Wild Impact
earth.wildlife.humankind
Wild Impact
Africa Foundation has gone global
In July 2024, Africa Foundation rebranded as Wild Impact. This marked their expansion beyond Africa to Asia and South America, growing and deepening their global impact side-by-side with &Beyond.
Their chapter as Africa Foundation spanned a 32-year journey of collaboration as &Beyond‘s non-profit community and conservation development partner.
This new era will take this partnership to global heights as the two organisations collectively scale their shared impact vision: to work collaboratively with our partner communities and key stakeholders to conserve the landscapes and seascapes in which we operate, for generations to come.
Why the name ‘Wild Impact’? CEO, Dr Andrew Venter, tells the story…
Theory of Change
Wild Impact’s long-term deep partnership approach with both communities and stakeholders is a differentiator. They are anchored in the landscapes alongside &Beyond through infrastructure — brick and mortar in some shape or form, such as a school or a clinic — that is bonded with their long-term financial commitment to develop it which plays out over decades.
A systematic approach that they refer to as their Theory of Change provides a framework structured around four key outcomes:
Conserving Ecosystems
Supporting resilient, biodiverse landscapes and seascapes
Future Foundations
Developing community education and health care infrastructure
Tomorrow's Leaders
Unlocking new-generation talent, influence, and potential of young leaders
Thriving Communities
Nurturing climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods
Supporting programmes
In partnership with &Beyond, the four focus areas of Wild Impact’s Theory of Change are supported, developed and collectively enabled by a set of eight active programmes. All are underpinned by a methodology steeped in respectful engagement with partner communities and key stakeholders.
Climate-Resilient Communities
Thriving Communities
With Africa’s rural communities living at the sharp end of climate change, the focused expansion of food gardens and water projects are integral to building community resilience. In 2023, this programme supported over 7,000 scholars and youth across 17 communities in the Greater Kruger landscape.
Community Leaders Education Fund (CLEF)
Tomorrow's Leaders
Since its inception in 1996 through to 2023, Wild Impact’s CLEF (Community Leaders Education Fund) tertiary education bursary programme has granted 1,285 tertiary education bursaries to 855 promising young leaders across 62 rural communities in Africa, benefitting generation on generation.
Conserving Landscapes
Conserving Ecosystems
A collaborative programme that supports expanding landscape conservation activities to protect threatened species like pangolin and rhino. This holistic, large-scale conservation approach to landscape management aims to reconcile the conflicting land-use objectives of nature conservation and economic activities.
Education
Future Foundations
Infrastructure is a key element of this programme that collaboratively supports the development of community early childhood development centres, preschool, primary and secondary schools. It includes holistic initiatives that support vulnerable children’s health, nutrition, development and social needs.
Healthcare
Future Foundations
Easy access to hospitals or local healthcare facilities is not the reality for many of Africa’s rural communities. This programme supports community healthcare: from the establishment of health posts to fully-fledged clinics, projects include safe drinking water through boreholes, while hygienic ablution facilities support sanitation.
ECHO
Tomorrow's Leaders
The interactive Environmental Education community programme – often simply referred to as “Echo” for its resonance across future generations – is inspiring engagement and understanding within rural communities, who are the custodians and future advocates for these irreplaceable landscapes and seascapes.
Hustle Economy
Thriving Communities
In the context of rural communities like those neighbouring the Greater Kruger and Maputaland landscapes, the word ‘hustle’ holds the promise of opportunity for aspiring micro-entrepreneurs. The informal or “hustle” economy offers 1 in 6 South Africans the chance of earning an income in areas where formal sector employment is limited.
Oceans Without Borders
Conserving Ecosystems
Oceans are a threatened expanse that connects and sustains us all. There has been a growing realisation of the finite nature of these marine resources, and how they underpin the survival of our entire planet. This collaborative marine programme is dedicated to the support of conservation and communities within our partnership seascapes.
Sustainable Tourism
Thriving Communities
Young people in our partner communities have a critical role to play in building a thriving and inclusive South African nation. In this skills-building programme, youth are placed across South Africa to promote and support tourist entities in their home towns and local surrounds through creative outputs like photography and videography.
Youth Worx
Thriving Communities
High youth unemployment in South Africa is a persistent reality. However, the YES programme model – a joint initiative between the private sector and South African government to assist youth in gaining hands-on work experience through job placements – is making a meaningful difference. This successful model underpins Wild Impact’s Youth Worx programme.
30 years of working hand-in-hand
233
Community jobs created
915
CLEF bursaries awarded as of 2020
23,000
Conservation lessons delivered
56,000
Community members with access to water
114
Community schools supported
4,764
Hippo-rollers to transport water
Respective roles
What are the respective roles between &Beyond, a For-Profit Organisation, and Wild Impact, a Non-Profit Organisation?
The role of &Beyond
- Delivering extraordinary guest experiences to generate a sustainable, commercial, and social return
- Looking a shared value opportunities to give economic value to our communities
- Providing our guests with exposure to programmes requiring support
- Contributing towards the core costs of Africa Foundation, thereby maximising the impact of guest donations
The role of Wild Impact
- Working WITH the community to define their needs, scope, and complete the defined project
- Enabling community capacity building and small business development
- Providing clear accountability on each sponsored project
- Providing donors with status reports, detailing progress on the respective projects
Wild Impact news
Read our news updates from our historic name, Africa Foundation, to our new name Wild Impact. All news are here for you to enjoy
Impact news
Impact resources
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