OTHER CONSERVATION PROGRAMMES

Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve has teamed up with other volunteer organizations so as to provide the best of Urban Humanitarian Saltycrax – Cape Town, Rural Humanitarian (African Heartland – Wild Coast) and Conservation (Kwa Madwala – Kruger area) volunteer programmes. Programmes are two weeks in duration respectively. This unique combination of destinations and range of programmes offers volunteers the best of all worlds in terms of diversity and experience. The three segments of these experiences ensure focused dedication from hosts and can either be booked jointly or separately.

2 week Conservation Programme for Volunteers at Bush House (Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve) includes:

Rate: The rate is R5500-00 inclusive of vat per person per 13 night/ 14 day programme. This rate is valid until 30 December 2012.

We have incorporated a conservation project in combination with a few unique safari adventure activities which add a touch of pleasure and fun to the programme.

• Programme info included in the stay:
• The duration of stay will be for 13 nights – 14 days
• All transport for the entire programme. This includes transfers to and from the KMIA international airport or the local bazbus pick up point in Nelspruit
• All meals
• Accommodation
• All activities and excursions as mentioned in itinerary.

Conservation. The conservation project which will be running at Kwa Madwala over the next three years is Project Leopard. Although volunteers would be actively involved and working on the project in a dedicated manner, and their assistance would be greatly appreciated it would continue to be run by a team of Kwa Madwala’s own staff on an ongoing basis irrespective of the volunteer’s participation. The Leopard Project aims at the following objectives over the next three years:

• Conditioning of leopards in the Kwa Madwala reserve so that their fear of man is broken down and that they start to associate man with Game Viewer vehicles and camera’s rather then guns, hunting and fear.
• Creation and enhancement of a safe haven for Leopards in the area.
• Establish regular sightings of Leopard.
• Establish and compile statistics on Leopards in the area.
• Establish feeding traits and patterns.
• Contribute to eco tourism and indirectly to job creation in the area.

Similar conservation projects involving the Pangolin and Aardwolf can later also be tacked as these too are rare and endangered species with reference to the Kwa Madwala area.

Volunteers would be tasked with a certain amount of manual conservation work as part of their daily routine when on the conservation project. Work would mainly consist of the maintenance of the 22 strand electrified large game fence around the reserve. The fence requires consistent maintenance and repair which includes:

• Patrolling the fence on Horse Back in order to identify area’s requiring attention. This would also be an opportunity to experience a taste of a Horse Back safari and to work with the equestrian professional who runs this segment of Kwa Madwala.
• Checking the voltage on the electrical portion of the fence.
• Repairing broken area’s where necessary including where warthogs have burrowed under the fence or where other damage has occurred.
• Clearing undergrowth from the ground portion of the fence so that it doesn’t interfere with the electrification.

One major repair job would be decided upon and then this would be undertaken to completion per team.

Volunteers would only be required to contribute in a physical capacity and no financial contribution would be required on their part for any of the conservation work.

• Safari adventures and activities. All volunteers would receive the following safari activities as included and part of their programme.
• 6 x 3 hour game drives on the Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve.
• 1 x 3 hour bush walk.
• 1 x Night drive.
• A one hour Elephant Back Safari. (1 hour)
• A 7.5 minute Microlight Safari.

Meals

• Breakfasts: 12 of the 14 breakfasts will be simple with yogurts, fresh fruit and cereal’s with toast and spreads. Served out in the bush, in the boma area or under a thatched dinning area at the Lodge. On the two day’s off - a generous South African cooked Breakfast will be prepared around the fire.
• Lunches: Light lunches some of which will be packed will include options such as: fruit, sandwiches, pizza’s, pies, rolls, hamburgers and Sausages.
• Dinners: Good wholesome South African meals will be prepared invariably around the fire. These will include dishes such as stews, barbeques (braai’s), casseroles, and a variety of South African vegetable, salad and starch combinations. Deserts will be served on the two off days.
• Tea, coffee and fruit juice will be available daily at breakfast and lunch.
• A generous amount of food will always be available and no one will ever go hungry.

• Accommodation – This will be in the Bush House or any of its extended accommodation area’s including Kingfisher camp and Gazebo Lodge.

• Transport. Will be in fully licensed and legal Mini Busses or Game viewer vehicles. Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve is covered by passenger and public liability insurance.

• Supervision / coordination. The team will be assigned to a Team leader who will be with them for the duration of their experience. This person will take care of the day to day running coordinating and scheduling of events. Although Kwa Madwala will make use of various other professional individuals throughout the experience one team leader will be responsible on site and such person would take total responsibility for all aspects of programme from start to finish. Such a designated person together with contact details will be made known to agent or supplier or parent (which ever is applicable) well in advance of the arrival date of the specific group. This person would serve as the Responsible Person on site at Kwa Madwala.

• Emergency procedure. An additional person to the responsible person would be available after hours and be equipped with a vehicle on site where the volunteers would be staying so as to ensure that volunteers have access to the nearest town which is Malelane (30 KM away) or the nearest private hospital in Nelspruit (90 km away). This person would have cellular communication and be in contact with the emergency services and the responsible person on site.