Greening Young Futures

• Create personal empowerment in vulnerable youth through education and upskilling
• Create tangible opportunities for these youth to pursue

• Indalo NPC
• Wilderness Foundation Africa

• Enroll 20 students into the Siyazenzela course by Wilderness Foundation Africa
• Provide two internships at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve for graduates selected by Indalo
• Enroll 2022 intern in a FGASA-endorsed field guiding course

• R350,000 (± USD 19,200): Siyazenzela Livelihoods, Leadership and Resilience Course delivered by Wilderness Foundation Africa
• R62,500 (± USD 3,400): Two 6-month internships with Indalo NPC at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve with a focus on conservation, ecotourism and hospitality
• R175,000 (± USD 9,600): FGASA-endorsed course for our first Cheetah Champion, anele, an aspiring field guide, with Ulovane Environmental Training; plus textbooks, uniform, binoculars and other equipment, and a monthly stipend while studying.

• The first part of our annual Greening Young Futures initiative is the Siyanzenzela course, which in 2023 is co-funded by the 2022 Nedbank South Africa Charity Golf Day that is hosted in the UK by SAINT (South Africans In Need Trust) each year.
• Our 2023 Siyazenzela course by Wilderness Foundation Africa commenced on Monday the 6th of February following a selection of 20 youths on Friday the 3rd of February. The 20 successful candidates were selected from communities adjacent to our legacy project in Nelson Mandela Bay, with the selection process being hosted at the LoveLife Youth Centre in KwaNobuhle.
• 18 students graduated on 3rd March 2023 during a heartfelt graduation ceremony at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve. One of the students observed this date as World Wildlife Day during her graduation speech, and our two 2023 interns were announced.
• The two selected graduates will embark on a six-month internship with Indalo NPC and Nyosi Wildlife Reserve. This was made possible thanks to funding from the Busch Gardens Conservation Fund via Wilderness Foundation Africa’s Forever Wild Conservation Programme. Our 2023 interns begin their placements on Monday the 3rd of April.
• The remaining 16 graduates have interviews on Thursday 6th of April at the local Spar store in KwaNobuhle, which was arranged by the Wilderness Foundation Africa team.
• We are continuing with fundraising efforts to enrol our 2022 intern, Anele Ntshiyane, in an accredited, FGASA-endorsed field guiding course. Anele is our first Cheetah Champion and is currently working at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve as a guest relations officer. Read more about Anele’s story here.
• Our two 2023 interns are progressing well at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve, gaining exposure and learning skills in various aspects including, hospitality, ecotourism, conservation and community projects. Read our May Intern Update here. 
• In June 2023, we registered Anele as a member with FGASA, the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa, and she has received her study pack to begin her journey of becoming qualified as an Apprentice Field Guide.

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  Our 2023 interns joined Cheetah Champion, Anele, for a cheetah procedure

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  Anele opens cheetah Nkanyiso's crate

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  Anele Ntshiyane, our first cheetah champion

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  An opportunity to learn about aquatic organisms

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  Exposure to different habitats and how everything connects

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  Connecting with nature - Wilderness Trail

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  Exploring the natural heritage of the Eastern Cape

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  Learning about all things great and small in nature

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  Being inspired by nature under expert guidance

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  Appreciating how cultural and natural heritage are inextricably linked

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  2021 Wilderness trail at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.