CCFA Guest Sanitizer Kits

CCFA Guest Sanitizer Kits

CCFA Guest Sanitizer Kits

Stay Safe!

The wellbeing of our guests and staff has always been our top priority, now more than ever. So, in addition to the strict and appropriate health and safety protocols being followed at all Mantis Collection Properties, we present to you a personal ‘care travel pack’. The care pack conforms with hospitality Covid-19 requirements and the selection of the 60ml bottles also observes the International Airline standards for inbound passengers.

This pack was co-ordinated by Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA) in consultation with Cerebos and its Purist product brand.

 

CCFA is a registered non-profit company, founded by Mantis and Accor, to address the social and environmental imbalances and find workable solutions to the growing conservation crisis. CCFA is intrinsically linked to tourism. Its very foundation is based on responsible tourism and working with local communities to protect and conserve our wilderness areas – our unique fauna and flora.

The beautiful Shwe Shwe fabric bag, was designed and sewn by women at a job creation project supported by CCFA.  Based in Kylemore in the Western Cape, this group of women sew the Mantis mascots but during the Covid-19 pandemic they turned their skills to producing masks.  They delivered 2 500 masks, some of which were sold to sustain their income and others donated to healthcare workers and underprivileged children in South Africa.  Click here for additional information on CCFA projects.

Included in your care pack are the following personal protection items:

  • 1 x Purist hygiene anti-vital hand sanitizer 80% Alcohol based – SABS approved and WHO verified.
  • 1 x Purist hygiene surface disinfectant cleaner that uses twin-chain technology to kill 99.9% of all germs
  • 1 x Purist anti-bacterial, anti-fungal hand soap, shown to kill 99.9% of all known germs. Contains hand care additives, leaving your hands moisturized and squeaky clean, after use
  • 3 disposable face masks

 Thank you for choosing to stay with us as we celebrate the return of tourism at a time when our wildlife and local community need it most.

Remember: Stay Safe!  

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

For external use only

Keep away from children 

Avoid contact with eyes. In case of contact rinse continuously for several minutes. If irritation persists, seek medical advice/attention  

Harmful If swallowed. Seek medical advice immediately

Discontinue use immediately if any skin irritation or allergic reaction occurs

Stronger together to empower communities during covid 19

Stronger together to empower communities during covid 19

Stronger together to empower communities during Covid 19

Covid 19 Update

As the current global pandemic continues to unfold, we have recognised the importance of working together to  empower communities, now more than ever before. While we remain dedicated to upholding conservation initiatives throughout Africa, we also feel called to support local communities who have not been able to work and are struggling to put food on the table and feed their families.

With this in mind we have co-ordinated a number of initiatives from the making of masks to providing much needed food hampers to team members in Namibia, KZN and the Eastern Cape. 

Alleviating hunger

We applied for funding from the Accor’s ALL Heartist Fund and the money received was used to provide 500 food hampers. These were delivered to the Mantis Collection’s team members, based at Mantis Biyela Lodge and Mantis Mthembu Lodge in the Umfolozi Park in KZN, families working on properties in the Eastern Cape as well as families and community members around the Zambezi Queen Collection, based in Namibia.

The hampers differed depending on the need – some were put together in consultation with a professional dietician, others provided much needed staples, but all intended to feed a family of four for a month.

Beyond food parcels

Due to the lack of tourism, the women from a tiny settlement of Kylemore in the Western Cape, who usually design and sew our animal mascots, were without work.  We had to be creative in finding a solution to keep our business partners sewing and earning a living and  are pleased to report that the seamstresses have temporary changed their business model and are making masks out of Shweshwe cotton. The masks are made up of 3 layers – according to the DoH guidelines – and are available in four sizes.

These masks can be ordered on our website and for every mask bought we are donating one to the Livingstone Hospital.  For Mandela Day we made an initial donation of 500 masks to support workers at Livingstone Hospital.

Click here to read more about our COVID-19 press releases
COVID 19 Face Masks

COVID 19 Face Masks

COVID 19 Face Masks

As the current pandemic the world is facing unfolds, CCFA has recognised the need to stand together to support local communities, now more than ever before. While we remain dedicated to upholding conservation initiatives throughout Africa, we also feel called to support local communities who are struggling to provide food for their families.

We have joined forces with our mascot sewers to produce beautiful shweshwe masks. The purchase will not only support this job creation project but also help us donate masks to Livingstone Hospital in PE.

So many of you have seen and bought our beautiful animal mascots, designed and sewn in partnership with Baby Cuddles, a job creation project for women living in tiny settlement of Kylemore, in the Western Cape.  However, now due to Covid-19 and the increased demand for masks, the team of seamstresses have adapted their business and are making masks.

The masks are made according to the Department of Health guidelines, using the Shweshwe cotton used for the mascots. They are made up of 3 layers: The outer layer is 100% cotton; the middle layer –Spunbon interfacing, which inhibits the transfer of small particles yet doesn’t inhibit breathing and the inner layer is made of polyester. Elastic ear loops make putting on and taking off the mask as quick and easy as possible. There is also washed ‘denim’ cotton masks  available.

CCFA would like to appeal to our followers and supporters, to purchase masks for this great cause.  The masks are being sold in packs of two for R100 (R50 each) and for every mask purchased, one will be donated to the Livingstone Hospital in PE. Upon order and payment the masks will shipped directly to you.

Purchase a Mask

CCFA Conservation Partners’ Response to COVID 19

CCFA Conservation Partners’ Response to COVID 19

CCFA conservation partners’ response during  COVID 

The COVID-19 crisis is threatening lives and livelihoods throughout Africa and the world. Years of rehabilitation and progress through conservation are being reversed due to desperation and starvation.  Sustainable practices and the projects that drive them seem near impossible to keep alive alongside a shallow breathing economy. In some ways there is little we can do with the current restrictions in place, but there are a few ways in which you can help keep Africa’s heart beating.

At CCFA, we maintain connection and commitment to our project partners by ensuring consistent communication, especially during challenging times.  We consider COVID-19 to be the biggest challenge facing humanity at present. We’d like to share the current status of CCFA supported projects, based on feedback we’ve received from our project partners, as well as some suggested support based solutions that could help save them.

Wilderness Foundation Africa (WFA)

CCFA supports WFA’s Youth Development Programme, which is communications based and requires experiential training in the field. Unfortunately social distancing rules have led to the suspension of all training programmes, including the Siyazenzela course and the Imbewu Trails. The CCFA funded pilot project for the Siyazenzela course was successfully completed in 2019 in the community surrounding the Addo Elephant Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

CCFA continues to support WFA during these uncertain times.  WFA plans to reassess the future development of these programmes once the South African lockdown has been lifted. The second CCFA funded Siyazenzela course is due to commence in June 2020, so there is hope that it may still be possible for this course to begin, but with so much uncertainty there is little to no specific planning that can be done.

WFA remains committed to providing opportunities for disadvantaged youths to explore the natural environment and to encourage a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens.

Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA)

RWCA, CCFA’s partner in Rwanda, has unfortunately had to put their community and fieldwork on hold in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to the rural areas outside of Kigali. Thankfully there are conservation champions and rangers living and working within these communities, who are able to continue their work with the cranes. The team operates on a rota system in order to ensure there is always someone at the crane sanctuary to keep daily operations running.

The current most urgent costs for RWCA are those that contribute to the monitoring of the cranes in the wild and at the sanctuary and rehabilitation centre.

Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH)

CTPH, CCFA project partner in Uganda, works to prevent human and wildlife interface disease transmission, therefore the team has turned its focus towards the prevention of COVID-19 transmission between humans and gorillas. Research on whether gorillas are susceptible to the virus is inconclusive. However, due to the fact that gorillas and humans have a 98% DNA match, the CTPH team has chosen to remain cautious in their interactions with the gorillas during the pandemic.

CTPH is urgently seeking funding in this time of crisis to support the Uganda Wildlife Authority in the following ways:

  1. Training of park staff to manage tourists and gorillas during the Coronavirus and other similar respiratory disease outbreaks. This includes ensuring the seven metre viewing distance is enforced; mandatory hand washing prior to trekking; disinfection of visitors prior to ape viewing; and masking during the viewing of great apes. The staff will also be trained to use infrared thermometers, for early detection of any illness.
  2. Training of park staff and Gorilla Guardians (who safely herd gorillas back to the park when they forage from community land) on the monitoring of gorilla health and signs to watch out for which could signify COVID-19 infection in Mountain Gorillas.
  3. Training of Village Health and Conservation Teams (who reach every home in their village with critical health, hygiene and conservation information), to help communities take measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in villages where gorillas forage on community land.
  4. Distribution of posters to display in key places around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to remind people of the guidelines on how communities can prevent themselves and gorillas from contracting COVID-19 (working closely with the Ministry of Health).

Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT)

CCFA partner, Tusk Trust, has brought to our attention the increase in gender-based violence as a result of stringent COVID-19 containment procedures. Women face a high risk of contagion due to lack of potable water needed for hygiene measures. Women carry the burden of water collection in rural settings, walking for long distances to fetch water. In these communities women are typically marginalised in decision making and have minimal access to information. They are left feeling helpless and unsure of what measures to take to protect themselves, both against the virus and abuse.

Lack of access to medical services and food insecurity is experienced by both males and females, but effects are intensified in the case of women, especially during pregnancy, childbirth and nursing.

Poor health, collapse in tourism, market closures, loss of employment, rising living costs, degradation of natural resources (by illegal grazing, wildlife poaching, charcoal burning), no access to education, loss of aid support, livelihood stress and social instability are all contributing to a collapse in community and a deathly threat to human life.

During this tumultuous time, staying connected with communities is critical. NRT is bringing together key conservancy personnel and county representatives on a weekly basis to ensure the situation is monitored closely, in order to understand the full impact of this human plight. This strategy has enabled more effective communication during this time of crisis.

We hope these insights into the current challenges facing CCFA supported projects has increased your awareness around the effects of COVID-19 beyond South Africa, and into less fortunate communities. If you would like to help provide opportunities to youth through our Siyazenzela course, educate a girl child in Zambia, support conservation efforts for cranes in Rwanda or gorillas in Uganda, please get in touch with us via email: info@ccfa.afria.

Help during COVID - Donate Here

We wish you health and human connection, especially during a time when we are being called to remain physically distant – there is much we can still do to retain our humanity without risking contact, in the struggle against this humanitarian disaster.