's surgery and treatments went well and her prognosis was good.  The following year, however, a fall from one of Kimberly's rescued horses caused a spinal cord injury and once again, Kimberly was out of commission.  It seemed that BAAKARI had all but died until one March evening in 2006.   A dear friend named Sandra Lord ( Hollywood producer and founder of "Women Helping Women" and the "Hollywood Global Entertainment Network") and Kimberly discussed Kimberly's vision for Baakari -- the production company, the soap company... both feeding the non-profit that could make a difference in this world.  Sandra told Kimberly, "Just do it.  Do it now."  Wise words from a wise woman... and in July 2006, Kimberly launched the production company, BAAKARI CREATIVE, LTD.  In May of 2007, BAAKARI INTERNATIONAL, INC. was incorporated and in July of 2007, THE BAAKARI FOUNDATION, INC. was finally approved as a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation by the IRS. 

Together, these young corporations will set out to make the world a better place... Baakari Creative, Ltd., which will produce films in the vein of Baakari's Vision, Baakari International, Inc., a consumer products company still in development that will feature Baakari soap, and of course, The Baakari Foundation, Inc. that will actually do good works and educate the public.  A percentage of profits from the production company and the consumer products company go to benefit the Foundation.

It's been a long, hard road to get here and there's still a way to go.  But now that BAAKARI's out there, it's time for the world to take him the rest of the way!