Just stopping by to tell you about people getting dressed up for the Wilderness Foundation Africa. Seriously get the picture of a safari in stilettos out of your head and stay with me here.

What I mean is, The WFA Wilderness Foundation Africa, are now the official beneficiaries of the Jason Kieck Fundraisers (like the one I was invited to on Saturday).

The event I will be attending here in Port Elizabeth will be in aid of the Igazi Foundation (as it has been for nine years now). I will be sharing info about them – the only dedicated Haematological Services NGO in the country – soon, but for now I thought I would start with the newcomers.

According to Jason Kieck, himself The Wilderness Foundation was chosen as the beneficiary of their Pretoria event (and events going forward) due to its holistic approach to its work, “helping not only species and spaces but also people”

Here are some facts you may not have known about them and their work…

• Wilderness Foundation Africa is a conservation organisation working to protect and sustain all life on earth for the benefit of current and future generations.
• WFA focuses on 3 areas: Species | Spaces | People
• The three-point Erythrina leaf was chosen many years ago by Magqubu Ntombela (a traditional Zulu man and WF co-founder) as the symbol of the Wilderness Foundation. Each of the three parts of the leaf has a meaning: Man to Earth, Man to Man, Man to God
• Nelson Mandela Bay is the only city in South Africa with 5 biomes – this means that out of the eight biomes that make up our vegetation types in South Africa, five are represented within this metro.  In addition, we are the only city in the world that borders on a Big 7 wildlife mega reserve – the Addo Elephant National Park
• The Wold Wilderness Congress (hosted by Wilderness Foundation Global) is the world’s longest-running, public, environmental forum.
• Since 2010, there have been a total of 7 720 rhinos poached in South Africa. Last year alone, an average of 2 rhinos were poached every day in South Africa.
•   If the current poaching rate continues it is possible that this year will see more rhino being killed than are being born, and if this trend continues then it is possible that by 2025 all rhino in the wild could be extinct.
• As per Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2019, youth unemployment in South Africa for the ages between 15 and 24 was at 55.2% by March 2019. This insight is guiding WFA’s Youth Development Programme which is aimed at simultaneously conserving wilderness areas and nurturing the physical and psychological wellness of young people.