Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
Volunteers collect vital behavioural data on reintroduced predators and larger herbivore on reserves where they do not have the manpower, time or resources to carry out intensive monitoring. We spend up to 12 hours a day following large predators such as lions, leopards, cheetah and wild dog to determine their feeding ecology spatial use, competition and behaviour. The information gathered is used to give an accurate picture of the predator’s impact on prey populations, determine social structure, genetics, and spatial movement. This vital information helps maintain a healthy balance of these natural resources and ultimately conserve some of Africa’s natural heritage bioregions.
The research findings will help to more effectively manage wildlife populations in the surrounding area. Results are used by the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve (a project funded by UNESCO), the University of Natal, the Endangered Wildlife Trust and a host of other local organisations.
Volunteers organise and participate in environmental education workshops at the local schools where children and adults from the nearby villages learn about the values of conservation of their surrounding environment. We also run a National Scholarship Programme whereby a member of the local community participates in the expedition for free to further their training and experience towards future career possibilities in conservation.
Volunteers offered their helping hands to Malebalong Primary School. The volunteers set about maintenance work around the school, shovelling mountains of dirt back into a 75m long water pipe trench, whilst others helped to paint a newly built out-house. We are dedicated to responsible tourism, and all of the projects that we support directly benefit the environment, the local community, or both. All projects are carefully chosen to offer our volunteers sustainable and responsible travel, with specific attention being paid to their involvement in the sustainability of all their practices / project goals.
All of our projects and expeditions issue the participants with clear guidelines on responsible tourism and ecotourism, all specific to the particular environment / region. These cover a number of issues, ranging from waste disposal in remote areas, recycling materials and buying from local businesses to not exploiting the area’s wildlife or harming the environment.
Our Charitable Trust was set up in 2005 to help with disaster relief following the devastation caused by Hurricane Stan in Guatemala. After an overwhelming response from past volunteers our Charitable Trust has gone on to manage and fundraise projects all over the world.
The aim of the Charitable Trust is to achieve the following goals:
- to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment;
- to advance education and research for the benefit of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment;
- to relieve sickness and preserve and promote the good health of persons;
- to relieve poverty, financial hardship and distress. The Charitable Trust is successfully achieving these goals in many countries, with aid available to grass roots organisations to make a difference in their own environments or communities in over 30 countries globally. Through the generous donations and support of volunteers, corporations, trusts and foundations, here are some of the successes that have been made possible through the Charitable Trust since its inception: Global Eden Project, Costa Rica; Wasini Island Development Fund, Kenya; Condors, Argentine Patagonia; Plan Ancianos, Guatemala; Carbon emission reduction, Guatemala and Honduras; and Indigenous Education, Ecuador.
The owner of this company did a gap year trip in the early 90s which involved building a bandstand for a small village in Patagonia. While he was there, he realised the project was only helpful in developing the Western traveller as the village didn’t want a bandstand and only argued about who owned it. And so he set up a volunteer organisation which is useful to communities and provides them with resources and help with funding. Today, his projects offer travellers an opportunity to fully integrate into communities and to make a real long-term difference to the local people’s lifestyles.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
