Dyer Island Conservation Trust, Gansbaai
We managed to fit in a last-minute but very worthwhile meeting with Wilfred and Allison of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust in Gansbaai. The Trust was established in 2006 and clearly carries the passion of everyone involved. The eco-tourism activities of Dyer Island Cruises and Marine Dynamics, which have been awarded whale watching and shark cage diving permits, provide much of the financial backing for the Trust’s core activities. Read More
Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative
We visited the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative (ABI) offices in Bredasdorp and were intrigued to learn about the similarities between some of the objectives of both ABI and The EXPEDITION Project. Like The EXPEDITION Project and among its many objectives, ABI aims to facilitate and improve networking and coordination between like-minded groups, with a particular focus on conservation in the Overberg. Specifically, its objectives are known as their “5 C’s”: Convene interested and affected parties; Collate information and data; Communication facilitation; Conceptualisation of projects; and Cash raising.
Read More
Riversdale: Ha!qua Youth Program
From the outside it looked like there was nothing going on, which made sense since our visit fell during the school holidays. At closer inspection, it was clear that we couldn’t have been more wrong. The hive of activity and range of projects running at Ha!qua Youth Program surprised all of us. Read More
Plettenberg Bay is known for its stunning beaches and glitzy holiday homes, but we found a gem of a different kind in Kranshoek on Plett’s Robberg Peninsula. This was a re-visit for The EXPEDITION Project and Phillip navigated the team around to the ongoing projects of Kranshoek. Read More
- It was an early start today… The porridge had just finished cooking and the first children had not yet arrived when we reached Andrew and Margaret’s house in Sea Vista. Although Margaret had everything well under control, we were at least able to finish off the hot bowls with sugar and a bit of milk. Between 60 and 200 children arrive at their home every morning. At first, it was funded out of their own pockets but they have luckily managed to to secure donations and funding from local businesses and individuals as well as the Rotary Club.
Read More
Playing sports with 100+ children? Really? Some of us definitely felt a bit intimidated by this project visit prospect. Thankfully, as Roger stepped up to bat on the make-shift cricket pitch, Lettie and Lisa were tasked with much less strenuous activities – colouring and reading stories! Read More
- Lettie and Lisa were whisked away by one of Sibuya’s rangers. As they boarded the boat to navigate the river to camp, Roger and Mark warned them of something called “khaki fever”. Their puzzled faces said it all…
Read More
Sunshine, warm weather and Youth Day – perfect justification for a bit of play time! The kids at the Integrated Community Development Program (ICDP) Trust in Grahamstown launched into an enthusiastic trio of gumboot dances to welcome us. Read More
- Today the The EXPEDITION Project team was lucky enough to be joined by Velile of Imonti Tours in East London. He kindly showed us around five different projects all situated within the second largest township in South Africa.
Read More
- What a relief to get to the coast and some warm weather. Upon first sight of the ocean, Lettie broke out in a sing-song, “I can see, I can see, I can see the sea!” Not only did the seaside setting put us in better spirits, but the team at Friends of Chintsa had generously organised an entire itinerary of projects for us to visit.
Read More
- We departed Colesberg and drove and drove. And then we drove some more. As we started to wonder if were on the right road at all, a small cluster of buildings emerged on the Karoo horizon. Little did we know what incredibly big things were happening in that small cluster…
Read More
- One of the most unique examples of community collaboration that we have come across so far was found in the heart of the Robertson Wine Valley.
Read More
