The room fell quiet faster than anyone expected.
Thirty-six children sat bent over their papers, colouring furiously, heads tilted in concentration, determined to use the next hour well. Pens and pencils moved frantically, hands darting between the colours. Occasionally someone paused, thinking carefully about the words they wanted to write.
After a restful December break, our team was ready to jump straight back into camp life. But January had other plans. Some of the heaviest rainfall in more than 25 years swept across the Lowveld, bringing widespread flooding and cutting off access roads. While camp itself escaped serious damage, getting there became impossible. With the gates closed, it was time to do what South Africans do best: make a plan.
What a year it has been! As we look back on the last 12 months, this has undoubtedly been the biggest year yet for Koru Camp – moving into our brand-new camp, developing new programmes and partnerships, mentoring three new interns, and welcoming over one thousand beneficiaries through our gates. Every moment of joy, every heart filled with gratitude, and every mountain climbed has been a testament not only to our incredible staff, but also to our partners, volunteers, and donors who have supported us along the way.
It was 5am and the sky was still cloaked in darkness as the aspiring field guides from Ditoro Outreach climbed into the vehicle for their morning game drive at Koru Camp. Still buzzing from the afternoon before—many having experienced their very first game drive—we wondered if anything could possibly top the previous day’s unforgettable elephant encounter.
A Swahili Proverb says “A boat doesn’t go forwards if everyone if rowing is their own way”.
Whether working in conservation, hospitality or with our local communities, at Koru Camp it is firmly rooted in our beliefs that collaboration is key to reaching our collective goals. By working together we can protect our wildlife, empower our communities and even help nature tourism in the area thrive, bringing further economic opportunities.
Melody’s journey from a local community near Kruger National Park to a budding conservationist is awe-inspiring. Sponsored by Wild Shots Outreach, she overcame obstacles to become an Apprentice Guide at Koru Camp. Her story showcases the power of passion and determination in pursuing a dream career in nature conservation.
Born from a love of conservation and a desire to empower local communities into helping to protect our collective wildlife and natural heritage, Koru Camp’s values are embedded in passion and people. And, if there is one person that embodies everything we are about, it has to be our incredible Camp Manager, Dineo. Everyone that has visited Koru Camp can’t help but love her ever-smiling and positive attitude as well as her ability to ensure the camp is always in tip top condition. For those of you that haven’t had the pleasure of joining us yet, let’s dig a little deeper into what makes Dineo tick…
Run by our modest and kind-hearted chef, Tinyiko, the Koru Camp kitchen is not only a source of delicious, home-cooked meals but it is also doing its part for conservation with its meat-conscious ethos. By reducing the amount of meat consumed during our camps, we are able to lower our carbon footprint and reduce our impact towards climate change. Not only that, eating less meat has also been shown to save water, reduce deforestation and protect biodiversity.
Joel Sithole discovered his passion for nature at a young age during an ecocamp with Ngala Safari Lodge. Recognising his potential, he was chosen for various conservation programmes and his journey took him through several roles before joining Koru Camp. Motivated by gratitude and a desire to inspire the next generation, Joel aims to introduce children to the wildlife and this vision will come to life on 4 September, with support from Brew HQ and Koru Camp founder Peter Eastwood. His ultimate goal is to ingnite a love for nature in many more children, with the hope of finding “another Joel”.
