At Timbuktu, we have spent the last six years giving adventurous travellers the tools to make their dream trips a reality. We’ve created life-changing, multi-country expeditions across Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa, honeymoons in Kenya, family reunions in Namibia and proposals in Malawi – and more than a few beach escapes to Mauritius, Mozambique and Zanzibar.
Perhaps most importantly, however, we have forged bonds with the people who call these countries home; those who protect the wildlife we love so much, the local communities that live and work around the incredible safari lodges, and those who take care of the details that make each trip unforgettable.
Sadly, these areas and communities are often under threat as a result of (but certainly not limited to) unsustainable population growth, human-wildlife conflict, poaching, and climate change.
At Timbuktu, we believe one of the key tools for combating these environmental and economic challenges is through responsible, active tourism. We would therefore like to commit to donating $50 out of our own pocket for each booking made with us. Our dream is to empower our guests to travel with a purpose and play a part in leaving a lasting, positive impact on the places and people they visit. And soon, our guests will have the chance to donate an amount of their choice too.
Our focus
Our team thought long and hard about where these donations should go and, combining our own passions with the greatest areas of need, we decided to focus on women empowerment, youth skills development and conservation in education.
Women empowerment
We firmly believe in the role that educating girls and women plays in alleviating poverty and rejuvenating communities. Timbuktu will be partnering with organisations that work to provide women across East Africa with the skills and knowledge to establish a livelihood, improve their community and work towards the future they want.
CAMFED
Operating in a number of countries across Africa, the organisation works to provide schooling and resources for girls and young women in some of the most disadvantaged communities. While CAMFED has three core projects (education, women in agriculture and guiding), we will be supporting the education program. CAMFED works in over 6 787 schools across Africa and the funds from Timbuktu will be used towards uniforms and fees. For instance, raising $5000 means 250 girls will attend primary school for a year.
Youth skills development
With our headquarters based in Cape Town, South Africa, we have witnessed the need for organisations and people with a passion for empowering the next generation with the skills they will use to progress in life, both while they are at school and beyond.
Amy Foundation
We decided to partner with the Amy Foundation, which does just that in some of the most vulnerable communities in the greater Cape Town area. This incredible organisation was established to assist young people between the age of 5 and 35, through their After School, Youth Skills Development (YSD) and Entrepreneurship Programmes. The YSD programmes include various vocational training including sewing and design, hospitality and handyman skills.
On a daily basis, the Amy Foundation supports 1,300 children at a variety of after-school centres, where they can take part in everything from lessons in traditional dance and art to assistance with their homework. The money given by Timbuktu will go towards their After School Programme, where it will be used to fund 15 children for an entire year. This will include needs like food, resources, transport and facilitation fees.
Conservation in Education
Without the involvement of the communities that surround our parks, conservancies and reserves, these beautiful areas will not survive. The education and engagement of local communities is therefore a crucial piece in the conservation of wildlife and their habitats.
iLearnabout
We believe that an understanding and passion for conservation, sustainable tourism and environmentally-healthy living begins in childhood. This is the driving force behind iLearnabout, a comprehensive, engaging and adaptable after-school program that educates children on these topics and much more.
Designed to work alongside the existing curriculum in Zambia and Kenya, iLearnabout provides teachers with free digital resources, aimed to develop understanding and encourage action at a young age. Being digital, the program is cost-effective, easily accessible and can be used offline. Funding from Timbuktu will go towards training teachers, and sponsoring the software and equipment for a school to implement the iLearnabout program.
We hope you’re as excited about the launch of our Positive Impact initiative as we are, with every safari playing a role in helping the communities and wildlife across Africa to flourish.
