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Our Approach

Transforming the way travel benefits Africa

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We have seen how travel can be a positive force, but also how detrimental it can be. As such, our model focuses on how travel can provide direct benefits to people and wildlife and incentivise the conservation of Africa’s wilderness. We support conservation landscapes and communities to better realise the value travel can provide.

We appreciate that philanthropy can only do so much and in its self is often not a sustainable model. This is why we work with travel providers to help transform the way tourism benefits Africa. This allows us to: support conservation and community development work; collectively deliver travel that leaves the destination in a better condition than before travel; and enable communities to develop travel businesses to ensure they benefit directly from travel. This combination of business, impact investment and philanthropy is unique to the travel industry.

Travel needs to immerse individuals in the conservation and community development, as well as ensuring maximum tourism dollars remain in the local economy. This drives conservation efforts and demonstrates to local communities the value of that conservation in attracting tourists as well as offering employment and other economic benefits. Community ownership and leadership is key.

Tourists, Hamar Bull Jumping Ceremony, Turmi, Omo Valley, Ethiopia

Credit: Andy Haslam

We bring donors closer to the projects they support with our donor travel offering. We help conscientious adventure travellers explore Africa in a different way, ensuring that we both minimise the negative impacts of travel and offer a net positive impact.

Funds generated and donations received by Wild Philanthropy are used to support some of Africa’s best conservation and community development projects, working through a network of trusted partners and linking travellers with an interest in Africa and philanthropy to these projects.