Local community visit
A privately guided, inspirational excursion to a group of current and historic community-led projects
Offered in partnership with
Phinda community visit
This interactive community excursion offers you a rare opportunity to visit some of the KwaZulu-Natal rural communities neighbouring the &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve.
Embark on an insightful, privately guided tour with Africa Foundation (known as Wild Impact from July 2024), &Beyond’s community development partner, which has been active within these rural communities surrounding the reserve for 30 years.
Gain first-hand knowledge of Wild Impact’s current and historic community-led projects, focused on the key areas of education, healthcare and conservation, together with skills building and the development of local small business enterprises in the area.
You will have the opportunity to visit projects in the Mduku and Mnqobokazi communities. Depending on permissions and school terms, these may include the Khulani Special School, Macebo community crèche, Mduku Clinic, the Nkomo Full Service Primary School, Inkosi Zwelakhe Ngwane Secondary School and the Mbhedula Craft Market.
You will not only be gifted with an insight into the everyday lives of community members, but will also leave with a deep understanding of these inspirational projects. For instance, the Khulani Special School was an initiative led by a disabled group of three elderly people to meet the needs of children with disabilities living within the communities of Mduku, Mnqobokazi and Nibela. These children previously had to travel over 150 km (93 mi.) to the nearest formal special-needs school.
The Mduku Clinic was built by Africa Foundation in 1995, at a time when the closest hospital was 70 km (43 mi.) away and the only access to a nurse was a mobile clinic that visited the community once a fortnight. Now up to 42 000 patients visit the clinic annually and the facility provides emergency care, treatment of chronic diseases, and a wing dedicated to the healthcare of women and children.
Nkomo Full Service Primary School was formed in 1997 by the indomitable Mrs Nomusa Zikhali, who started by teaching 60 children outdoor under the shade of trees. Now, Nkomo is a full-service primary school with more than 20 classrooms and over 1 000 pupils.
Inkosi Zwelakhe Ngwane Secondary School has provided new opportunities for excellence amongst rural high school learners, while the Macebo Crèche and Mbhedula Craft Market are both milestone projects.
This community visit tour is subject to the availability of the Wild Impact Regional Manager.
Special-interest community tours are a further option but would need to be arranged well in advance through your chosen travel advisor.
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