Wild Impact

16/10/2026

Friday Smiles 😊
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At Wild Impact, there’s always a reason to smile.

It is found in the power of people coming together, united by a shared commitment to creating lasting change.

Across our landscapes and seascapes, communities, partners, donors and teams work side by side to address challenges, unlock opportunities and build stronger futures for both people and nature.

These partnerships remind us that meaningful impact is not achieved alone. It is built through collaboration, trust and a shared vision for a better tomorrow.

A small act of kindness can create a big smile. Donate today and help brighten someone's day.

Wishing you a Friday filled with purpose, connection and plenty of reasons to smile.

To learn more about Wild Impact head to: https://wildimpact.earth/
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16/10/2026

Wildlife of the Month: Lion
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A majestic predator has been making frequent appearances on our Harmony with Wildlife camera traps in the Okavango Delta. Meet the lion (Panthera leo). Our cameras have captured 42 images of lions moving through this incredible wetland habitat, including several sightings of playful cubs

Here are 3 facts about lions:

1. Lions live in prides consisting of 3 to 30 individuals, making them the most social members of the cat family.

2. Male lions feature a distinctive mane that helps identify them, while females do not; each lion also has unique whisker spots that work like fingerprints for individual identification.

3. Lions have a wide habitat tolerance, ranging from desert fringes to open savannas, showcasing their adaptability across diverse environments.

To learn more about our Conserving Ecosystems work, head to: https://wildimpact.earth/harmony-with-wildlife/
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📌: Okavango Delta
🌍: Botswana
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15/10/2026

Building a Future Through Education : Christiano Swartbooi
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Meet Christiano Swartbooi, a CLEF recipient currently pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting. With a goal of becoming a professional accountant, Christiano is building the knowledge and skills needed to create a future in accounting and financial management.

Growing up in difficult financial circumstances shaped his career choice. Seeing how financial hardship and limited financial knowledge can affect opportunities inspired Christiano to pursue accounting so he can build a better future for himself and his family while helping others from similar backgrounds.

His grandmother has been a key source of strength. After his mother passed away, she became his main support, encouraging him to remain focused on his studies and continue working towards his goals.

As a first-year student, earning his place at university and passing his first assignments and tests have been an important milestones for him this year.

“Receiving the CLEF bursary from Wild Impact has made a big difference in my life. CLEF covered my 2026 tuition fees in full, which removed one of my biggest worries as a first-year student.”

As part of his Buyisela (giving back to the community), he started a garden at his former primary school to support the soup kitchen he once benefited from. He hopes to extend the project to his former senior secondary school as well.

We wish Christiano every success as he continues his studies and works towards his goals.

To learn more about the Community Leaders Education Fund head to : https://wildimpact.earth/tomorrows-leaders/
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📍: Maltahöhe
🌍: Namibia
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14/10/2026

Why we support the work of Munywana

For more than 32 years, the Munywana Conservancy has been showing what long-term, science-based cheetah conservation can achieve in Africa.

It began with the reintroduction of cheetahs to Phinda Private Game Reserve in 1994. Since then, this population has not only survived — it has demonstrated remarkable adaptability in an ecosystem with high predator densities.

And its impact reaches far beyond Munywana.

By 2025, 75 cheetahs had been translocated to help genetically strengthen existing populations or establish new ones. The conservation team, led by dedicated ecologists, has also contributed to 18 published scientific studies, helping expand our understanding of how cheetahs can survive and thrive in protected landscapes.

But perhaps the most important part is understanding the cheetah metapopulation.

Cheetahs cannot be conserved effectively by looking at isolated populations. Each population forms part of a larger network. Moving individuals between populations can help maintain genetic diversity, strengthen vulnerable populations and establish new ones.

That means protecting a strong population doesn't just save the cheetahs living there today.
It can help safeguard cheetahs across the region for generations to come.

This is why Wild Impact has supported conservation in the Munywana since 1992 because conservation is not only about protecting wildlife where it is. It is about building resilient populations, sharing knowledge, and giving wildlife a future.

Protect. Connect. Restore. For cheetahs, it all matters.

Help us protect one of nature's most elegant creations.

Donate today and be part of their story of survival.

Donate USA: https://bit.ly/3VGftLi
Donate SA and rest of the world: https://bit.ly/3VM2hV7
Donate UK: https://bit.ly/4jUKIMy
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📸: GettyImages-1256287218
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Wild Impact South Africa Cheetahs Need Our Help Cheetahs are among Africa’s most vulnerable predators. There are only approximately 6,500 left on Earth. Unlike lions, they are considered “soft predators”, often having to compete with larger carnivores such as lions and hyenas for food and terr...

14/10/2026

Supporting Coral Reef Restoration at Mnemba
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Coral reefs provide important habitat for marine life, but damaged reefs can lose the structure and complexity needed to support healthy coral communities. At Mnemba, Reef Stars are helping stabilise loose coral rubble and create a stable surface where coral can attach and grow, supporting the recovery of degraded reef areas and the habitat they provide for marine life.

In partnership with Mars Sustainable Solutions, the Oceans Without Borders team is producing and deploying MARRS Reef Stars across priority restoration sites at Mnemba. Support from our generous donor has made this work possible, providing essential materials, equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE) and welding support needed to produce and deploy the structures. To date, 135 Reef Stars have been produced and deployed.

Local women from our partner communities also took part in the fabrication process, gaining practical experience along the way.

To learn more about our work on Mnemba Island, head to: https://wildimpact.earth/oceans-without-borders/
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📍: Mnemba Island
🌍: Tanzania
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This project is made possible through the generous patronage of Ocean Family Foundation and Mars Sustainable Solutions

13/10/2026

Nhlanhla’s Hustlepreneur Journey
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Meet Nhlanhla Ndlovu, a Hustlepreneur from Lillydale A and a member of Hustle Economy Cohort 8, supported by the Jobs Fund.

Nhlanhla’s entrepreneurial journey was shaped by two things: the example of his father, who has always been a pillar of strength in his life and his desire to create his own opportunities in the face of unemployment.

He started in 2012 with just R100, using it to buy a fishing net to catch fish and sell in his community. He also collected and sold forest fruits, initially earning enough pocket money to buy food at school. That small beginning has since grown into a tuckshop, where he sells everyday products as well as grilled chicken, gizzards, Russians, chicken feet and heads.

Through the Hustle Economy Programme, Nhlanhla has gained practical skills in cash flow management, budgeting, stock management and merchandising. The Wild Impact grant has helped him increase his stock and strengthen his business operations, while the training has given him a better understanding of how to manage the money his business generates.

Recently he has purchased a 95-litre deep freezer and his own braai stand, important assets for preparing and storing his products.

What began with R100 and a determination to create his own opportunities has grown into a business that Nhlanhla continues to develop through the Hustle Economy programme.

To learn more about the Hustle Economy programme head to : https://wildimpact.earth/campaign-hustle-economy/?preview=true
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📍: Greater Kruger
🌍: South Africa
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13/10/2026

Growing Skills, Growing Food 🌱
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Recenlty, our Youth Employment Service Climate Resilient Communities Stars in Training, together with their facilitator Miranda Mdluli, gathered at Happy Homes Pre-School, a hub for seedling propagation and distribution to our southern communities.

The team distributed 37 trays of seedlings, including 5 trays of beetroot, 20 trays of spinach, 7 trays of lettuce and 5 trays of onions, helping ensure fresh seedlings reach community gardens.

They then propagated a further 75 trays, comprising 47 trays of spinach and 28 trays of beetroot. Working together, the Stars in Training also constructed a propagation table to support ongoing seedling production.

For our CRC Stars in Training, activities like these provide valuable hands-on experience while contributing to the day-to-day work of the Climate Resilient Communities programme.

To learn more about our Stars in Training Programme, head to : https://wildimpact.earth/campaign-stars-in-training/
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📌: Greater Kruger
🌍: South Africa
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12/10/2026

Wild Impact at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2026
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We are proud to share that our Landscape Conservation team recently attended the Opp-Gen Research and Conservation Conference 2026, where Janiel Padayachy, our Landscape Conservation Project Officer, presented the Harmony with Wildlife programme.

The conference brings together researchers and conservation practitioners to exchange knowledge and explore approaches to protecting biodiversity.

The presentation highlighted how camera trap surveys and community-based incentives can encourage conservation in communities living alongside wildlife while helping address human-wildlife conflict.
Drawing on examples from the Okavango Delta and Lubombo, he shared how the programme recognises the value of wildlife within community landscapes and creates incentives for conservation.

Looking ahead, the team aims to monitor how community perceptions of wildlife change over time and use camera trap images to enrich Echo Environmental Education. With expansion into Tanzania underway and plans to extend the programme to Greater Kruger and expand further into the Okavango Delta, we aim to strengthen opportunities for communities to contribute to conservation.

To learn more about Harmony with Wildlife head to: https://wildimpact.earth/harmony-with-wildlife/
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12/10/2026

Harvest from our school garden 😊🍅🫑
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Our Youth Employment Service Climate Resilient Communities (CRC) Stars in Training placed at Kwenyane Day Care in Hluvukani Community have recently done a major harvest from the school garden.

Supported by their facilitator, the Stars In Training harvested a variety of vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers and onions! They also collected more seedlings to plant in the garden and continued with general maintenance to keep it healthy and thriving.

Their dedication and hard work are helping to provide fresh nutritious produce and healthy, daily meals for the children at Kwenyane Day Care.

To learn more about our Climate Resilient Communities programme, head to: https://wildimpact.earth/campaign-climate-resilient-communities/
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📌: Greater Kruger
📷: Nhlamulo Mlambo & Skhumbuzo Khoza
🌍: South Africa
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Africa