‘Care of the land, care of the wildlife, care of the people.”  This is the catchcry of CC Africa (Conservation Corporation Africa – one of the world’s leading ecotourist organisations), a company that I hold very dear to my heart.  I feel that there are adventurous spirits out there just waiting to embark on a “doing well by doing good” trip of a lifetime.

Africa awakens many souls – there are plenty of opportunities there to make the world a better place for people in need, and wildlife on the endangered list, as well as enjoying purposeful adventures. However, if Africa is not for you there are plenty of similar schemes elsewhere in the world where you can get involved in an ecotourism community project.

If in Africa, combine your dream holiday – Victoria Falls, Zambesi River, Okavango Swamps, game reserves, Cape Town, Mt Kilimanjaro, Ngoro Ngoro crater, etc. – with an opportunity to volunteer your time and energies by immersing yourself in the culture of the local people and contributing to wildlife projects that give back to the local districts.  Make a positive impact on your holiday by integrating within a local community and assisting with animal welfare, health care, building projects or education schemes, to name but a few.

You don’t have to wait until the family has grown up and left home to embark on these adventures. Families can also travel together (a wonderful experience for children) and all together make a memorable difference to a community or wildlife project.  We all have the skills to

• Work with children
• Teach English or basic maths
• Help develop a community
• Work in animal conservation

There are many fascinating projects to which you could contribute some of your time – and make a difference.

African Lion Rehabilitation (Zimbabwe).  Volunteer to work near the Victoria Falls in a scheme to save the diminishing lion population from a deadly cancer.

Desert Elephants (Namibia).  Volunteer to work and save these unique animals.

Assist with orphaned elephants in Zimbabwe (also adjacent to the Victoria Falls), or South Africa or Kenya.

Work in cheetah rehabilitation in South Africa or Namibia.

Work with orphaned children in Swaziland , Mozambique, Peru,  Cambodia and Vietnam.

Work with mobile health clinics in Kenya or help build a school in Guatemala.

Help with black rhino conservation in South Africa, or turtle conservation in Costa Rica.

Teach disadvantaged children in Kenya, Cambodia or India.

Conserve and swim with dolphins in Mozambique.

 “Satisfy your Soul” and book a holiday to the destination of your choice to learn about life in developing countries and integrate yourself within a local community. In this way you both satisfy your curiosity to travel and your desire to make a difference.