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 have joined forces with our partners under the Africa House Group to transforming the way tourism benefits Africa. This allows us to collectively deliver travel that leaves the destination in a better condition than before travel through Journeys by Design; support conservation and community development work through Wild Philanthropy; and enable communities to develop travel businesses to ensure they benefit directly from travel. This combination of business, impact investment and philanthropy, we believe, 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.
Credit: Andy Haslam
We bring donors closer to the projects they support with our donor travel offering, available through Journeys by Design’s Activist Travel programme. We help conscientious adventure travellers explore Africa in a different way. A way that doesn’t just minimise the negative impacts of travel but offers 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.