LOCKDOWN LEADER: Wilderness Safaris
The global Covid-19 pandemic has led to the inevitable shut down of safari camps however, many are unaware of the knock-on effect it has had on the community. Wildnerness Safaris stepped in to help, creating a variety of initiatives helping to stem the impact and make local lives better.
With the majority of African safari staff drawn from remote, rural communities, each staff member typically supports several other people, whose situation is left compromised by the virus. Such is the case with Wilderness Safari camp team, 85 percent of whom directly support a further seven people as a result of their employment. With travel and jobs on hold, this is having a detrimental effect on local communities.
However, help is at hand, via the Wilderness Sustainability Fund, which has seen has seen local initiatives spring up in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Rwanda, alongside donations from previous guests. Says Neil Steedman, Wilderness Safaris Botswana Operations Manager, “We are proud to note that Wilderness Safaris will always offer its support to local communities, as it is these communities that have supported us throughout our 37 years of changing lives.”
The various initiatives include:
Food hampers and hand sanitisers donated by Wilderness Safaris to 80 families in the Sankoyo community in Maun, Botswana. Sankoyo Village Elder Kgosi Moalosi is reportedly looking forward to sharing these food supplies with all the village families.
Community empowerment in Zimbabwe: Wilderness Safaris has an ongoing commitment to ecotourism. It recently donated over R500 000 to its non-profit partner, Children in the Wilderness (CITW), creating three new income-generating projects in Zimbabwe for 2020.
Supporting Bisate Village During Covid-19 Lockdown: The impact of zero tourism is causing hardship in local communities; for arts and crafters and for subsistence farmers, who normally take jobs as porters or casual workers at the Safari lodges for extra income. After calls for help from the leaders of the five surrounding villages making up Bisate Village, visitors to Bisate Lodge donated to some 157 households, consisting of 565 desperate people.
Spreading seeds In Zimbabwe, children working with the local Wilderness initiative have secured seeds for their Tsholotsho schools’ vegetable gardens, situated in the south of Hwange National Park. The seeds were sent to Wilderness Safaris’ Hwange camps, then distributed to each school by one of the headmasters to be planted as soon as possible; crucially, the vegetables need to be harvested before winter arrives.
Distribution of solar lights to Rural Schools around Livingstone: supported by Wilderness Safaris, children In The Wilderness Zambezi have been distributing solar lights to rural and remote primary and secondary schools, surrounding Livingstone, Zambia. They were given to Grade 6, 7, 9, and 12 students, who are studying for important exams.
Children In The Wilderness Supporting educational studies amid Covid-19: cellphone bundles have been donated to students in remote areas of Matabeleland so that they can continue their studies from home. The donations have enabled students to purchase 70MB data bundles each week to keep up with their studies and ensure they’re not behind in their coursework when they return to university. Said Angela Sibanda, a student at Midlands State University, “The airtime I received is assisting me to attend online lectures that are conducted weekly. I am also able to download reading material and send assignments via email. It makes learning possible despite being away from school”.