Kuzuko Excursion #4

We were all so excited to start this next Archangels Project: S.E.E.D of Hope trip with our kids, for though we had to postpone the trip a few times due to scheduling conflicts with all the parties involved, we at last got the dates nailed down and we started the planning process. There were the usual hiccups with the whole issue, from logistical issues, and the biggest was another conflict in scheduling for the boys who were booked to go on another excursion on the same day as our departure. The choice was ultimately theirs, and thank goodness they chose to opt-out of the school trip in favour of coming with us to Kuzuko for a fun filled camping trip with a focus on the maintenance department.

On this trip it was Savannah and I, Siphe (whose incredible story we will be sharing on our next post), Kambaku, Ichelesi, Igala, and Nci Nci Quagga. It was going to be a great time!

It feels like every time we do a trip to the Eastern Cape the drive seems to go by quicker and with less speed bumps, but this time we were a little concerned about the access roads to Kuzuko because we have had a bunch of rain in the southern part of South Africa, and a portion of the trip is spent driving on dirt roads. Luckily we have experienced drivers and the roads were not beat up too badly.

We arrived on record time. Check in was the same process as always and, after dropping off Siphe at his headquarters, the rest of us drove to the store room where we collected all of the camping equipment that was graciously provided by the Kuzuko Foundation.

We drove down to the riverbed on the reserve, which was full of fresh water and flowing nicely. The trees were thick in the area, almost forest like, and covered in vibrant green leaves.

Here we would be setting up camp.

Setting up of the camp was interesting to say in the least, keep in mind that this is the very first time that any of these kids have ever gone camping, and setting up a heavy duty canvas tent is a mission even for seasoned veterans. At the start we left them to their own devices and let them try it all on their own. It was not long before we were summoned to assist with the construction of the tents. The kids take direction really well and they observed us as we showed them the idea of what needs to be done and after that they managed to set it up with little to no issue. We finished with the camp setup close to 18h30 and this is when the winds, which are quite common and famous to those who have spent some time in the Karoo, arrived in angry gusts. We were just thankful that the tents were up and pegged down solidly to the ground.

While the wind continued, we proposed to them the ‘king of the fire’ game. This is where it is the duty of the group to get all of the materials together from the surrounding area and start a fire with only one match. Everyone gets a chance to try and start it. Its not the easiest thing to do especially with the roaring winds but our boy Ichelesi stepped up to the challenge and dominated on his first attempt, and for the next 24 hours holds the crown of the Fire King.

For dinner we kept it easy and made some wors (sausage) rolls with some cola to wash it down with. We had some varied and funny conversations and many laughs were shared among the group. It was non stop chatting the whole time by the fire. And all spirits were high.

The wind died down, and as darkness descended, first time campers began to realize how far out they really were from civilisation. The stars and planets were bright, and we were able to share a nice experience teaching them about different stars, planets and constellations. During this little lesson, we were interrupted by the roaring of lions. Everyone was wide eyed and could not believe it! The reality of the wild place we were in set in. But we reassured them, as this section of the reserve is fenced in for safety. The only animals in the area are steenbok, kudu, giraffe, monkeys, baboons, and some more nocturnal species like brown hyena, caracal and aardvark.

After dinner, it was not long before the call of bed was too strong to resist, and we all retreated back to our tents.

Throughout the night we were serenaded by an orchestra of frogs, toads and various night birds like the fiery necked night jar, Scops owl, and a Verauox’s eagle owl over our heads. For Savannah and I, it was the most restful yet wakeful sleep we have had in a long time, it was magnificent.

We were concerned the kids might get scared, but they made very little noise the whole night…except some sounds of snacking on chips.

The next morning, when everyone was up and teeth brushed, we asked them if they heard the animal noises through the night, and answer was simple…. The frogs were loud. They thought maybe they heard some other strange sounds, but the most eventful thing that happened was Nci Nci Quagga apparently had had an issue with his bag of chips, and managed to spill all over the entire tent, even into Kambaku’s sleeping bag! And yet, we noted, not a chip seemed to be on Nc Nci Quagga’s side of the tent…we question how much of an accident this was…haha.

We went for a walk around the reserve, testing their practical knowledge of animal tracks. We found tons of fresh tracks, clearly lots of animals used the area during the night.

We were most excited to find brown hyena tracks close by to camp, and we joked that the hyena must have been coming for all the chips Nci Nci Quagga spilled.

After our hearty farm style breakfast, which was so kindly provided by Nikki, we drove off to the lodge to start our work day with the on site electrician and general handy man Mornè Nagastro.

Mornè started off by explaining the importance of his job and the value of having someone experienced on a property of this size, and the general isolation of the lodge means you need to be available and open minded as well as adaptable for any situation that may arise. You must be able to “Mcgyver” was the word he used.

He gave us a small tour of the maintenance office and some of the tools he uses regularly. And for some fun for the kids, he had the kids help prepare some fruits and seeds for distributing around the popular bird hide at the lodge. He showed the the strategic places that they hide the food and explained that it needs to be done in such a fashion to give the ‘illusion’ that the birds generally just want to spend time around the hide. Attracting birds attracts the guests to visit the area in some of the free time they have in between all of the activities the lodge has to offer.

While at the hide his eared perked up to a disturbance in the ponds pump and he ushered us to where the pump is located and explained that the sound we were hearing was most likely due to the level of the water in the pump.

Now there needs some clarification to the location of the lodge, it is on a hill and to have big water reservoirs close to the lodge is aesthetically ‘un pleasing’ to look at.

He took us to the second water pump and began to explain how the water gets to the lodge from a different borehole located on a “koppie” close by, and how the pressure is controlled by gravity as well the pump we were standing in front of. He went through some of the prices of the equipment that they use to build the pumps as well as the filtration system that is attached to the pump. Kuzuko is in the middle of nowhere and the water that the borehole produces is high in mineral content, safe to drink but may mess with your stomach if you are not used to it. The water texture is also quite hard, so the water on the property goes through an entire system of filtration before it is ready for use by the guests and the staff at the lodge, it was a complex discussion but Mornè is a patient and well informed and a wonderful teacher.

Mornè then took us down to one of the guest rooms to show us the inspections what the maintenance department do every day to ensure that each room is guest ready.

He explained that it is the duty of his department to do a follow up inspection after the house keeping department have finished the room, and the goal is to see that all of the lights, appliances, doors, showers etc are in working order, and if anything is found that needs amending it needs to be reported to the department in question. Its always good to have different people from different departments look over a room to ensure the highest quality of service and hospitality. The kids were given very good advice on customer service, and the proper way speaking to guests and working with them should problems ever arise in one the rooms.

We then did some role play with the kids, and they acted out a call out to the room with a faulty safe, it was very funny. They had clearly paid attention to the instructions. And this gave them a wonderful idea of the way a behind the scenes department like the maintenance should interact with the guests.

Mornè went over the ways he has found to have the guests feel comfortable and secure with an employee operating the safe where most likely the guests have all of their most important belongings in. After this he had a important discussion on fire safety, and how maintenance is expected to respond in cases on fire.

We all then broke for lunch and had a wonderful meal that the kitchen at the lodge prepared for us, as always the kitchen outdoes themselves.

Our last task we did with Mornè was a hands on project where he guided the kids and showed them how to assemble and construct a biltong drying box so they can make their own biltong at home. The process was easy enough and like I said before Mornè is a wonderful teacher. The kids got to use some electric tools like a drill and an extractor fan, and they were shown how to connect all of the elements together including the electrical wiring, and unsurprisingly with a great teacher the box worked perfectly. All the kids enjoyed this task that was given to them and the sense of completion that they got from finishing something that seemed quite intricate, gave them all a massive confidence boost, and they said it had to be one of the best parts of the trip all together. The only question at the end was where will they get the meat from to make the biltong, as well as the insistence that chicken would be a great one…. FYI, it won’t. Haha.

Earlier that day we asked the kids if later they wanted to go for a swim at the lodge and they were so exited at the idea of cooling off in the pool after a hard days work, but because the lodge has a multitude of guests we had to wait for all of them to go out on the afternoon drive. This would mean we would have the entire lodge to ourselves, so it was a waiting game from that point forward. We headed down to the communal area close to the campsite to wait for the guests departures. The kids quickly entertained themselves with what was on hand, it was some marbles and spinning tops, and it was wonderful to see them keep busy without any electrical devises.

They played very intense competitions with the marbles, even using them for a soccer tournament. But a bit later, minutes before drives were about to depart, the famous and well timed winds of the Karoo reared their ugly heads once more, and the temperature dropped drastically, and kids all voted to cancel the swim. They seemed quite happy to keep playing their games at the campsite anyway.

When we arrived at camp we wanted to prep the vehicle and the tents for our departure in the morning so we all went ahead and did some tidying and organisation. The wind was much worse this time around but we needed to see if the King of the Fire would be dethroned this day. Each in turn had a shot to try and get the fire going, as an added bonus we upped the 1 match rule to 3 just because the wind was so bad, but in the end all failed but one, the king kept this crown.

For dinner we cooked up some chicken kebabs and some garlic bread. Once more there was a lot of funny, quirky conversations had around the fire, and we were happy to see that the kids have a healthy questioning about the world around them, especially about the things they are exposed to online. These kids don’t fall for tricks on social media, that is for sure. They are very intelligent kids, and talking to them and answering their questions, is an absolute joy.

The night ended with the total annihilation of two bags of marshmallows roasted over the fire, sugar high laughter, and then…everyone’s energy dropped, and they hit the sack.

The next morning we didn’t have a lot planned, everyone was feeling exhausted, camping is fun but not everyone sleeps great. So, we got the spekboom plants we had brought with us from home, (a couple months ago the kids had to keep their spekboom cuttings alive till we plant them at Kuzuko) and planted them at the campsite. The kids decided the best place to start their little garden, and were excited by the prospect of many more plants to come. We then went on a little walk around the property to go follow up on the camera trap we set up the last time we were there, We took the opportunity to test the boys on some of the concepts we have been working on them with, one of the biggest ones for me personally is that they need to be really comfortable with using cardinal directions to orientate themselves, and I took each one by one and quizzed them on the directions and they nailed it, they all knew exactly where they were and what direction was which. We also introduced them to the difference between a thorn on a tree and a spine on a tree. Do you know the difference?

Nikki from the foundation met us back at camp, once again with our packed breakfast that the lodge put together for us, and she even brought us coffee! Oh blessed coffee!

It was a successful trip. The ride home was quiet, as the kids were all out cold. Perhaps they did not sleep quite as well camping as they swore they did…haha.

We arrived to the safe house in the afternoon, and were amazed to see the chaos of the township were these children are growing up. Everyone, men, women, teenagers, all of them completely drunk and falling in the streets. Tiny children left to their own devices, running around with no adult looking after them whatsover. Some adults and teens were clearly on drugs. In the middle of the day. The amount of alcohol and drug abuse these kids are exposed to daily is astounding. An epidemic. We asked the kids if this was a normal occurance, to which they all replied, “Yes. Its every day, but especially on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. But we don’t want to be like them.”

It is always stunning to see such abuse like this, but hear from children that this is the normal thing to do…its scary. This is why our project is so important. Helping get these kids away from the highly toxic “norm”, providing them with an opportunity to do something fulfilling with their lives, equipping them with skills so that they have confidence and hope in themselves and the ability to stand on their own two feet…THIS is why we are doing what we are doing. This is why these excursions are changing lives. This is why this project prevent human trafficking, drug and alcohol abuse, and prostitution.

This trip we did, once again, ensured the kids were provided with new experiences, new skills and abilities, more confidence, and best of all, more hope for their bright futures. THIS IS THE WAY.

We are so grateful for everyone at Kuzuko, for the continued help and time they give these kids, and for all of our donors, whose continued donations make these hands-on, skills based experiences possible for the children who need hope the most.

Stay tuned for our very exciting news about Siphe, the first young man we started working with when we started S.E.E.D of Hope.

Nature Skills: August Monthly Overview

Week 5

This week we wanted to make a point and highlight the massive diversity South Africa possesses by discussing all nine biomes that are found in South Africa. The biomes are as follows:

1. Fynbos

2. Succulent Karoo

3. Desert

4. Nama karoo

5. Grassland

6. Savannah

7. Albany thicket

8. Indian coastal belt

9. Forests

We discusses the meaning of the word biome, listed them all for the boys and went through some identifying features of each one with some visual aids to help the kids remember the differences. The key biomes we delved into a bit deeper than the visual pictures and brief descriptions were the ones that we have interacted with already as well as some that we plan on visiting in the future.

Fynbos biome is all around us in the area that we live in and has one of the most diverse concentration of wild flowers on earth and includes the national flower of South Africa the king protea as well as + - 9000 other species found nowhere else, it stretches all the way from the northern cape through the Western Cape up to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape and is know as the cape floral kingdom, and is a massive draw for all those who venture through the Garden Route in South Africa.

Albany Thicket and Succulent Karoo are the biomes that comprises the area that Kuzuko is situated in, so we discussed a lot about the succulents and typography of the area and why it is of such importance to be conserved. One ion the main threats for this area currently is the poaching of the vast and beautiful succulent plants that are found in that area, they are taken and sold world wide due to the beauty and ease of growth these plants have, but the scars that this leaves will be catastrophic for the area if it is not addressed immediately. We also went over some of the animal species that are only found in this area, as well as the spekboom plant, more on that next week.

Forest biomes in South Africa are basically extinct due to deforestation and encroachment of people on natural spaces we have scattered forest spaces left in the country that are heavily protected, the biggest is the Knysna forest found not far from where the kids live. This biome is a magnet for local and foreign travellers and still to this day has an unknown population of forest elephants left, no one knows how many there are but tracks and signs are prevalent in the forest. The forest is well looked after and a perfect place for our young enthusiasts to utilise the skills we have been working on with them.

It was a great lesson but did seem to drag because of all of the new terminology we introduced to them. We will definitely go over this section again.

Week six

We are in process of planning out the next trip to Kuzuko, and one of the main projects they are running there is the world renown Spekboom reintegration project. Spekboom is a great little succulent that grows easy in dry arid regions, they have a high water and nutrient makeup, so all browsing animals love eating it, and it has one of the highest rates of Carbon emission absorption in the world. We set up a few pots of spekboom cuttings from our garden and put together a presentation about how to propagate and care for them and we gave the task to the boys to keep their plants alive till the next trip so we can go out and plant them to add to the massively successful project. It should be a fairly easy task as these plants are quite notorious for surviving anywhere, but we will see :)

Homework:

Keep that plant alive.

Week 7

This was a great week to do a little deep dive into some of Africa’s most famous animals, you know, the ones that people from all over the world spend thousands of dollars a year to see. I am of course talking about the Big Five, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and the black Rhino.

We had a wonderful discussion about various aspects of these magnificent animals everything from the Latin classifications and descriptions of the names given to them, the gestational period, various Biomes where these animals are found, diet, life expectancy, social group structure and make up, communication used between individuals, and a lot more. The boys did really well because some of these topics we have discussed with them before but never in this much detail.

These boys are super immersive, the topics discussed and the information given is well above the age group they are in, some of the terms are only introduced to people after general education in tertiary institutions, of course they cannot yet fully grasp all of it, but it is impressive none the less that they are absorbing it.

With our next trip in the works we really want these boys to be as informed as possible so we can test the practical application of all of the theory we have been mentoring them in.

Homework:

For each of the big 5: based on what you observe, are they better at hearing, seeing, smelling, or all? (Example: White rhinos have poor eye sight, but good hearing and sense of smell)

• How many types of grass do white rhinos eat?

• Can black rhinos eat poison plants?

• How high can a leopard jump?

• What method does a lion use to hunt?

• Who leads an elephant herd?

Week 8

Following up on the Big 5 lesson we wanted to dive into some more info on each of the animal, and introduce some animals that most people are unaware of that exist in South Africa. They are special animals that also have their own classifying groups. We all know the first group.

Big 5:

Lion

Leopard

Elephant

Black Rhino

Buffalo

Elusive 5:

These are animals that are really scarce and extremely shy, in the guiding industry these are a bigger rush to find than the aforementioned Big 5 and includes the:

Aardvark

Aardwolf

Bat Eared Fox

Meerkat/Suricate

Porcupine

Ugly 5:

As the name describes they are the ones people generally look at and go “eeeew how ugly”, we feel they are cute in a different way.

Warthog

Hyena

Vulture

Wildebeest

Marabou Stork

And last but not least…

Small 5:

They are various species of animals from reptiles to insects that share a portion of their names with the Big 5.

Antlion

Leopard Tortoise

Elephant Shrew

Rhino Beetle

Buffalo Weaver

Homework:

Focusing on the Big 5, research and find a fact about each of the Big 5.

Nature Skills: July Monthly Overview

We have a strong belief that the kids we work with, who have so much going against them, need a massive helping hand when it comes to what is attainable for them and their futures. We aim to give them the opportunity to try their best, gain confidence through hands-on experience, and to become the very best they can be in whatever they pursue in their futures.

Since July, we have been implementing a weekly get together with the older boys (who have shown an interest in pursuing a possible career in wildlife conservation) so that we can mentor them through some of the general theory that one must have a good grasp on if you want to be a field/safari guide or something similar. We are happy to report that they have taken quite well to the material we have curated for them to work through. We also went ahead and purchased them each a little book that they can do homework in. This is a little overview from the first month of what we have been mentoring and how things are going for our “nature guys”.

Week one.

We needed to know what observational skills these lads had, so we put together a simple I.D lesson of all of the animals that would be seen on Kuzuko property. It included common game like Impala, Springbok, Giraffe, and Wildebeest, as well as some of the bigger game found on the African continent like Lions, Elephant, Cheetah, Rhino and Buffalo. There were many, many animals to go over!

The first lesson was lighthearted and we wanted to gauge the ability of the boys to differentiate between species, we also wanted to see the general knowledge they have about the animals in this country. It went really well, there were some instances where they would become confused between animals that look really similar like an Impala and a Springbok and a Steenbok etc, but spending a little time with each image they were able to point out the noticeable differences between each animal. We keep these lessons visual and practical, as some kids do have some learning struggles. But it was clear that this method of visual and practical implication was perfect for the boys. They showed huge promise and are clearly highly intelligent.

Home work.

We asked them to answer the followed questions for homework:

1. What is your favourite animal?

2. Provide an interesting fact about that animal.

3. Draw out the tracks of the animal

4. Are any the differences between male and female?

We also asked them to provide all the names of the animals we discussed in their home language Xhosa.

After all was said and done and the hot chocolate drinks were done we were all happy with the results of the day.

Week two.

Like every lesson, we started with hot chocolates for all.

For this session we did a quick recap of the id challenge we did the previous week as well as some wild card bird I.D and excluding the surprise birds on the list they were noticeably more comfortable and confident this time around. We then moved into more observational skills and tips for identifying key behavioural indicators that are found on animal faces and bodies, they now have a basic understand of how to tell if an animal is Diurnal, Nocturnal, or Crepuscular from simple observation of features on an animals face as well as the different forms of camouflage that can be found in nature and what they mimic. We also went through the ways to differentiate between a black and a white rhino, and no it’s not the colour.

We ended off the lesson with a little game called spot the Leopard, the boys did not do well finding the sneaky feline in the pictures:)

Homework.

We asked them to

1.Draw a few different forms of camouflage

2. What is Nocturnal and Diurnal

3. Write down the different features of a Diurnal and Nocturnal animal.

Week three.

This week we focused on an important skill that everyone that works with wild animals needs to master. Tracking is a fundamental and useful skill that they need to get a good grasp on if they choose to follow a career in the industry.

We discussed differences between cats and dog tracks and some tips for easy ID on them. We went through all of the big 5 tracks and how many toes each posses. The guys gained an understanding of some new terminology like even and odd toed ungulates. And we went through all of the basic antelope tracks, as well as monkey, baboon, zebra, giraffe, and hyenas.

The boys have all enjoyed the art of tracking thus far, and it has been amazing to see the keen observational skills they naturally possess.

Homework.

We drew out a generic cat and dog track for each of them and they had to explain the visual differences between cat and dog tracks, and they also had to draw and explain differences between black and white rhino tracks.

Week four.

The final week before the big trip to Kuzuku. The boys had worked so hard on all their lessons, and they were getting very excited to take all their new knowledge and skills we had been working to Kuzuku Private Game Reserve to put it all to the test practically.

This week we worked out observing and properly responding to wildlife behaviour. This was extremely important, as animals give visual signs and make audible sounds that can be crucial to safely viewing them in the wild. We went over the majority of animal sounds that can be heard on game reserves, what the calls meant, like alarm calls and warning calls.

We went over different animal expressions and what they mean.

How to safely approach and respond in different situations involving wildlife.

And we showed them videos on poorly handled situations where people wrongly approached or stressed out wild animals and how the animals responded and gave them plenty of warning to back off.

This was a very good lesson, and it was good for the boys to start learning how to understand animal behaviour and what the proper procedures are in tense wildlife situations.

The only homework they had this week was a packing list for the big trip ahead!

The Protector

It was a cold and early morning and the sky was tinged with the pale pink hue of a promising sun on the horizon.

I had been out awhile already monitoring the cheetahs and other animals. I was looking forward to some sunshine so I could warm up a bit, the Karoo winter is harsh and bone chilling at times, but it contains a still, hushed and incredible  beauty to it.

The cheetah mother I was checking up on came up out of the bush, a proud and fierce cheetah. She came closer to me, making sure I was not a danger to the cubs she had hidden in the bush. She accepted my presence as safe, and went back to her cubs and began to wash them, purring and chirping loudly.

Cheetahs are not the strongest animal by any means, but when one can observe the pure courage a cheetah mother shows when protecting her cubs, it can only be inspiring.

She is protecting them, even at the cost of her life, because she knows they need her. They cannot protect themselves. They need her guidance and support and protection so that they can one day become strong and capable cheetahs just like her.

When I think back on this image, I can feel an overwhelming drive to do just the same as this cheetah mother. There are children and animals who need to be protected at all costs. That is what we are trying to do with our work at Archangels Project. We want to prevent harm from happening to those who need to be protected, because they cannot protect themselves.

I believe there is a calling to most of us to protect the innocent. And I believe there is a calling to provide hope and aid to the most vulnerable. This is what drives Enslin and I to do the work we are doing.

Having worked in conservation, we know there is an unnatural darkness that seeks to destroy what we want to conserve. Poachers. Animal traffickers. Wildlife crime. True cruelty that goes beyond my understanding.

We need to prevent this.

But its not only our wildlife that is under attack and in dire need of rescue.

It is our children. And in particular, children who have no protection. Children who have no guardians. Its children who are leaving orphanages because they are too old to stay there, and now have to figure out a way to survive on their own.

These are the youth who are targeted by traffickers, by gangs, drugs, or even forced into poaching. If no one is there to prevent and protect these kids, their future is often bleak and they are lost and forgotten.

Very similar to the wildlife we are trying to protect, right?

This is where our work comes in.

We are focusing on the youth who need hope, who need an opportunity. We are getting them involved with wildlife conservation and lodge hospitality.

They are gaining skills and experience that will provide them with confidence in themselves as well as an ability to do something great with their lives.

When these children and teens are protected, and they have gained their own strength and hope through wildlife, then wildlife is protected through them.

That is why our project works. That is why we are pushing that THIS IS THE WAY.

To anyone reading this, please support us. Please consider donating to us. This is working. But we need help to keep it going.

A Memory of a Lion

The greyness of the dawn was broken slightly by pale gold rays.

Like a shadow, dark maned and quiet footed, the mighty lion came padding out of the bush.

Though I was blessed to see this great animal daily, it never ceased to amaze me his beauty and perfection. And for me, its moments like these that bring me such a great joy. Even though the picture isn’t perfectly clear and its a little blurry due to the movement of the lion, I rather appreciate that. Because memories often seem dreamlike. I think this picture depicts that well.

I love to see animals in the earliest hours of dawn or the latest hours of night. They have a different air about them. Something even more wild and pure.

Memories like these stir me to do more. To not simply hold onto a memory as a treasure for myself. I want to inspire others to get out there, to try something new, and to experience these wild moments in nature that have moved me forever. My hope is everyone can have an opportunity to experience this.

Our work with Archangels Project is born from moments like these. But it goes even deeper.

Having worked in conservation, we know there is an unnatural darkness that seeks to destroy what we want to conserve. Poachers. Animal traffickers. Wildlife crime. True cruelty that goes beyond my understanding.

We need to prevent this.

But its not only our wildlife that is under attack and in dire need of rescue.

It is our children. And in particular, children who have no protection. Children who have no guardians. Its children who are leaving orphanages because they are too old to stay there, and now have to figure out a way to survive on their own.

These are the youth who are targeted by traffickers, by gangs, drugs, or even forced into poaching. If no one is there to prevent and protect these kids, their future is often bleak and they are lost and forgotten.

Very similar to the wildlife we are trying to protect, right?

This is where our work comes in.

We are focusing on the youth who need hope, who need an opportunity. We are getting them involved with wildlife conservation and lodge hospitality.

They are gaining skills and experience that will provide them with confidence in themselves as well as an ability to do something great with their lives.

When these children and teens are protected, and they have gained their own strength and hope through wildlife, then wildlife is protected through them.

That is why our project works. That is why we are pushing that THIS IS THE WAY.

To whoever read this…please support us. Please consider donating to us. This is working. But we need help to keep it going.

Bush Names

Like in the military, in the Lowveld of South Africa where I (Enslin) worked extensively in my younger years as a field guide (safari/ranger), you haven’t been fully accepted by your peers unless you have been assigned a call sign. In this area it stems from the guides active need to communicate with each other with regards to sightings that they have an interest in, or having to convey changes or updated within any given “loc”(sighting location). Working with international tourists, it is extremely important for the experience they receive to feel as authentic and exiting as possible, with that there is a mutual understanding amongst all the guides from all of the various Lodges on the reserve to keep valuable information about the animals being viewed as secret as possible. The general consensus is to use an obscure language that predictably the guests would be unaware of to communicate with each other. In the area I worked in it was the Tsonga language, for example. To all the Tsonga puritans excuse, or feel free to correct the spelling ;).

“On loc with Nthlambi Ngala static lalapanzi next to Nyari bamba”. Being a tourist on drive we feel confident that you will not know that what we said is that, I am on loc with a pride of lions, not moving and laying down/sleeping next to a buffalo kill. With this tactic we control the information being shared as well as managing the expectation for the guests. It would be pretty disappointing if we were to announce that sighting in English and we are too far away from the sighting to realistically make it in time to view, or the animals decide to abandon the carcass while we are on route and all we have to see when we arrive is a stinky buffalo.

So the call signs or bush names as we call them are usually assigned to you by one of the senior people on the reserve, and it can be assigned to you at anytime. It could be based on something you said on the radio, something dumb or funny you have done, physical appearance, skills, anything that stands out basically.

Story time.

I was on a drive in the early morning, and we hit up a few exceptional sightings and it was on the wind down of the drive on the way back to the lodge where we came across a big group of Zebra and what seemed to be a group of lions stalking them. I was still grappling with the new language that this reserve was using, so I inquired to the tracker I worked with on how to report this loc to the rest of the guys out on drive, I nailed the whole sentence perfectly, or so I thought. I did convey the message accurately but I did not say the right word for Zebra, I still blame the tracker, he misspoke :o . I heard ‘Mankwe’ but the right term is ‘Mangwa’. No one including my partner corrected me so for the next month I repeatedly got it wrong and that was the birth of Enslin ‘Mangwa’ Scheepers.

So with all this in mind, we decided it was a good idea to give each of the kids we work with their very own Bush name. We will use these special names in our blogs posts from here on out, because of the abuse the kids have experienced in the past, we can never share their real identities or show their faces. So we thought this was a nice way to make them feel special like they deserve.

Here are all the Bush names so far!

Enslin

Bush Name: Mangwa

Meaning: Zebra

Story: a repeated mispronunciation of a Tsonga word over the course of a month ended with the name of Mangwa becoming the official call sign.

Savannah

Bush Name: Iliso Iwekhozi

Meaning: eagle eye (Xhosa language) vulture eye (Zulu language)

Story: very sharp eyes for spotting animals and so sharp that “she can see into the future” as Enslin says. My Zulu friend Toko agreed the name was fitting, for in his language it means “vulture eye” and vultures have been known to see in the future because their eyes are so good. Toko said I was always the best tracker with the best eyes, so he agreed with this Bush name for me I am proud to say!

Bush Name: Nyeleti

Meaning: Firefly

Story: this name was perfect for the oldest girl, as she has a bright and shining personality, and she seems to lighten up any place she goes just like a firefly. Strong and bright she is not afraid to try something new and work hard to follow her dreams. This name is Zulu in origin.

Bush Name: Kambaku

Meaning: grumpy elephant

Story: although full of personality and a real funny guy, the oldest boy we work with is definitely a teenager. He starts off grumpy in morning, but definitely stands out as a leader and jokester. He has no fear in leading the group and stands out as a strong speaker. This name is a Tsonga word for a grumpy bull elephant, or a ‘tusker’.

Bush Name: Buchu

Meaning: Buchu, a type of flowering ‘miracle herb’

Story: although shy and reserved, this girl has a laugh that brightens every heart. She has a miraculous backstory, and we think this miraculous girl deserves a name from the beautiful South African plant that holds miraculous healing properties and has the most beautiful flowers that grow throughout many seasons.

Bush Name: Ichelesi

Meaning: honey badger

Story: this is a Xhosa word for honey badger. This boy has a fearless spirit, he is a little shy at first but he always ready for the adventure. And he LOVES sweets. He is always on the look out for some sweets. So we thought, with a fearless spirit and a hunger for sweets, honey badger is the perfect animal for him.

Bush Name: Igala

Meaning: meerkat

Story: this is a Xhosa word for meerkat. And it is a very fitting animal name for this girl! She has got a bubbly personality, she is very social and full of a joyful endless energy, she has no fear and will try anything new. So we thought this name was a nice fit, considering how social and energetic the meerkat is.

Bush Name: Nci-nci Quagga

Meaning: Little zebra

Story: both a Xhosa and a Khoi-San name, ‘nci-nci’ means little in Xhosa, and ‘quagga’ means zebra in the ancient Khoi-San language which is the lineage this boy has. His favorite animal is the zebra, and this clever and funny guy has the full energy of a young zebra. And because he is often laughing and joking, we thought a zebra fits his personality with their calls sounding like laughter. The group name for zebra is also ‘dazzle’, well fitting for his dazzling personality.

Kuzuko Trip #3

The day was bright and warm. We arrived at the safe house to pick up our group, and spent a little time packing up the rental car with the kids and going over some nature lessons to test what they could remember so far. Our group of wildlife enthusiasts happily showed off their memory and we were so happy to see that the lessons were paying off so well. Some of the kids we work with have learning challenges but it’s clear that our way of mentoring them has paid off in an incredible way, these kids are incredibly intelligent and such a joy to work with.

We left the township and headed to the school to pick up the rest of the kids going on our trip. And the entire trip was a very fun one. Although the drive was long, having a car full of very excited, laughing and chatting kids made it an absolute joy.

Enslin continued to quiz the kids on cardinal directions the whole trip, asking at intervals which way we were going. Some of the kids did quite well, though other times they would shout out whatever direction came to mind first which was always funny. This skill however is very important in guiding, and we were pleased to see that the kids loved trying to figure it out.

We made it to the lodge in record time, we saw many animal species and birds along the way which gave lots of opportunity for us to teach the kids something new but also for the kids to practice sharing what they knew.

We met with Kuzuko’s wonderful owners, Jim and Nikki, and the rest of the lodge staff. It was a joy, as always, to see everyone again. And because this was the first time Nci Nci Quagga was joining the adventure, and he was very excited to experience it all and meet everyone.

After a marvelous dinner in Kuzuko’s dining hall, we all retired to our rooms to enjoy the wild atmosphere of the reserve and the comfort of the generously offered accommodation.

We all got to enjoy an incredible sunset, and sky full of stars and even some meteors, and peaceful night with the promise of an exciting day ahead. Though we could hear the boys staying up a little later next door with all their laughter.

Morning came and everyone was on time and ready to go.

We ate breakfast and went over the day’s plan.

Ella, the house mother, was going to stay at the lodge and enjoy some much needed rest.

The oldest girl we worked with, Nyeleti, was with us for the third time, and she was going to be spending a full day running the coffee station and dining room, since her first visit to Kuzuko, she became passionate about becoming a barista. Since then, we got her into a local coffee shop to work on the weekend back home, and from there she gave it her all to become fully capable in coffee making and fine dining waitering. She has spent every spare second she has learning about this type of work, and now she would have an opportunity to show Kuzuko staff what she had been learning.

The three boys, our nature guys, would be going with us and the reserve manager Jake to start the day with exploring the reserve and learning about what work goes into managing a reserve.

The three boys were all excited, and had come prepared with their booklets for notes and the animal guide book we got them a year ago.

We got into the game vehicle, and left the lodge behind. Jake handed the radio to Kambaku, and asked him to announce our departure into the reserve.

Kambaku was proud and excited to have the honor, and, as so many guides do daily, he announced over the radio, “Attention all stations, we are departing on a game drive.”

It’s little things like this that can be such a boost in confidence in these great kids.

We stopped at an old elephant skull from many years ago, and got out of the vehicle to discuss it and let the boys get a better look. They loved this experience, and they had an opportunity to share some of their knowledge on the uniqueness of an elephant skull which they had learned from one of our previous lessons earlier in the month. It makes all the difference to put what they have been learning to practical application. And we felt very proud of their enthusiasm.

The reserve manager, Jake, had his wife, Jade, join our drive as well. She is doing a lot in wildlife conservation as well, and was a wealth of knowledge. And through all the collective experience on the drive, the boys were introduced to a wide variety of knowledge in wildlife and ecology.

We enjoyed a nice sighting of meerkats, warming themselves in the sun. And this was followed by the arrival of a small herd of black wildebeest.

We saw many other antelope species like impala, kudu, and steenbok, and the boys were witness to quite interesting behaviours by the animals. All of this opened up to conversations about animal behaviour, and the boys had many opportunities to show off their own knowledge and memory from past sessions with us. Once again, showing us that our work is creating a seed of hope in the kids we are so privileged to work with.

We made a stop at a very special plant called a spekboom. The boys learned how important this succulent is, and the very important role it plays in conservation. It was a good lesson for them, as we will be doing a practical lesson involving the planting of spekboom in the near future.

There were quite a few stops along the way to discuss different types of ecosystems and the jobs a reserve manger must do to check up on the overall health of a reserve daily. And the boys all expressed their interest in wanting pursue a future as a guide or game ranger.

We made a stop at a separate part of the reserve that has a focus on cheetah conservation. This was nice for me, as I was once the cheetah conservation project manager at Kuzuko.

The boys got to see a cheetah up close in an enclosure, as this cheetah was getting ready to be released onto a reserve in Botswana and was awaiting the journey ahead. It was lying peacefully in the shade, unbothered by our presence. This was the first time the boys had seen an cheetah, and especially one so close. And they learned about the cheetahs endangered status, and how Kuzuko is helping them. Yet another little known part of conservation.

After the cheetah, we found white rhinos. Now the boys had been learning a lot about rhinos, and shared some of their knowledge in the differences between white and black rhino.

They definitely impressed Jake and Jade with all their facts.

We went to see the Cape buffalo herd after the rhinos, and they boys learned about the future plans that the reserve has for the herd and their future release onto the main reserve. We hope to get the boys back to reserve for the grand release.

We continued our tour around the reserve, and made many more stops along the way to talk about wildlife and ecology. The boys got to test their knowledge practically when we stopped to look at elephant tracks, and this has been a favorite topic for all three of them. And we questioned them on different details found in the elephant tracks, and once again, their knowledge and observational skills showed exceptional promise. Enslin and I both felt so moved by this, because all the mentoring and experiences we have been doing with them are truly having incredible results in their lives.

We returned to the lodge for lunch and a small break.

We met up with Ella and Nyeleti for lunch and everyone shared their experiences together over lunch.

We were so impressed by the hard work that Nyeleti had shown, she had been going above and beyond with making coffees and serving the guests at the lodge like a professional, and all the other staff had nothing but compliments for her. We were really excited to hear this. It was clear she was giving this her all.

After lunch, Nyeleti was eager to return to helping out in the coffee making, so we said our goodbyes and went to get ready for the next mission of the day.

While we still had some off time, we saw the boys were hanging out at the lodge swimming pool and were egging each other on to go swimming! They asked us if it was ok to swim, we thought they were crazy since, in South Africa right now, it is winter!

But we told them they could if they wanted to and got the permission from Ella.

Ella told them they were crazy but it was fine.

So Kambaku and Ichelesi got ready, while Ncinci Quagga was on standby for moral support…or mostly just to joke and mock the other two.

After a long time of trying to convince each other to jump first, the Kambaku finally gathered courage to go feel the water…and his expression and reaction said it all. It was COLD!

But now we joined in to encourage him to jump, and we told him the girls all jumped in the last time. Upon hearing this little fib, the boys became determined to jump. They had to now.

Kambaku through himself headfirst into the pool, and emerged in shock by how cold it was. The other boys were rolling with laughter at his expression and so were we!

Now it was Ichelesi’s turn…back and forth around the pool he went for at least 10 minutes, trying to make himself jump. He would go stand on the first step of the pool ladder, then step out again. The other boys called for him to make the jump. And it was through much laughter that he finally jumped in. We cheered the brave and crazy kids for getting in the freezing pool, and broke the news that the girls had not in fact actually jumped in last time. They all laughed and hurried to their rooms to warm up.

The time came for us to embark on a important mission, the lodge had some guests that really wanted to see giraffe and they had yet to see any. So we were asked if we could go track the giraffe ahead of the game drive so the guests would be able to see them. This was a huge opportunity for the boys to practice their trackings skills, and they were very excited!

We made our way to the area of the reserve where the giraffe herd had last been seen so we could have a starting point. And we got lucky…we thought…because we saw far up on the mountain what we believe was the head of a giraffe disappear over mountains edge. So we all realized it was going to be a big hike ahead of us!

We started walking, but we had plenty of time to find the giraffes so we stopped along the way to go over different animal tracks and practically go over more of what the boys had been learning with us back home. It was very impressive what they could remember, especially because tracking in itself is not a simple art. It is very in depth and fascinating work, so seeing these boys take to it the way they have been is really incredible.

We found many signs of antelope, from kudu to steenbok, and the boys found the dung of the antelope to be quite funny and we enjoyed a funny little lesson on all of it.

We came across the elusive brown hyena tracks, still fresh from the night before. And it gave the journey an air of mystery.

We crossed a small stream where we had the opportunity to speak on the differences between fresh and old tracks in the mud.

We found giraffe tracks and dung, and knew we were going in the right direction…which was up, up, up.

It was a long and tiresome hike, but the boys had no problem with it and they loved every second of the challenge. We continued to find small sign of the animals we were looking for, but the signs became difficult as we got to rockier areas.

And finally, as we paused to take in the view below us, there was saw a giraffe just above us. It moved along the ridge and disappeared on the other side.

The boys were so proud having accomplished the mission, it was a big deal for them!

Having found where the giraffes were, we headed back down to report.

The boys chatted happily a lot of the way, and were pleased to say that no one else at the school had ever done such a thing. Kambaku laughed and said, “The other kids at school cannot even track their own dog!” And we all laughed. They were so proud of this special skill they had learned and put to the test in such a successful way. And we were so proud of them too. They have had so many hardships in their lives, and to accomplish something like this is a big deal. They are truly extraordinary kids.

We met the guests for a sundowner, and reported the whereabouts of the giraffe. But then the entire herd of giraffe appeared from behind the mountain where we had been, and came down close to where we all were. It was typical of wildlife to do things in this way, but it did not take away from the wonderful experience the boys had had, in fact it only made it better!

We all enjoyed a soda and snacks with guests, which we believed was well deserved for the boys!

We enjoyed an absolutely marvelous sunset and then headed back to the lodge for a much needed dinner.

We met with Ella and the girl for dinner and the table was filled with laughter and chatter. We then learned that the girl had worked non stop all day! But she did it to prove how capable she was. Enslin taught us all sign language during dinner, which everyone picked up very quickly. And it was followed up by a lot of laughter and joking and spelling things at each other.

After dinner, Ella and the kids put on a show for the whole lodge to say thank you. And they sang a well known Xhosa song of good fortune. We all stood in amazement as Ella’s beautiful voice resounded throughout the lodge, and everyone was very impressed and moved and gave her and the kids a standing ovation.

The next morning, the oldest girl was up at dawn to prove once more she was a hard worker and willing to put in the effort. Everyone was amazed.

We had one more important task to do with boys, which was setting up a camera trap.

We went out onto the reserve with Nikki and chose a place that had signs of lots of animal and bird life.

We had a little hike ahead to reach it, but it was a fun walk with lots of tracks and we even found the giraffe herd as we went! Nikki’s very sweet dog, Tilly, also joined us.

Nikki showed the boys how to turn on the camera and we all set it up together picking out the best direction and height for it.

Next time we go to Kuzuko we will be able to check what animals walked by the camera, which will be a nice experience for our nature guys.

On the walk back, the boys were in a heated discussion about who was faster, and so a competition was needed to determine who the ultimate runner was.

We came to a straight road, and the boys lined up. Tilly the dog also wanted to join, so she lined up too. “On your marks, get set, GO!!”

The boys gave it their all, but it was clear that the fastest runner was Tilly! Though there have been calls for a rematch and possible cheating from the dog’s side…video footage will be reviewed, however Tilly was certainly the clear winner, haha!

After this we went back to the lodge, and it was time to head home.

Nyeleti had a meeting with the food and beverage manager and the owners of Kuzuko, who all gave her feedback on the work she did over the weekend. They had nothing but praise for her, and were beyond impressed with her work ethic and character and attention to detail. They offered her an internship with the possibility of employment upon graduation from school, and said that they may fund her to go through hospitality school in the future as well.

This was HUGE news. And we were all so excited for her, and to see this project working was very heartwarming for us.

Our goal has always been to help the kids who are the most at risk. It’s so often the kids that come from orphanages and safe houses as young adults end up lost forever. We have heard so many stories already of the kids that, in spite of growing up in a safe and loving home at the safe house we work with, they still ended up being lost to drugs or alcoholism, and some, have disappeared completely. Many of the kids in these places are taken advantage of by traffickers and other criminals, led into being trafficked, or into drugs, prostitution, poaching, or gangs.

Our goal for S.E.E.D of Hope has been to prevent this from happening in the first place.

By working with these kids, and especially the teens, we are mentoring them in different skills and figuring what they are interested in and passionate about. And then by providing them an opportunity to pursue their interests, we are seeing them gain hope for their future, and confidence to pursue their dreams. We are working with a long term goal in mind. We want to see every child we work with end up in a career when they leave their safe house. We want them to grow up with hope, with dreams they want to pursue, growing in the confidence to pursue their goals, and to grow in character and with skillsets honed in over the years that enables them to stand on their own two feet.

And seeing Nyeleti achieve her goal like this…after one trip to Kuzuko with us. She did not have any interest in finishing school before or pursuing anything, she had no aspirations, until she discovered a passion for making coffee at the lodge and working with guests at Kuzuko, and after that, she continued to want to learn more. She changed her thoughts on school and became determined to graduate. We got her doing part time work at a local coffee shop who graciously took time to teach her and help hone in on her barista skills. They offered her a part time job. However, then we went on this trip to Kuzuko for the third time, and Nyeleti worked so hard to show the growth she had made, and now, she will be able to graduate school, leave the safe house, and walk right into a five star internship with the possibility of further studies and a career.

THIS IS THE WAY. This is why our project works, and it is simply amazing to see young lives changed before our eyes.

We could not do this without the help of our donors, the commitment and generosity of Kuzuko Lodge and its staff, and all the other wonderful people who give their time and resources to help kids in need accomplish true hope.

It was a great end to the trip, and we look forward to the next one, which will be a deep dive into the maintenance department and maybe a little camping as well!

Kuzuko Girls Trip

With our first trip being a massive success, we had some considering to do with what we wanted to do on the next trip and who we wanted to go on the next trip. There are 15 kids all together at the safehouse, all different ages and sexes. After we considered the situation the children find themselves in, we concluded that we need to focus more of our attention on the older kids, and with the girls being in the majority of the older ones at the safe house, and their interests are less in wildlife and more in lodge hospitality, we decided we would do a “girls trip” this time around.

We had another seat available in the car that we decided to fill with one of the young men that used to be in the safehouse, who has successfully completed an intense course in hotel and catering, and Kuzuko happily agreed to have him come in for a working interview over the weekend.

We coordinated with Kuzuko about the details for the trip and agreed that we would have the girls do a crash course of three departments that are integral to the Lodges functioning: Housekeeping, Front of House (specifically reception), and because the girls on the previous trip enjoyed the restaurant s much we felt it necessary to include that again. With that it was set in stone and the trip began.

All went as planned on Friday morning, the rental arrived the night before, collection of the representative (Mama was not able to attend this time around) from the safehouse was easy and went smoothly, we loaded all the girls' bags and drove to the school to pick up the girls. Thankfully we did not encounter a lot of obstacles or traffic on the way to the lodge. The majority were sleeping the entire way there, but the youngest girl, Igala, was awake the whole time absorbing everything around her because it was her first time to venture into the eastern cape, so the entire experience was new and exciting for her. We were making really good time, but due to the time of the year the sun was setting quicker than we could travel, when we got to the gravel road it was already pitch black, and we still had another hour of travel on gravel road. There is a section that is paved and you can speed up slightly but speeding is not suggested due to stray antelope that wander the surrounding area, and the are unfortunately attracted to the light of the vehicles, we were cautious of them and aware of the danger in the area, but all of our vigilance could not have accounted for the truck in the oncoming lanes lights being so bright. I dimmed my lights and he kindly dimmed his too and as he passed us a Kudu cow jumped out right in front of us and we did just barely miss her. It was a close call and a clear reminder to us and the passengers that we are no longer in town. All that being said we arrived unscathed at the front of lodge reception and were quickly checked in and escorted to the main lodge. We checked into our rooms that were prepared for us, dropped our bags, and headed to the restaurant for dinner, they had prepared a buffet style dinner just for us, we ate chatted and then all of us resigned ourselves to our rooms. We were extremely clear with the briefing we did with the girls that the next day would be filled with hard work, and they should take the night to rest, but we could hear late at night that they did not take the advice, and they were up to the wee hours of the morning laughing and enjoying their time.

We started the morning at 07h00 with breakfast, and following the girls were introduced to the head of the house keeping department Heraldine Swemmer, a bubbly friendly lady that made short work with introductions and ushered the girls to the storeroom so they can collect all the equipment necessary to turn over a room and have it be ready for the next guest's arrival.

We had four rooms to turn around and the first room was quite the chaotic experience. The rooms are large and well equipped but I would struggle to think of a room big enough to have six women scuffling and cleaning, sweeping and wiping, and one man trying to not get in the way while capturing the content, so to say the least it was slight pandemonium. Everyone was trying to do everything the same time and we could all see that this was not going to work. We finished the room and the after inspection was done, it was a job well done, but some tweaks to the team had to be made. We regrouped and had designated teams to do the turnover more smoothly. While the cleaning commenced I heard a shrill come from the bathroom and rushed over to find a petrified girl with a small sun spider, these spiders are harmless and we safely removed it and we continued with the great cleansing. Once we did that even Heraldine was surprised at the speed that the girls worked, but also the attention to detail they all had. The oldest girl, Nyeleti, also took it upon herself to elect herself as team leader and she did a fabulous job telling the rest what to do.

From here it was time to learn about where all the bedding and curtains go to be cleaned. So we all piled into a truck, the girls asked if they could sit in the back, and we headed out into the reserve to go to the laundry room. The girls were loving the ride in the back of the truck, and even got to see some wildlife on the way! They saw a herd of impala and zebra as well.

They found the bumpy drive to be very funny and sang many songs all the way down.

We arrived at the laundry room and the ladies gave the girls an overview of how the large washing machines work and the work that goes into getting everything cleaned to the highest standard. The girls also go to help out with ironing the high quality bed sheets to perfect. They really enjoyed all of this and did a great job! The ladies who taught them were very good teachers and showed great attention to detail.

Driving back the lodge was filled with music once more, and the girls loved every second of the drive. They had much laughter and much singing.

We then went to the reception where we were met with Pumeza Mbunge and Mr. Clifford Zono where we were shown the ins and the outs of receiving guests and proper protocol for complaints (all complaints to be given to Mr. Zono). The girls were excited because they had been presented with an opportunity to checkin the guests into room and show them around the lodge just like the employees would. They took the chance on with full gusto and did a fantastic job at being professional and approachable and welcoming to the new arrivals, Igala, the youngest, is such a champ and a definite peoples person and took to the socializing effortlessly. For Buchu, the shyest girl who struggles in social encounters, she put that to the side and very impressively stepped out of her comfort zone to do the task required of her, and we were so proud of her for doing it so well.

Next was the restaurant section of the workday. The girls that had done it before effortlessly mentored the youngest in the skills they learned previously, and showed their attention to detail that is so important and difficult to teach, but they had no problem (these kids are so impressive and capable, we cannot say it enough). All the employees were commenting about the number of details the girls retained from just one visit, but little did they know that the girls have been practicing one their own since then.

The final task of the day was to make hot beverages for all the guests that had arrived. Here was were Nyeleti shined most, as barista work has become her passion. She learned a few new drinks, like Americano and espresso, and Buchu and Igala happily took over the serving of the drinks. They all worked very well as a team.

All said it was a great day and the young ladies did seem to enjoy it a lot. Every opportunity they were presented with was met with enthusiasm and willingness to learn. And of course they loved the chance to go play on the Marimbas.

It was a wonderful evening filled with conversation and laughter about what they had done the day, all three girls are so excited for the next chance they can go help out at the lodge.

We were joined for dinner by the young man who had accompanied us and he was excited to tell us how well his day had gone. He had worked and trained next to the head chef all day and had really impressed him with his work ethic. And he was told that they want to have him come back to continue more training and do an internship! This was a HUGE opportunity for him, and we cannot thank Kuzuko Lodge enough for the chance they have given this young man.

The next morning started with breakfast, coffee and prospects of finding lions on a game drive. We were met by Freddie, and he took us out on the reserve in the morning, accompanied with warm ponchos, we set off to find the lions. It did not take long because Freddie is extremely knowledgeable on the area and the movements of the big kitties and we were in a close loc with 4 lions. We enjoyed the lazy lions as they sunbathed, and it was a beautiful drive. We were, however, pressed on time, so we headed back to the lodge for packed snacks and off we went back home.

It was a highly successful trip, and one that has provided these young lives with hope and opened their minds to possibilities for their future…we are excited for the next excursion!

Kuzuko Lodge Mentorship Excursion

It started as an opportunity given to Savannah and I in 2021 by Archangels Project, we took the opportunity and turned it into an idea we dreamed about for countless nights.

The dream is to share our mutual love of nature and conservation with the next generation. To prevent human trafficking to the most vulnerable people. And ultimately, bring hope to those who have none.

The hard work and the countless sleepless nights have finally paid off in a massive way, we used our past connections to organize a weekend work opportunity with Kuzuko Lodge, The Place of Glory, and it truly was a glorious experience for us and the four wonderful kids we took along for the experience. None of this was even remotely possible without the generosity of Jim and Nikki Tan and the rest of the wonderful team that make up the Kuzuko experience.

The day of the excursion was a sunny one. We were scheduled to meet up with Ella, the "mother" of all of the kids in the Safe house, of which there are 15 kids at the moment. We made it to the safe house long before we were supposed to because we were just too exited to see the kids and get on with the adventure.

Anyone who has been in South Africa for extended periods of time know full well that “time” works differently here…much slower and it is basic guideline but not a concrete concept.

Ella, who holds to this concept of time, was nowhere to be seen. However we were warmly accepted into the house and offered tea/coffee and something to eat while we waited for her to arrive. The Gogo (granny) of the house was trying to explain to us where Ella was, and she was very excited about the trip some of the kids were going on, and thus very talkative, in spite of the fact we could not understand most of what she was say in Xhosa. My African language knowledge was serviceable but only in a different province, here the people speak Xhosa and I had little to no idea what she was saying.

A quick call to Ella rectified the confusion, she was just finishing up last minute work and would join us momentarily, while we waited for her to join us we got to catch up with some of the kids from the house, one of the girls recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and I wasted no time in taking the baby on my lap to hang out with her, her nick name is Cherry and she is a big sweetheart and extremely curious of the strangers in the house. It is always a great time at their house a lot of comedy and loads of laughs to be had just hanging out there.

One of the boys going on the trip with us brought his bird identification book and the binoculars we had gotten him for Christmas. This was a great mentoring moment and we all started to go through the book, and practice with him how to ID birds and check mark the ones he had seen before.

After quite a long wait Ella finally arrived, and she is such a vibrant and energetic presence to be around. There was a flurry of clothes being tossed into bags, passing babies around, lots of laughing and talking, and then finally, they were ready to go!

Ella explained that she had had the youngest boys that only recently joined the safe house under her care with her the whole day because they are both quite sick, and have come down with lung infections, so she could not leave them without taking them to the local clinic first for some medicine to manage the sickness. She is truly a wonderful mother to the kids under her care, and she cares deeply for each one of them.

With bags loaded, kids loaded, and kisses given to all in the house we set off to pick up the rest of the kids who are joining us at the school they recently started at when we checked our watched it was just past two in the afternoon.

The drive through the informal settlement is always a bit of a stressful experience, if you know you know, but we made it out of the settlement easily with Ella's directions and we were on the main road to the school, a whirlwind start to the trip however we were optimistic and full of excitement.

Needless to say we were late picking up the other kids from school, but they were not worried at all. They were very excited!

It was 6-hour drive to the reserve, and a relatively uneventful drive except for the handful of roadworks we had to endure.

During the drive, Ella whipped out a huge red Tupperware and revealed she had gotten up at 4 in the morning to bake bread and cook chicken for the trip, and it was DELICIOUS! So the kids were all sorted with food for the whole trip.

We made a quick bathroom stop and got everyone drinks to pull through the rest of the trip.

We were driving through the famed city of Port Elizabeth at sunset, and the kids loved seeing the big city, as it is very different than where they are from. It was a pretty sunset as we continued past Addo National Park, and made a quick stop for fuel.

And then…we left the city lights and the crashing waves of the ocean far behind, traveling ever further into the wilderness were darkness draped over the Karoo, and the only light came from the sea of stars above. Everyone became more quiet, taking in the remarkable openness of the wild country, and appreciating just how dark it truly was as there was no town or lights in sight.

We at last came to a very familiar turnoff, at least it was for Savannah and I, since this little dirt road would take us to Kuzuko Private Game Reserve, the place in which we first met all those years ago!

It was a long and bumpy drive down the old road, but the kids enjoyed it all the way. Ella kept conversations going, and some of the kids would ask questions about different animals. We later saw several kudu, and that led into another conversation and lots of questions as well.

We made it to the reception just past 20:00pm where we were greeted by lovely, familiar faces. We were welcomed by the owner and his wife, Jim and Nikki Tan, and they lead us into the reception where we met with two colleagues that both Savannah and I worked with in 2019, Freddie, a field guide and head of the Kuzuko Foundation charity, and Zayvenisha, who works the reception like a superstar. We were warmly greeted and each and every one of our party was handed us a refreshing and tasty welcoming drink of apple juice in fancy champagne glasses. The kids and Ella felt like royalty, a very new experience for them. Zayvenisha proceeded to explain to us the process of a guest check in. All of the formalities were covered in detail and explained clearly to us all. Everyone was presented with a check-in form with an indemnity attached, and we filled it in accordingly. It was a very new experience for the kids to be treated in an independent way.

With all the formalities out of the way, we were escorted to the Main Lodge on the reserve, its roughly about 10 minutes' drive from the checking reception to the lodge reception.

As we approached the main gate to the lodge, the Kuzuko lodge name and the words listed below made an impression of luxury and awe in each of our minds, "the place of glory", and it is more than that to us and the kids we work with.

Car parked, we then entered into the main building and as with any guest, we were welcomed with warmed and scented hand towels to freshen up, and a small tour of the building started. It is truly as magnificent as Savannah and I remembered it, and was clearly an awesome experience for the young ones we brought with us.

We were shown to the restaurant area where a table was immaculately set up, we could not believe it, Jim and Nikki had surprised us by providing us all with a five star lodge dinner and dessert! They were so happy to be able to give Ella and the kids the opportunity to experience true five star hospitality. It took a minute for us to get the kids to sit and relax, but the sparkle in their eyes did not dull for a second.

The menus were presented to us by Yolisa and the restaurant supervisor Xolisile (here forth known as MR. X) and drink orders were taken. Dinner was a choice between fresh venison steak or bacon wrapped chicken, and dessert was a gourmet strawberry ice cream. The kids loved every bit of it!

Freddie joined us for dinner and the kids very quickly opened up to him. The conversation was lively at the table, but it was clear to see how overwhelming and grateful everyone was.

It was quite late in the night at this point, and when everyone had finished dinner, after we went over the plans for the next day with Freddie, he led all of us to our rooms…it was cold walk to the rooms. Excited chatter continued about the brightness of the stars and coolness of the Karoo night. And as Freddie showed each of us to our rooms, we all were feeling overwhelmed with gratefulness. We each were given our own room, fully equipped with the very finest the lodge could offer. Truly the finished of luxuries! The kids were beyond excited, as each of them saw their room and realized just how big and beautiful it was, their chatter all grew in volume. And finally Ella came to her room, and she could only exclaim that this was by the nicest thing she had ever experienced in her entire life. And with the amount of work and sacrifice she makes daily to help the kids and all others in need, we felt very happy that she should experience a wonderful luxury such as Kuzuko Lodge.

For Enslin and I, it was truly a special moment to stay in one of the rooms, having both worked at Kuzuko so many years ago and now, to come back to where our journey had first started. It was surreal.

Our alarm went off at 04h30, I was up-and-at'em as soon as the phone made a peep, though it took a little bit more encouragement for Enslin to get up and out of bed, but the fresh coffee did help a ton. We were up before dawn, to welcome the new day. Jackals howled their mournful cries in the dawning distance, while owls hooted simultaneously in the nearby shadows. Then as dawn began to break, one by one, little birds began to chirp. A kudu barked a warning call somewhere in the bush, perhaps signaling the presence of lions lurking. From the high cliffs beyond, the baboons began their chaotic morning ensemble. And I could only feel in deep joy, it was like coming home, and being amongst old friends. But even greater still, because now I could share the loved I have for the wild places of this world with the kids who will one day take care of it.

Enslin gave the kids a wake up call at 7:00. Though the morning was very cold, the sun was very bright. So were the spirits of everyone once they got going. We had a bit of a time getting the kids and Ella wrangled up, giving Enslin a good opportunity to teach the kids, in the working world, on time is late and early is on time!

We were once again greeted like guests at the lodge, and treated to a wonderful breakfast in the dining room.

All four of the kids stood at the big window, overlooking the reserve. Then one of them spotted something down at the waterhole. They hurried to get my binoculars to find out what they were seeing…very quickly it was announced that it was a buffalo at the water! One by one, each of them looked through the bunks and confirmed, it was a buffalo. Finally they had me look through…however I had to break the news that what they were seeing was in fact a large boulder…now each of them looked through the binoculars again, each confirming, it’s a rock. Definitely a rock. It’s not a buffalo, it’s a rock. They then chastised the first one to exclaim it was a buffalo. It was very funny!

It was time for the group to split, we all gathered in the main area of the lodge to await our debriefing of the day. Freddie and Nikki explained the plan and we split up into two teams.

The boys were going with me and Ella and Freddie to do reserve work and learn about conservation efforts, while the girls would go with Enslin and learn about the inns and out of various departments within the 5 star lodge, everything from lodge management, fine dining, and spa therapy.

Enslin and the girls’ shadow session at the Lodge:

We started our portion of the Shadow experience in the restaurant with the restaurant supervisor Mr. X.

He took us to a section of the restaurant where he had prepared all of the needed items for service and for setting a table to the high standard that the lodge holds.

He started by going through all of the different cutlery and crockery, how and when they are used, followed by the three different styles of setup for meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

He went through the entire set up with the girls while paying astute attention to the way he was setting the objects on the table, he showed massive attention to detail as he explained how they ensure that all the objects must be uniform and placed in a particular way. One of the skills he showed was using your thumb up to the first knuckle to ensure that all of the cutlery is in line with the next. “All must be just so.”, he mentioned, taking great pride in correcting the girls from time to time, always very gentle and precise with what he said and always using examples of why he is doing what he is doing, he was very thoughtful and patient.

Mr. X then moved over to service. Basic skills were learned like its always service from the left and clearing from the right, that way you would create the least amount of possible contact with the guests you are serving, distance precision and discretion is the name of the game.

The girls really seemed to enjoy each and every thing MR. X was teaching, and they seemed to pick it up quite quickly as well, going as far as to walk around the restaurant and all the set tables looking for possible mistakes. MR. X runs an immaculate show so no mistakes were detected by the girls keen trained eyes. Believing they had this portion down we set down the training table and had the girls have a go with a full setup of their own, MR. X and I were pleasantly surprised by the amount the girls retained from the short session, if we were to score I would give them 75% out of 100% for accuracy but 100% for effort.

We were then introduced to Marita who runs in most people's minds the most important crucial department, the coffee station. The station was small but well equipped for the need of any coffee enthusiast. She started the session where every good cup of coffee starts with the coffee beans, she showed the girls the beans, the machine that grinds it to a fine ground, the quantities it takes to make an espresso shot, how to aerate it, and the proper technique of using the tamper for the perfect espresso draw. Then she explained the big daddy espresso machine to them and showed them what every section of it does, from drawing the shot to the milk frother.

Marita also showed them an important trick for brewing a good cup, and it is to never brew in a cold cup, you must warm up the cup before putting the coffee in it she said. I noted that both the girls seem to be really interested in what Marita was explaining and seem to genuinely enjoy what they were being shown. Marita then frothed some milk and brewed a beautiful cappuccino that the girls got to enjoy. After this she ran through all of the different drinks they can brew at the lodge and it was too numerous for me to remember and list. She then encouraged the girls to try and make a cappuccino for themselves, one of the girls was really eager to try, and followed Marita's coaching to a tee and produced a truly flavorful and tasty cappuccino for me to enjoy. The power of creation is a great esteem booster and I could see how just doing this one task made an huge impact on this girl, she later exclaimed to all of us that that was one of her main highlight of the entire trip and that she may be able to see herself being a barista in the future and we aim to see that through with her.

Marita was a wonderful teacher she is an incredibly bubbly and helpful person who takes pride in making a great cup of coffee, she mentioned that it gives her a lot of joy to hand a guest a cup and to see the stress melt away due to enjoying a well brewed Java. She also told the girls that it is an important part of the entire service department because a good cup can steer a day from a good one to a great one.

We were then introduced to the Bar supervisor, Zikhona, who gave all of us a crash course in what the bar is for and where everything is within the bar, we did not spend a lot of time here but some of the takeaways were that bartending is also a great area for those who are creative.

While having a little break from all of the hard work we had been participating in, we had a little jam session on the marimbas that are available at the lodge for the spectacular Boma evening where the staff all come together to sing and dance for the guests while they get to enjoy the great food on offer. Mid jam we were approached by Jim who asked me if the girls would like to try their hands at the kitchen to prepare our lunch for us? We did not intend for the kids to experience the kitchen at this time but who was I to rob the girls from this great learning experience!

We were introduced to Cinnabon, the head of the kitchen, and she told the girls that they are going to prepare a chicken salad for four people. Nervously they agreed and were shown around the kitchen before starting with the food. Scullery, dry store cold store, bakery, salad section, fish section, meat section and dessert section were all touched on. Hands washed and the prep work started. Cherry tomatoes needed to be cut and cucumber and carrots needed to be peeled and rolled up into roses, onions were being sliced with a mandolin, dressing was created, chicken strips were cut and grilled atop a gas stove with a little flambe flair.

All of this took about an hour and a half, slower than the kitchen is used to but it did taste superb. Everything was handled with such professionalism and personalism from the entire kitchen team, and the great tutelage from Cinnabon who mentored over the girls with such kindness and care you would think it's a mother teacher her own kids. The rest of the kitchen staff also came around one by one to introduce their roles in the kitchen and give a little look into what goes into working in a kitchen. Hard work was one of the comments that was thrown around by the girls after the experience, but it was rewarding being able to create such a wonderful meal for someone else. The pride they felt hung on them like a badge of honor and they will never have carrots and cucumbers in a different way again. Glowing praise to the kitchen team and Cinnabon at Kuzuko Lodge, thank you all.

We then headed to lodge reception the proverbial head of the lodge logistics. Mr. Clifford Zono and Mrs. Pumeza Mbunge lead us outside to do a guest arrival role play. I suggested to the girls to take it to the next level and to invent personas for the sake of authenticity, one girl chose to be a Photographer from Canada named Sarah, and the other chose to be Jessica from Germany and she is a model, that way, as they said, it made sense that they are traveling together. We were met by Mr. Zono and taken downstairs to cover all of the introductions and formalities, and Pumeza was waiting to greet them with refreshing towels, we were given a tour of the main building as would be custom for new arrivals. We were led towards the panoramic view of the majestic mountains where two of the wellness therapists were waiting for the girls to give them the famous welcoming hand massages all guests get to enjoy as an added form of relaxation to have the guests feel welcome. The girls seem to enjoy the pampering because I was asked when we would visit that department. I gave the girls another little break as it was almost 15:00 PM.

Final stop for the day is the famous on-site wellness spa. We were met with the three therapists Caylon May, Zethemba Matolo and Maurisha Hart. Caylon started the briefing of what the wellness center is all about by running us through the establishment room by room, there were too many different therapies room to list and each has something special about them, from a beauty parlor to couples' rooms and a gym. We were sat down in the main room where she pointed out all of the various products that the guests' therapies include and what is on offer if anyone wants to purchase it. The girls got to sample some of the products and seemed to like the experience of learning about what ingredients do if used in specific ways. The girls were encouraged to experience one of the treatments on offer which was a back exfoliating steam and a Swedish massage from Caylon and her team. I asked them if they enjoyed and, if they would do it again and if they would like to learn how to do these therapies? The answer to all of the above was a resounding yes. The girls were interested to hear about how they would make money with this type of work and Caylon explained that they all have a standard monthly salary and they get commission on any products sold and on all of the treatments on offer, on top of that they also get tips if the clients enjoyed themselves, all of the departments enjoy abundant tips due to the level of service the lodge prides itself on.

Savannah and the boys’ shadow session on the Reserve:

Freddie led us all to the open game viewer vehicle, and there was also a guide in training named Precious who was joining us as this was good practice for her.

After a safety brief, we began to journey. It would be a full days work for the boys, 9-5 learning about conservation and the reserve.

Not long into the drive, Freddie stopped to show the boys some beehives that is one of Kuzuko’s new conservation projects, in which they are trying to conserve the honeybees population in South Africa. This subject was very new to the boys, and they found it very interesting.

Then we saw a large bird of prey, a Pale Chanting Goshawk, and both the boys immediately opened their bird book that we got them earlier in the year to try and ID it. Freddie helped them learn to navigate the comprehensive book, and they soon found the bird. And they were excited to be able to check mark it.

We spotted kudu in the distance and went to get a closer look. We got to enjoy a large herd of kudu run by us, close to the vehicle, and the boys and Ella really enjoyed seeing a large group of young kudu prancing as they ran.

Freddie discussed with me his plan on showing the boys some of the interesting efforts being done with the rhinos and buffalos on the reserve, and I was very excited that the boys and Ella would get to experience this. So we continued on.

Freddie showed them one of the dams, and explained the differences between natural dams and man made dams, and how in very dry areas like the Karoo, the rains are scarce and and sometimes they would create dams so that when it did rain, there would always be plenty of water on the reserve for the wildlife. This was a nice discussion with the boys, learning how different it is in that area as opposed to the water rich area that they are from.

We arrived to a section of the reserve that was fenced off from the rest, and as we entered the gate here we were greeted by two beautiful white rhinos! The rhinos moved away from the vehicle and went to another area where they began feeding on a supplemental grass provided by a neighboring farm. Freddie then began to explain why these rhinos were here and why they had to have this kind of grass as opposed to eating the plants growing around them. Freddie explained that white rhinos do not naturally occur in the Karoo, unlike black rhinos. This is because they eat specific grasses, whereas black rhinos eat shrubs. And the grass the white rhinos need does not grow in the Karoo. The two rhinos had been brought there several years ago, I had actually helped move them from their previous reserve to Kuzuko, as that reserve had become a hotspot for poaching. So they were moved to keep them safe.

There was a very important conversation on rhinos, why they were endangered, what poaching was, and why it was happening. Ella and the boys realized then just how important the rhinos they were seeing are, and how much of a privilege that they could see them. They realized how important it is to protect the rhino, as well as all species.

They also learned the importance of monitoring the rhinos daily, to be sure they were always kept safe from poaching, and that they were now helping with this monitoring patrol.

The boys had some questions about the rhinos, and they learned all about the differences between the two species.

After we left the rhinos, we pulled over to look at the rhino tracks. The boys were surprised when they were told they could get off the vehicle and look at the tracks for themselves.

It was a fantastic experience for the boys to not only learn about the rhino’s tracks and how unique their feet are, but also how important the ancient art of tracking actually is in conservation to this day.

The younger boy then spotted something very interesting…and it opened up a wonderful mentoring opportunity. It was the fresh tracks of a brown hyena! A animal that was never seen on the reserve, due to its elusive and nocturnal nature. We had a really great discussion over this, and the boys then learned about how to tell if an animal is running or walking, and about soil type and how it changes tracks and the aging of tracks.

From here we continued the drive to another part of the reserve…we were looking for buffalos.

Along the way we identified a few more bird species, and even spotted a steenbok, which we learned the Xhosa word for. And it become the first of many, many, MANY steenboks seen through the entire drive.

This is when the herd of buffalos arrived, they walked in a rather orderly fashion beside the vehicle, heading to the area where they would be feeding. Similar to the rhinos, they also needed some supplemental feeding, but only because they were not released to the main reserve yet. Freddie explained to the boys that the herd needed to have at least 50 members before they could have the numbers to stand against the lions on the reserve.

The boys enjoyed the buffalos, and had a few questions about them as well. And they learned all about buffalos, where they stand in conservation, their substantial worth, and the general knowledge of their herd structure.

I was happy to see that the buffalo I had raised and later published a book about, Arnold, had had a calf of his own before he had passed away. And seeing how beautiful the youngster was brought me so much joy. It was good to see that he lived on.

After the buffalos, it was time for the boys to do a little conservation work…alien plant removal.

We got out of the vehicle, and the boys listened intently as Freddie described the problem with prickly pear cactuses, as these are a species of cacti not native to South Africa and they destroy a lot of native plants.

He then showed the boys how to dispose of the alien cactus, and then had them finish the rest of the cactuses in the area. It was rewarding for the boys to take part in helping the land.

We returned to the main reserve and went along over the Karoo slopes, all of which were bursting with color after the recent rains the week before. Between the hills ran slivers of gurgling streams, the land was truly beautiful to behold.

Suddenly, and much to my surprise, I saw, standing next to a bush, a very large and shaggy brown hyena! This was quite a shock in deed! Not only to see a brown hyena on the reserve, but to see one so large in broad daylight! I pointed it out to all, and we watched in wonderment as it started to run. It was a beautiful sighting to be sure! It was most special, because the boys had now seen the benefit of tracking, having seen the hyena’s tracks earlier and now here it was before us!

Our next stop was when we came to a crossroads, and everyone got out of the vehicle to do some tracking. The boys were loving this. Freddie asked them to guess at the variety of tracks they were perceiving. They made good guesses, but the younger boy came up with the proper answer, kudu. We went over the story that was being told by the tracks, how some older ones had walked across the road, while others had been running, and one even showed it had slipped while bounding in the mud. Then there was another set of tracks…the boys learned that giraffe, buffalo, and eland are sometimes mistaken together. And they learned what the differences were, and they saw before them very clear eland tracks. So they began to get excited at the prospect of finding more animals by tracking.

Not far from the area we found several giraffe tracks, and the boys now understood the differences giraffe and eland. They also enjoyed looking at the springbok tracks and then seeing the herd ahead of us, and seeing where a wildebeest had been dust bathing, and then we spotted it  resting in the shade of some bushes.

We stopped for lunch on the top of a hill and had a nice view around us. Here we had nice sandwiches, fruits, and drinks. And the boys, with their endless energy, played a little soccer, which later turned to baseball, with the balled up aluminum they had.

We continued on, pausing only to enjoy a little stream that came gushing through the reserve. We all took a moment to close our eyes and count how many sounds we could hear. It was something the boys do not get an opportunity to do in their normal lives, and they enjoyed that.

As we continued across the reserve, the boys got to experience what it’s like to patrol such a large property. And we spotted old lion tracks on the road. This was very exciting for the boys, and as they learned about the lion tracks, we noted some jackal tracks next to them. And this was a great opportunity to discuss the stark differences between feline and canine tracks. The boys really loved everything they were learning about tracking, and their confidence was beginning to grow in this new skill.

We stopped by one of the large waterholes and identified a grey heron on its edges, and then Freddie found a wildebeest skull and the boys got to learn a little bit about ecology and how things decay and bones become sources of calcium for other animals.

When we came to a large dried up riverbed, the younger boy pointed out tracks in the soft sand, and here we found the much fresher lion tracks! This was very exciting, and very encouraging for the younger boy, he was beginning to see that he was gifted in something he never knew before, after feeling he was slow because of some learning difficulties, now he was finding confidence in the unique capabilities he never knew he had.

Another highlight for the boys was learning to use a telemetry, the device often used by conservationists to track collared animals.

The boys also got to take part in fixing the rained out road. They learned to pack rocks and got to see the results of their labor by driving over the formerly impossible road. They enjoyed the new skill they had learned!

But one of the best parts of the day came at the end…we found elephant tracks!

As we followed them we ended up on a hill, and far off we could see the elephant herd, as well as giraffes! So, following Freddie’s instincts, we headed towards the green riverbed to await the elephants. And sure enough, the whole herd arrived. We all enjoyed sitting amongst them, watching them eat and play fight. Ella and the boys loved watching this interaction, and it was a perfect end to a 9-5 day outside on the reserve! But it wasn’t over yet…

As we headed home, we spotted a warthog, and then…the big bull elephant came out! This was an even greater experience, as he came very close to the vehicle, and ate in front of us. The boys were mesmerized by his strength and size!

It could not have been a more impactful day for them, they had learned so many new things, and needless to say they were exhausted. I really could not have thanked Freddie and Precious enough. Precious was such a happy and bubbly person, she brought a very cheery and fun vibe to the day. And Freddie is truly an inspiring person and a fine example of a great guide, his patience and honest kindness had such a positive impact on the boys. He really helped bring out the best of them, and leaves a lasting positive impact on all who meet him.

Thank you Freddie and Precious for taking part in changing these kids lives forever!

We arrived back at the lodge to meet the girls, and everyone went to their rooms to freshen up and rest before dinner.

After a nice rest, we enjoyed a glorious and iconic Kuzuko sunset. The colors were vibrant, and it was a nice end to a wonderful day.

As night fell, we all gathered at the beautiful boma to have a braai and fireside chat. Though, also iconic of the Karoo, it got very cold and windy! Everyone huddled close to the fire, and the chatting commenced.

Each one of us shared our favorite experience from the day, Ella enjoyed the rhinos the most, and had been very moved by that entire experience. Both the boys expressed their deep love for their new found skill, tracking, but also they loved the elephants and learning about conservation. The girls shared their highlights, one was the setting of fine dining tables and the beautiful details that went into this, and the other girl described her new passion of making beautiful coffee and learning the skills of baristas.

For Enslin and I, the highlight was seeing the kids grow and the joy all of them experienced in this new world. It was seeing the hope and confidence they now had for their futures. That is what this project is all about.

There was much laughter and stories being told throughout the rest of the braai. Enslin made us wonderful wors rolls and we ended with toasting marshmallows over the fire, which definitely brought on a sugar rush.

But by the time the fire had died down, everyone was more than ready for bed. It had been a full day of learning and trying new things, and we all could use a good night’s rest.

Another glorious morning presented itself the next day, the birds were lively and singing, and the dawn was full of golden hues.

We all packed up and got our things in the car, and then met Freddie and Precious at the game viewer for the morning drive.

Although the kids were still a little tired, their spirits were not.

Freddie was in good spirits and optimistic that we would see the lions, one of the only main animals at the lodge that had remained elusive to our group. We were all on high alert to try and spot the animals. Lots of kudu and steenbok were seen on the property and made me quite glad because steenbok are my favorite antelope and seeing them was very reminiscent of my own days of guiding at Kuzuko. Freddy managed to get a ping for a general direction of the lions on the telemetry device, but expressed he is not particularly fond of using it to find the animals, as it takes away from the adventure, and I do agree with him 100% with that.

We saw many birds, and even some baboons. The cloud cover increased as we drove into the reserve, and it definitely gave the world around us an eerie but beautiful feeling.

After spotting some kudu and then, as Ella laughed, a steenbok around EVERY corner, we came across fresh lion tracks. Freddie once again showed the boys and girls how to use the telemetry machine. But he put it away and said, that it is better and more rewarding to use your skills and find animals on your own instincts.

The boys both did well with their tracking skills, and even one of the girls showed a sharp eye in spotting more lion tracks.

We drove around a bit and Freddie exclaimed that he is just going to proceed on feeling because he has a good idea of where they are and where they might be heading. After doing a bit of off roading and some scanning with the binoculars, Savannah was the one who managed to see them. It was at that point that I knew that she has to be dubbed with the nickname Iliso Iwekhozi (Eagle eye in Xhosa) a well-deserved name for my exceptional wife and everyone agreed that the name is perfect for the one who sees so well, she can see the future!

For Savannah and I, it was very moving to see these lions again. They are such beautiful lions, and the memories of our first date together came to mind, as we had enjoyed watching these very same lions that day all those years ago.

We all watched in awe as one of the huge males moved calmly passed the vehicle. The kids all were wide eyed in amazement.

Everyone was quiet, and simply taking it all in.

The two female lionesses, so lady like and pretty, laid quietly nearby. Their ears and eyes fixed into the riverbed below. They seemed to know something was there, and showed signs of considering hunting.

We then got to enjoy the famous lion named Sylvester, with his big dark mane, surely the most perfect looking lion, come walking by us to join the others. It was wonderful to see that familiar face again after so many years.

We finally had to leave the lion sighting and head back to the lodge, after all it was a very long drive home.

At the lodge we were given all kinds of homemade pastries to take on the road, croissants with cheese and ham, danishes, and blueberry muffins. Jim and Nikki were there to say farewell, and to tell us all, that any time we wanted to bring the kids to learn we were welcome. And they asked not to wait too long for the next trip, they graciously told to come soon as possible.

It was a kind and loving goodbye from all, and felt we could not thank everyone enough for what they did for the kids.

And that was the end of our first “Shadow session” at Kuzuko. We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all of the staff and management at Kuzuko for participating in this program with us, we want them to know that they all left a lasting and encouraging impression on the lives of these wonderful kids we have the honor to work with.

On the drive home, Ella told us something that really clarified for us the need for our project in this area. She told us how the teens in the township community are so poorly off, that those who manage to get work only work for one week, and then spend their entire salary on alcohol, which they then drink in a single night. This is what “life” is for them. The drink themselves to death. They quit eating, because drinking is more important, they sell everything they have, just to drink alcohol. And why? Because to them, this is fine. They don’t see anything better to do with their lives, because they've never been shown anything better. This is the reality of the kids we work with, and why, if we do not continue with showing them what is out there, giving them the opportunity to experience new horizons, and learn its worth working towards, they too will follow their peers. This project is so important to these kids. Not only have they seen that they themselves are capable of success, they have have also learned the world is far bigger and more obtainable than they ever believed. This is what we wanted, a seed of hope for each of them.

Update after the trip to Kuzuko:

After being back home, we have already seen a huge change in the kids who attended the mentorship program we started at Kuzuko Lodge.

The most reserved of the girls has opened up more and found more confidence and has expressed interest in learning more about about hospitality and fine dining.

The other girl, she has been so inspired and encouraged by her experience that she is already putting so much more effort into school and extra learning. Upon seeing her dedication we reached out to a local coffee shop and she is now doing some shadowing there on the weekends to increase her skills and knowledge of barista work. She has said that she wants to try and pursue this, and wants to do whatever it takes to work at a lodge like Kuzuko.

The two boys have also been incredibly inspired.

The younger boy has been very encouraged by what he learned about tracking, and that its something he can actually pursue and be good at. He has felt very discouraged at school in the past by some of his struggles, and did not believe in his own abilities and unique gifts until now!

And the older boy has really felt inspired to become a greater leader, something he felt nervous about before. Although he has always had natural gifts of a leader, he never felt confident enough to express it. He is showing much more confidence already, and is really opening up and taking charge, and really wants to pursue a possible career in guiding!

Seeing such quick results is inspiring.  This first trip was absolutely life changing for the teens! Go forward we plan to do many, many more with the same group as well as others. It is important to us to put focus on the older teens, as they are entering an adult world soon, and we intend to mentor, encourage and work with them until we see them thriving on their own. We believe they deserve the opportunity to gain skills and life experience so that they can have a successful life and future they are proud of. None of the kids had any idea that such careers existed like those found at Kuzuko, meeting the incredible employees there, most of whom have very similar backgrounds to them. And now, they know these careers are obtainable for them if they are willing to try.

This is what Archangels Project - SEED of Hope is all about.

South Africa - the third excursion

Part of our humanitarian mission in Southern Africa is to end human trafficking by preventing it from happening in the first place. This heinous crime is happening worldwide, and the victims of this horrendous act are often our most vulnerable children. We aim to give an opportunity of hope for the futures of at risk teens and impoverished youth, a future in which they can stand on their own two feet with dignity and confidence. We want to give them hope for their future, and the future of wildlife, by equipping them with experience and skills in wildlife conservation. We believe that the conservation industry offers a life of abundance and aspiration, giving honest individuals the chance to lift themselves up, provide for their families, and take part in establishing a future for their entire country’s wildlife.

Through hands-on experiences in the natural world we will be introducing the kids to a possible career in wildlife conservation. And with continuing exposure to wildlife conservation and skills being shared by local guides and reserve teams, we will be able to start the youth on a path to completing nationally recognized qualifications like FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa). Which will then open the door to employment on local game reserves. 

Report from Enslin and Savannah Scheepers:

The morning was bright and alive with birdsong when we met up with the safe house. We all drove together, Enslin and I, two caretakers, and 12 kids aging from 8-19.

There was a palpable excitement in the shuttle, and any shyness felt by the younger kids quickly wore off. And the entire hour long trip was filled with constant chatting and much of exuberant singing.

Questions of what wildlife we would see were also a constant, along with exclamations of wonder and awe as we drove along the scenic route. From the the green forests, the high mountains in the distance, and the vast ocean before them, there was not a quiet moment in the trip.

And then we arrived at Botlierskop Private Game Reserve…

Here we were met with gracious staff who very quickly and professionally got the whole group onto the large game viewer to await the guide’s arrival.

When our guide Neil arrived he gave a good safety briefing, which the kids listened to intently. And after that, and a few requests to see cheetahs, lions, and, basically every other animal, we were off!

Almost immediately upon entering the game reserve, a call came in on the radio of a cheetah sighting! So we drove around the area, all eyes desperately searching through the fynbos foliage for a chance to “spot” the spotted pelt of the world’s fastest land mammal.

And then…we saw them.

There were four cheetahs, though the mother was hiding quite well. The three cubs however, where much more camera friendly. The kids could only stare in awe. And Neil gave them very insightful facts on cheetahs, which gave rise to many questions and observations from the entire vehicle.

After awhile, the young cubs went off in the direction of the thick undergrowth, and soon disappeared out of sight.

From there we stopped by the dark, flowing river where a flock of ostriches was busy foraging about, along with waterbuck and hartebeest antelope. All of these were very exciting for the kids, and they were not shy to ask questions, as well as give their own facts.

Continuing onward and upward, we crossed the river and climbed the great hills, ever higher to the tops of the slopes.

Everyone was amazed by the capabilities of the game viewer.

And as we drove along the top of the slope, Niel pointed out a little group of giraffes. For some in the vehicle, this was a very special sighting, as giraffes were their favorite. 

We spent a good amount of time with the giraffes, but the wind picked up and they eventually retreated further into the bush.

So we trekked on.

We came to the edge of the slopes, overlooking the valley below and the swaying forests. It was quite a view…but something else was causing a sway in the forest…it was a small herd of elephants!

They were grazing and foraging amongst the trees below, and although we could not get very close to them, the view was no less stunning for the whole group. They were seeing so much that they had never seen before, remarkable wildlife that, despite living in the same country as them, had always been inaccessible. 

Questions followed as Niel gave information about the world’s largest land mammal, and we all had a nice discussion on the subject. 

But there was still more to see.

So we left the elephants, who were slowly disappearing amongst the dancing trees.

Niel knew where another iconic animal was hiding…

We drove downwards towards an open area, and even from far, we could spot the rhinos.

The kids excitedly began pointing and calling out “There! There!” and we came into the grassy clearing, One of the kids whispered in awe, “Rhino…” 

We then were able to drive close to the rhinos to view them as they grazed. The whole group really enjoyed this, and it gave Niel a great opportunity to speak on the important conservation efforts with regards to rhinos in South Africa.

After the rhinos, we saw lots of impala and wildebeest, but there was one animal the whole vehicle was excited to see…lions.

So we headed up and up very steep, rocky slopes until we reached the top where we were greeted with a stunning view. All around us was a great plateau of grassland, overlooking the far off Outeniqua Mountains on one side, and the Indian Ocean stretching out to the unknown horizon.

Here we saw many zebra, springbok, ostrich, and wildebeest. But we were on our way to the section of the reserve where the lions had last been located.

Thankfully, lions are lazy, and we found them fast asleep where they had last been seen by other guides. There was one large male lion and two females. The sighting was great for all, and everyone in the vehicle was in silent amazement at the size of the great cats. Once more, Niel gave a wonderful description of the habits and behavior of lions, as well as the part they play in conservation and the ecosystem.

After the lions we started to head back to the lodge, where a gourmet lunch was waiting to be served to the kids. But along the way, we also came across a herd of cape buffalo, and thus the kids got to see all but one of the iconic Big 5. This was quite a proud accomplishment for them, especially since they had never had the opportunity to witness wildlife like this before!

We returned to the stunning Botlierskop lodge and everyone sat down at the beautiful restaurant. The kids were so excited to experience this fine dining, the nice sodas, and the gourmet burgers. The kids were an excited and hungry bunch, but by the time they finished their meal, they were exhausted.

After it was all over and we went back home, we were informed by the caretakers that, the entire group absolutely LOVED the whole experience, but particularly some of the older kids were extremely inspired by the experience and had had their eyes opened to the possibility of a future for themselves. This was very moving for us, as it was such a huge part of our goal for this project. We are excited to work more with all of these kids, and continue to mentor and inspire them towards a sustainable future where they can uplift themselves, their families, and their country’s wildlife.

With every moment we spend with these young individuals, and every excursion we take with them, we see HOPE become a living visualization through them.

South Africa - the next excursion

Part of our humanitarian mission in Southern Africa is to end human trafficking by preventing it from happening in the first place. This heinous crime is happening worldwide, and the victims of this horrendous act are often our most vulnerable children. We aim to give an opportunity of hope for the futures of at risk teens and impoverished youth, a future in which they can stand on their own two feet with dignity and confidence. We want to give them hope for their future, and the future of wildlife, by equipping them with experience and skills in wildlife conservation. We believe that the conservation industry offers a life of abundance and aspiration, giving honest individuals the chance to lift themselves up, provide for their families, and take part in establishing a future for their entire country’s wildlife.

Through hands-on experiences in the natural world we will be introducing the kids to a possible career in wildlife conservation. And with continuing exposure to wildlife conservation and skills being shared by local guides and reserve teams, we will be able to start the youth on a path to completing nationally recognized qualifications like FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa). Which will then open the door to employment on local game reserves. 

Report from Enslin and Savannah Scheepers:

The sun rose over a chilly, glistening land of rolling hills, misty forests, and distant mountains. The wild Indian Ocean crashed against the white beaches and tall cliffs, creating an expanse of sea vapor which intertwined with the morning’s mist, only to be broken by gleaming rays from a warm sun. 

This was our greeting on our way to the safe house in George. This was a promise of a very unforgettable day ahead.   

We arrived early at the safe house, expecting the excited kids awaiting us would still need to time to get ready to go. However we were met with the safe house’s shuttle, where all of the 12 kids, aging from 8 years old to 18, were already seated and ready to go. We could hear their laughter and excited chatter as they waited for the journey to begin. 

We led the way to Botlierskop Private Game Reserve. After stopping to fill up the vehicles with fuel, we headed towards the wild unknowns ahead. 

 We took a turn and left the ocean behind us, heading towards dew covered, green farmland, with towering mountains beyond. 

 We knew the kids in the shuttle behind were probably marveling as much as we were at the absolute purity of the world around us. And the further we went, the more the land seemed to increase in its richness. 

 We arrived at the reception of Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, where we were all met by friendly, gracious staff who got us checked in with no problems, for some of the kids it was the first time they had to sign a register, and a few had to make up a signature on the spot. It was great for the kids to see good examples of lodge hospitality, as we know this can be one of many options for them in the future if they are interested. 

 We still had a little time before the game drive, so the kids got to wander a bit and observe the beautiful area that they were in, all of them admired the curio shop with all the random toys and gifts. 

  When it was time for the drive, the field guides came to fetch us. Because there were 16 of us in total, we split into two cars, older kids with me and the female caretaker, Neldia, and younger kids with Enslin and the male caretaker, Emmanuel. 

The drives began… 

Savannah’s drive: 

I was with the female caretaker, Neldia, and the teens. Our guide’s name was Keenan. He was extremely passionate about wildlife conservation, he was very good with keeping the interests of the teens on this subject. As well as giving them a really great time! 

  After a briefing on safety, we left the lodge and entered game reserve. Keenan pointed out a group of giraffe in the far distance, their tall heads bobbing up through the trees on the mountain side. And the sight of this had the teens even more excited than before we had arrived. This would be their very first introduction to wildlife, and the experience could very well be life changing as it would show a possible future for themselves that they had never heard of… 

We made our way down the green hills, towards a black river. Keenan stopped for a few birds, a beautiful blue kingfisher and a pied shrike. I was glad he did this, because so often the smaller creatures are not pointed out, and mentoring the teens in the importance of all nature is very important. 

We headed down the muddy track towards the gushing black river, the teens started to get excited by the prospect of physically driving THROUGH a river in an open vehicle. 

Our guide did not disappoint. 

As the waves of water came up on either side of us, the whole vehicle erupted in laughter and surprised whoops. And this noise grew even more excited as we came out of the river and were faced with a towering muddy mountain in front of us. The kids did not think driving it would be possible…though Keenan showed them just what the game vehicles are capable of.   

It seemed to climb at an impossible upward angle and the teens became ecstatic! They absolutely loved this experience! 

Keenan made sure to stop at certain points to explain important information on conservation in the area. He showed the kids trees and plants that are invasive, as well as native plants and trees that have medicinal uses, all the while giving the kids samples of the plants so they could learn for themselves the taste, feel, and scent of certain plants. They really enjoyed this opportunity. 

The guide also gave an impressive description of the environment of the reserve, all the while pointing out and giving explanations on how guides take part in the conservation aspect of the reserve and its animals. 

We first sighted a group of bushbuck antelope, though they were quick to disappear into the thick bush due to their secretive nature. This sighting brought the teens into a quieter state, as they began to search hard to spot more animals. 

One of the teens later spotted a waterbuck antelope hiding in the bush, which was not shy at all. And Keenan shared interesting facts on the antelope, as well as a funny story which the whole group enjoyed. 

After this however, the group became awestruck as we pulled up onto the grassy ridge line, and there, with a backdrop of green hills, forest gullies, and mountains behind them, a small herd of elephant majestically and quietly enjoyed the warming sunshine whilst they munched upon the grass. 

The awe was palpable. Here before us was the largest land mammal on the planet. Yet with such greatness and power, they gave off a presence of calm regality. 

After allowing time to pass for all to enjoy this wonderful sight, our guide began to teach the teens about the elephants. Not only basic facts on their weight, social structure, and how old they are and can become, but much deeper, less known information on the elephants’ intelligence and emotion, and their important role in the ecology of the country. This gave the kids a whole new respect for the animals, and a better understanding of the elephants’ importance in conservation. 

After the elephants we descended back down into the fertile valleys. We came across a group of impala antelope amongst the shrubs and fynbos, and the teens were impressed by the beauty of the antelopes deep color. 

Our stop with antelope was brief, as our guide was aware something up ahead… 

Downward into the valley we went, coming once more to a black river where larger trees scattered its banks. Once more the kids enjoyed a fantastic river crossing, with some definite splashes upon all of us. 

More impala and waterbuck were ahead, munching on the grass in the open, green valley. But this was not what Keenan had brought us here for…in a dip at the end of the valley, we found three white rhinoceros.  

Once again, the awe of the sighting left the group in silence. They simply could only stare at the horned, dinosaur-like animals before us. Though the rhinos were relaxed and calm, but the utter power and strength of their presence could not be denied. 

After taking time to simply enjoy the impressive animals’ presence and behavior, Keenan then began to explain the interesting information about rhinos. He once more gave some basic knowledge, but mainly focused on giving the kids a good education of the rhinos’ importance in the environment, their current status as a highly endangered species, and why they are endangered, and why this is a problem. All of this was taken in by the teens with sharp focus and seriousness on the matter. 

From here, Keenan drove us through a long, rocky valley, streams popping out here and there alongside as we went. We kept upon this rocky path for a while, the great slopes rising high on either side of us. And then we began to head upwards, which was once again a very exciting climb, even steeper than before! Ever upward we went, a stunning view of the mountains and the reserve lay behind us, and before us…and equally stunning view. 

We had arrived on the top of a great plateau, it was entirely covered in a variety of tall grass, fynbos heather, renosterveld, and bedazzled with extraordinarily bright red, yellow, orange, white, and purple flowers. And beyond this grand display of diversity was the deep blue of the Indian Ocean, extending into the horizon. 

Amongst this colorful vastness, we saw lots of zebra, wildebeest and even ostriches. 

We were able to get quite close to the zebra, and once more enjoyed the many interesting observations and facts from our guide. But he had one more thing he wanted to show us. 

We continued all the way to the boundary fence line of the reserve. And there, though unfortunately they were on the opposite side of the fence on the other section of the reserve, there were three lions.  

Before approaching with the vehicle, Keenan, as he did at each sighting, gave the teens a very good word of caution about the animals we were about to see. He made sure they understood it was a privilege to see wildlife so close, but also, this is not a zoo. He described the very real dangers of wild animals, and the respect, stillness and quiet that was expected from everyone in the vehicle. Especially with the lions, as they are predators, and even with a fence in-between it would be nothing for them to get over. 

As we approached, the teens followed Keenan’s instructions on sitting still and quietly. It seemed as though no one even breathed as we pulled up close to the great cats. While two were still lying asleep, one female had something else in mind. She had an intense interest in the teens on the vehicle, and she gave signs of interest that gave the teens a unique opportunity to observe fascinating predatory behavior from the lioness. Keenan gave an explanation as to why she was acting this way, and it was only natural, as big cats’ instinct has them take note of young, old, and injured individuals, including humans.  

We pulled forward a bit more, and were greeted by the stunning, golden maned male lion. Who sat up at this point to show off his lovely mane. However, he also, after finally noticing the lioness’s gaze, seemed to realize the vehicle was full of teens. And he became interested as well. Keenan reassured the kids to just sit still and enjoy a unique moment of animal behavior not everyone gets to see. The lions lost interest, and our guide then explained more on the lion’s behavior, nocturnal and hunting abilities, and what part they play in the environment and conservation.  

After leaving the sighting, all the teens breathed a sigh of relief, though they all started chatting immodestly of the impressiveness of the lions and how amazing the experience was. They could not believe it. 

From there, it was time to start heading back to the lodge for a catered lunch we had being prepared. The drive back was very fun, as it involved more of the “mountain climbing” and “mudding” the kids had become so fond of. We went up and down many steep and impressive slopes, and the glorious expanse that is Botlierskop never ended. We saw a group of springbok antelope as we went, which is the National animal of South Africa, and therefore the nation’s rugby team mascot. All were excited to see the beautiful antelope in real life for the first time. 

We made one more stop by a stream on the way back, where Keenan gave the kids a little lesson in the area’s geology as well as taught them about fungus and lichen. All of this was new and fascinating for the group. 

Enslin’s Vehicle:

We were greeted by a man who introduced himself as Innocent, a name that will be used frequently throughout the entire drive by every individual on the vehicle. He motioned all of us to board the Land Cruiser (Safari vehicle) I had a front row seat with two boys aged about 8-10 two boys occupying the middle row and two more boys at the back with the safe house’s representative Emanuel. 

He started off the drive with an introduction and a safety briefing of general do’s and don'ts to be aware of while on the experience, the boys were very respectful and listened tentatively to every word he said and off we went on the grand adventure. 

We were motioning along on what seemed to be the main road of the reserve when Innocent pointed out the first remarkable sighting of the day, a small “tower” of giraffe in the distance on a hill, he stated that they were in accessible but I had a pair of binoculars that we passed along so everyone could have a "closer” look. The kids even without the binoculars were super impressed to see such “funny” animals as the boys noted. Questions were infrequent on the vehicle as the boys were just absorbing the moment for a few seconds. 

We drove through the beautiful landscape in an open vehicle that in itself was an exciting experience for the kids and the chilly air made us all shiver. After a quick stop and distribution of warm blankets, we were off again. Over bumps, downhills, over rocks and through rivers, the landscape was so diverse that around every corner there was a new wonderous tree or rock and the kids wanted to stop and see each one. 

We kept the first big sighting a secret from the kids as they were visible from basically the start of the drive but to get there was no easy feat, unless you are our man Innocent with his mountain climbing machine which he was incredibly proud of (it was one of the newest vehicles the reserve had recently acquired) the boys marveled at the strength of the car and heckled Innocent saying there is no way he can make it up the hill we were on... They were wrong and the car made it up the mountain with little to no problem, not that it was not bumpy and the exhilarating smiles on the boy’s faces made the accent a joyous experience. 

When we reached the top of the hill where we were greeted by five huge grey elephants grazing ever peacefully on the grass vegetation and overlooking the kingdom that they reign over. 

The boys were not nervous, or not that I could tell, they were just purely engrossed by the size and the presence of the gigantic creatures edging ever closer to us. Innocent was experienced, and it showed, but he was also thankfully aware of the ages of the kids on the vehicle so he kept his info on all of the animals light and funny whilst mostly trying to engage with the boys on a personal level. 

When we were finished viewing the elephants and we were off to the next sighting, but not before stumbling on a heard of impala where the kids pointed out that there were a few that did not look like the others. Innocent commended the observation of the boys and pointed out a genetical anomaly within the animal kingdom: it was a black impala. The kids wanted to know if it was an expensive animal, and turns out it is only slightly more valuable than the normal ones due to over saturation of the black impalas all over South Africa. 

We left the sighting with a lot of giggles as one of the boys pointed out some inappropriate behavior from two impala rams partaking in some mutual grooming. 

We continued to drive through the diverse landscape, every corner more beautiful than the last, through another river that was a lot of fun for the boys due to the shaking of the car and one boy exclaimed that I must watch him because he was unable to swim. Through the river into a meadow there were three tanks waiting for us soaking up the morning sun. 

The tanks were none other than the critically endangered white rhino and here we had three. Pulling into the sighting one of the boys insightfully mentioned that no one must take away a momma rhinos' baby because it will be the last thing you ever do. Innocent kept it light and funny and very interactive, encouraging the boys to ask questions but again they were just mesmerized with the moment.  

Following the rhino we were off to the animal the kids were asking for from the start of the drive... 

Lions. We were driving through the most beautifully dense and diverse plateau I have ever had the opportunity to witness. With grasses, shrubs and all the manner of fynbos and renosterveld your mind can comprehend, and I was not alone in remarking on the absolute beauty of the landscape, as the boys requested Innocent to please stop so they can appreciate it a little while longer. Around the next corner the atmosphere changed from blissful admiration to respectful awareness of where we were, and who was right next to the car. It was a big, beautiful sleeping lion. The male with his two girls were all enjoying the morning sun. We didn’t have a great visual but what we got to see was enough for the young boys. They were speechless, and just observed the hulking predator without blinking. No words were uttered in the sighting. 

As we left the comments jokes and questions came in full force. This is where the debate of the centaury started. Lions vs. Tigers vs. Rhino, who would win? I threw my towel in with rhino all the way, but the variables suddenly changed, and the stakes were raised to 100 loins vs. 1 rhino and the answer was simple...100 lions would win. 

We started our decent and I assumed that we would be heading back to the lodge soon, but Mr. Innocent has a few more surprises for our little group. The first was 5 hippo sunbathing on the embankment, comments like a hippo can hold its breath for 10 hours was being thrown around but was quickly corrected by Innocent to be at maximum 6 minutes. 

Through the valley, up another hill to a vast open area, this one seemed different to the last because it was filled with the biggest density of animals we have seen till then. 

I counted: 

8 Rhino 

3 Wildebeest 

5 Zebra 

2 Waterbuck  

And 1 eland. 

We spent the few last minutes with the animals before being notified we were almost back at the lodge. 

When both groups arrived at the lodge, we were directed to the huge outdoor table by very friendly and efficient staff, who almost instantly and hospitably served each child and adult with a beverage and delicious gourmet burger and chips. It was a quiet table as the very hungry group delved into the professionally prepared meal. Slowly as all had finished, the conversations started on the experiences had. 

Not long after this, it was time to go home. And it was a very tired, grateful, and chatty group that got back into the shuttle to go home. 

We could not have asked for a better experience for this group of incredible kids, Botlierskop Private Game Reserve and all of its staff, truly went all out to not only give the group of kids a great experience, but also, as we had hoped, an inspiring one that for some, could be a future in a career they never knew existed or was even possible for them… 

We look forward to our next outing…and the future of hope these kids now have. 

Namibia - the first excursion of hope

Part of our humanitarian mission in Southern Africa is to end human trafficking by preventing it from happening in the first place. This heinous crime is happening worldwide, and the victims of this horrendous act are often our most vulnerable children. We aim to give an opportunity of hope for the futures of at risk teens and impoverished youth, a future in which they can stand on their own two feet with dignity and confidence. We want to give them hope for their future, and the future of wildlife, by equipping them with experience and skills in wildlife conservation. We believe that the conservation industry offers a life of abundance and aspiration, giving honest individuals the chance to lift themselves up, provide for their families, and take part in establishing a future for their entire country’s wildlife.

Through hands-on experiences in the natural world we will be introducing the kids to a possible career in wildlife conservation. And with continuing exposure to wildlife conservation and skills being shared by local guides and reserve teams, we will be able to start the youth on a path to completing nationally recognized qualifications like FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa). Which will then open the door to employment on local game reserves.

Report from Enslin and Savannah Scheepers:

Our day started early, with a fog from the Atlantic Ocean hovering over the little coastal town.

We met with the transport driver from Carlo’s Shuttle Service and headed to pick up the very excited youth at the local children’s home.

As we arrived we were greeted with waves, smiles, and a ton of energy!

The youth, whose ages ranged between 12-18 years, piled into the shuttle and eagerly awaited the start of the journey. A total count of ten. Many of these kids had never left their establishment their whole lives. This would be the first outing they had ever had.

It was a very lively two and a half hour journey. Not once did the drive lack laughter and happy chatter, and much singing. We enjoyed a good half of the journey laughing as all the kids sang every song they knew, which was quite an extensive playlist!

Some of the kids commented on the ever changing topography as we continued to drive, leaving behind high, pale dunes on the one side, contrasted with the Atlantic Ocean on the other, and this later morphed into flat, rocky desert, then changed into grassy plains and this slowly turned into bush country…with the Erongo Mountain range looming in the distant background. For many of them, this was the first time they had received an opportunity to witness the natural world and the diversity within their own country.

As we neared our destination, we pulled off the let everyone stretch their legs.

Many of the younger kids ran around taking everything in with gusto, cries of “I love nature!” was heard several times. They were totally overjoyed by the large rocks in the area, and tried to lift them. We have never seen kids so excited about a simple rock, but it goes to show how much this experience meant to them. And it certainly makes one more appreciative of our own lives that we often take for granted.

At some point, everyone noted a sign that indicated “Gems for Sale”.

A shop built of wood and tarp held a mini market of locals selling beautifully crafted gifts of gems and stones from throughout Namibia, everything from garnets to amethysts and sculptures made from wire and mica. All of the teens were awestruck by the beauty and variety of the shining gems, homemade earrings and necklaces.

We noticed that they were fascinated with the interesting gems, and after a brief consideration and some expert negotiations with the vendor, we were able to buy each of them a gem necklace to commemorate the experience. They were ecstatic! Seeing how incredibly grateful they were to have something unique and beautiful that could belong to them... It was extremely moving for us and cemented the absolute privilege it was to see them so happy over receiving this gift.

Once everyone had chosen their necklace, it was time to go. This was when we noticed two of the little daughters of one of the shop owners calling us to see their side of the market, so all of us went to the other side to see the other stalls. We spoke with the owners of each stall, and worked out a deal with them that every time we come by with a group we will buy a souvenir for each of the kids from all of them.

As this detour was coming to its end we noticed that one of the older kids was having a friendly conversation with one of the merchants, and went to see what the discussion was about, only to be surprised with what had transpired…

The vendor exclaimed “I know this kid’s uncle and I know this kid’s face, his uncle lives and works here.” And with the biggest smile we have ever seen the man rushed to the back and collected another gentleman, ushering him towards us. The likeness was uncanny. If we were not told this was his uncle we would have thought it was his father.

The children’s home house representative was called over and we excused ourselves from the rest of the conservation due to our respect for a delicate situation. We were informed later that the contact details of the man was collected and an investigation to the legitimacy of the claim will be verified.

At the end of the day, the youth, who recently turned 18, said that this made him extremely happy and made his day a wonderful experience because he thought that he didn’t have any other family left, he had arrived at the children’s home at a very young age living under the impression that he was alone...only to find a glimmer of hope on this wayward street in the middle of nowhere.

(A week later we were informed that this youth was in fact the nephew of the man. We are so happy to have such an incredible outcome like this for him!)

As we left behind the tar road and began the slow, bumpy drive on the gravel road, the kids didn’t miss a beat, commenting on how strangely wonderful and different it was for them riding in a car over the corrugated surface of the gravel road. There was a deafening sound of them holding their breath every time the car’s tire threw up a stone that hit the inner fender with a big bang.

The land around us became increasingly beautiful. We were met with tall, golden grass rippling in the warm breeze, acacias trees and sparse bush scattering the savannas, and towering red mountains and koppies (small peaks) outlining a blue sky.

The kids took everything in all the while, they asked questions on the new and exciting world they were witnessing, and they scoured the land for signs of wildlife. They were excited when we spotted a Kori Bustard, the largest flying bird in Africa, moving gracefully through the tall grass.

But then, looming out of the flat surroundings, rose the ancient granite peaks of Spitzkoppe...our grand destination.

As went entered the world renowned conservancy and unloaded from the shuttle, everyone was lost in wonder by the expansion before us. Many of the kids immediately took to climbing the surrounding boulders, exploring the various trees, and calling out in excitement as multiple species of lizards scampered about the rocks.

Our cultural guide awaited our arrival further in the park, and so all were excited to start hiking. We followed the road through the conservancy together, stopping from time to time to explore the wonders around us. There were many lizards and birds to identify, but identification took a back seat to pure excitement, we even saw a Kaoko Ground Squirrel which gave us a nice surprise during the walk.

The day was certainly heating up, but this was no hinderance to any of the teens, who mainly continued run up and down and climb on rocks throughout the hike. Their joy was palpable and they were all constantly looking for where the guide would be.

We met with the guide, Frans, who not only was happy to show us the 4,000 year old Bushman Paintings, but also offered a very exclusive tour to try and show the kids some more wildlife! Frans lead the way up the mountain, it was a straight up hike over various very massive, steep boulders. It was a good 20 minutes of climbing up, with an incredible view of the Erongo region from the top. From there, Frans lead the way downward a bit into any area of trees, and lead us to the massive over hang where we could take a break to sit down and catch our breath and view the multitude of paintings. Frans was an incredible guide and teacher and held the interest of the kids right through out his entire demonstration, we found him to be very knowledgeable about the paintings as well as the history of the surrounding area.

We called in for reinforcements and had the driver of our shuttle meet us at the bottom of the trail because at this point is was really hot and the kids were getting tired. We did the rest of the experience from the comfort of an air conditioned car.

From this point we went to exclusive section of the property where we were able to observe a group of Plains Zebra standing out in the open. Frans gave us permission to get out of the car and move a little closer on foot, most of the kids were so enthralled by this because they have never had the opportunity to see a zebra, let alone be as close to one as we were. This was definitely a highlight for some of the girls on the trip.

We headed for a location called the Golden Snake and, to the grave disappointment to some of the boys, there were no live snakes to be found, this feeling disappeared quickly though as Frans took us into a seemingly solid boulder, through a crevice and into a maze of natural stones to a point where you could see a massive painting of a giant snake that was left here by the local San bushmen thousands of years ago.

When we got back in the car it was a short drive to our final destination before lunch, and that was the Great Arch where we took the coolest group photo ever. Everyone loved it!

We then finished our tour and had a great lunch at the restaurant on property. Everyone had a burger and chips with a coke, which was welcomed and well received because after the whole adventure, we were starving.

Lunch was followed by a short yet long and quiet drive back home.

Short, because it was only 2.5 hours long.

Long, because it was a 9 hour day and we were done with sitting in a car.

And quiet, because everyone but the driver took a power nap till we reached the children’s home were the gratitude of the kids came though in spades, and we left with a massive urge to plan the next adventure…

S.E.E.D of Hope

S.E.E.D stands for Social, Economical, and Environmental Development.

S.E.E.D of Hope is a branch project of Archangels Project.

Our primary goal is to equip, enlighten and empower orphaned children and at risk teens around the world with skills needed to pursue careers in wildlife conservation and hospitality.

Our humanitarian mission is to give opportunity to at risk teens and impoverished youth. We want to give them hope for their future, and the future of wildlife, by equipping them with experience and skills in wildlife conservation. We believe that the conservation industry offers a life of abundance and hope, giving honest individuals the chance to lift themselves up, provide for their families, and take part in establishing a future for their entire country’s wildlife.

We aim to partner with other non profits and small businesses who share our values. By doing so, we can expand the knowledge and experiences we can give the children.

Donations to Archangels Project will allow orphan children and/or at risk youths, accompanied by guardians, to go on guided excursions to otherwise unaffordable areas of the country where we would be working. Areas would include game reserves, nature parks, sanctuaries, marine parks, and eco friendly farms. The children will be participating throughout the whole excursion and will be taught a variety skills depending on their area of interest and the area of our visitation. All with the goal of giving the youths a great time but also a lasting experience, and most importantly knowledge for their future careers.

The multitude of skills the children would be learning would include, but not be limited to, wildlife tracking, guiding, photography, vehicle mechanics, creative small business, animal caretaking, anti poaching, game reserve management, reserve maintenance, hospitality, and gardening. All experience in these areas will give the kids a higher chance in future careers in their country, especially for those who cannot afford to go to university.

But for some, our goal is to pay for their further education. Depending on their interest, they would be given paid schooling or training in the area of interest, (e.g Field Guide Association of Southern Africa, Trade Schools, Tracker School, internships , etc.)

Please stay tuned for more as our project takes off in our first locations…Namibia and South Africa.