Social Upliftment

Discover how our social upliftment initiatives are transforming lives and
fostering inclusive communities.

brand new environmentally friendly ablutions built to date.

1500

washable sanitary towels distributed to 300 Grade 7 girls with 6 educational activations each year.

hade netted gardens erected within schools, community care centres and farms.

boreholes drilled to provide clean water to water scarce areas.

Growing Greens

As part of our environmental awareness efforts, we empower learners to embrace sustainable living practices. Through education, we highlight the significance of cultivating vegetable gardens, promoting both nutritious diets and reduced environmental impact. The Timbavati Foundation partners with high-performing schools to establish their own netted vegetable gardens, where students apply their newfound skills. Schools actively maintain these gardens, integrating fresh produce into students’ meals. To date, the Timbavati Foundation has installed and brought to life 27 of successful netted gardens which are used to ensure fresh and healthy greens reach the plates of young growing children!

Supporting food security initiatives in rural communities and schools is paramount for creating healthy communities and sustainable environments. Challenges such as limited access to clean water, sustainable agricultural practices, and economic constraints often hinder food security efforts in these areas.

By prioritizing access to nutritious, organic, carbon-neutral, and water-wise food options, we not only promote physical well-being but also environmental stewardship. Rural areas often face difficulties in sustaining local food systems, making support crucial for their resilience.

Likewise, integrating such initiatives into school settings not only educates children about healthy eating habits but also instills values of sustainability from a young age. By encouraging a diet that is both nutritious and mindful of its environmental impact, we pave the way for healthier individuals and a more sustainable future.

Water security & sanitation

Our impactful water security and sanitation projects, vital for fostering healthy, resilient communities in water-scarce regions. The Timbavati Foundation as part of its growing green program, ensures that when a food garden is built, that adequate water resources are put in place too. Whether it is the installation of a fully functional borehole or simple roof gutter systems which feed into rainwater tanks.

Water security initiatives

Safeguarding water access in water-scarce communities is paramount, recognizing clean water as a fundamental human necessity. Beyond hydration, ensuring water security profoundly impacts public health, agriculture, and community well-being. In rural regions particularly, inadequate municipal services exacerbate water scarcity, leaving communities susceptible to waterborne diseases and hindering agricultural productivity. By providing consistent, safe water sources, we not only address immediate health risks but also empower communities to improve agricultural practices, drive economic growth, and enhance resilience. Recognizing water security as a basic human right is pivotal in fostering sustainable and thriving communities. The Timbavati Foundation as part of its growing green program, ensures that when a food garden is built, that adequate water resources are put in place too. Whether it is the installation of a fully functional borehole or simple roof gutter systems which feed into rainwater tanks.

Sanitation Projects

In many of our rural areas, access to basic resources is severely limited, prompting our commitment to assist wherever possible. Most of our rural areas within the landscape have very little access to basic resources and it is in our hearts to assist where we can. The Timbavati Foundation has been actively involved in providing water-wise, child safe, recycled, eco-friendly toilets to beneficiaries which are in desperate need of these basic resources. These facilities require very little maintenance and have very little impact on the environment. To date, we have provided and equipped over 6 different beneficiaries with new and improved ablutions facilities. From creches & primary schools to even an elderly care facility. In many of our rural areas, access to basic resources is severely limited, prompting our commitment to assist wherever possible.

Crisis response

Our impactful water security and sanitation projects, vital for fostering healthy, resilient communities in water-scarce regions

As climate change impacts seasons, our rural areas face heightened poverty amid increasingly erratic weather patterns. Our annual Winter Warmers drive, launched in 2020, provides essential warmth to vulnerable individuals during cold spells. Join us each April to contribute to this ongoing initiative, ensuring no one faces winter’s chill alone.

The unprecedented pandemic sent shockwaves through our country’s economy, hitting the tourism sector and wildlife economy particularly hard. With livelihoods at stake and families facing hunger due to job losses, we acted swiftly, mobilizing resources and donations to address urgent needs.

The pandemic’s unexpected impact on the economy left many families struggling with job losses and hunger. In response, we quickly mobilized with partners like Hlokomela and Tshembo Africa Foundation to distribute essential food parcels to vulnerable communities. This collaborative effort demonstrated the power of unity in addressing urgent needs during challenging times.

Livelyhood support & women impowerment

In rural areas, menstruation presents a significant challenge for girls, often leading to school absenteeism. According to UNICEF, one in ten schoolgirls in impoverished rural regions miss classes or drop out entirely due to inadequate menstrual hygiene products, resorting to unsafe alternatives like rags or newspapers. Shockingly, 7 million schoolgirls in South Africa lack access to sanitary pads due to financial constraints. The absence of affordable products and proper sanitation facilities, such as toilets and running water, in peri-urban and rural schools further exacerbates this issue, contributing to low attendance rates among menstruating girls.

The societal taboo surrounding menstruation hinders open discussion and perpetuates the problem, particularly for girls from child-headed homes lacking sexual health education. Our initiative, the Wildflower Centre at Nourish Ecovillage, seeks to empower rural adolescent girls and women by providing a supportive space for education and empowerment, aiming to dismantle stigma and foster resilience in the face of life’s challenges.

Women empowerment within our surrounding rural communities is much needed. The sad fact of women still being abused, raped and discriminated against exists and is given no voice to act out. Our vision was to establish a centre in a familiar space where women and girls had a voice to ask questions, learn more about themselves and feel safe.

The Wildflower Centre at Nourish Ecovillage aims to educate, enrich and empower rural adolescent young girls and women to become a better version of themselves and discover ways in which to take on the pressures of every life.

Every year, through the Wildflower Centre with the support of the Timbavati Foundation and Nourish NPO, over 200 grade 7 girls are gifted with their very own washable sanitary pad packs which consists of 6 beautiful local hand-made sanitary towels, a bar of sunlight soap and an information pamphlet. These period packs not only support a local business, but they aim to support these young girls for up to 4 years of use.

Help us give these young women their dignity back! For on R280 per pack.

The Timbavati Supplier Development Program (TSDP)

The Timbavati Supplier Development Program (TSDP) is a strategic initiative intended to cultivate and bolster a cohort of community-based enterprises. These enterprises are carefully selected to fulfil procurement needs for Timbavati Private Nature Reserve’s commercial lodges, camps, and private owners, marking a significant long-term investment in social welfare and sustainability.

Our approach entails a streamlined procurement process, starting from a foundational level and ideally integrating with the existing supplier network. In addition to ensuring a safety net, this also ensures that supplies and services will continue to run smoothly.

This project aims to achieve the following: