Empower your journey
In our youth, travel feels like a fleeting adventure, a chance to roam freely, chasing self-discovery without a thought for the places we pass through. Like many people before us, we flitted from one destination to another, dropping a coin in a donation box or buying a local trinket, but our journeys were largely about us and the sheer adventure of it all. The thrill of new cultures and landscapes captivated us, yet we remained somewhat detached, more like transient observers!
With time, our perspective shifts. Whether it’s age or experience, the privilege of travel is slowly revealed along with the sheer magnitude and power of our presence – we soon see travel can harm but also heal.
We believe every single safari is a chance to move beyond footprints in the sand, to give back to the lands and people who open their hearts to you. Your journey already sparks change through our Hearten Africa efforts and our carefully chosen partners, but you can amplify your impact further with simple, meaningful actions that make a difference. But don’t worry, if you prefer not to that’s totally ok because we’re already making a difference just by helping your dream safari become a reality.
Here’s three ways you can amplify your impact.
Amplify your impact:
Contribute to local economies
We encourage you to opt for locally-made treasures over the mass-produced souvenirs: a handwoven basket from Botswana or vibrant textiles from Zambia. Whether it’s the vibrant open air markets of a bustling town like Victoria Falls or a remote rural village in Rwanda’s mountains, each purchase directly supports artisans and their families, helping them with their aim to not just survive, but thrive. Here’s some helpful tips…
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Seek out local markets: Explore local markets in the cities and villages you visit. Our guides on the ground will get you there safely and ensure you have a great time browsing the stalls, meeting locals, buying souvenirs that will make a difference more than you’ll ever know.
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Choose artisans: Look for handmade goods at the camps, lodges and hotels too because they also support locals. Things like jewellery, pottery, or textiles that reflect the region’s heritage are great keepsakes or gifts.
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Ask questions: Engage with vendors and learn their stories so you get to know the local creators you’re buying from and how it may help make a difference in their life.
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Travel with purpose: Your itinerary will mention some of the opportunities to visit and shop at local markets and/or artisan hubs, making it easy to not just travel, but shop with impact! If you’re travelling with kids, why not give them a fun curio challenge? Give them 50 minutes and $50 to spend in the markets and encourage them to come back with what they purchased and the stories of those they met. Our kids love it – Victoria Falls, Nairobi, Johannesburg… it’s how we shop for fun as a family and to make a difference one purchase at a time.
We’re hoping you can see just how easy and impactful shopping can be! By spending locally, you’re not just bringing home a souvenir, you’re helping with community sustainability, empowering locals, feeding children, educating men and women who otherwise may not have that opportunity… ok that’s over the top but you get where we’re coming from, right?
Image: Basket weaver, Travel for Impact Botswana
Amplify your impact:
Make thoughtful donations
You can deepen your impact with a thoughtful donation. Every contribution, big or small – helps transform lives in the communities you visit, from vibrant villages in Namibia’s desert regions to schools in Kenya. Here’s two simple ways to give as a starting point…
1. Donate money to a recognised cause/charity or community organisation
In Africa, every dollar counts. Whether it’s $2, $20, or $2,000, your donation fuels grassroots projects that uplift communities, or protect wilderness areas and conserve wildlife. You can choose to donate directly when you visit or we can assist to facilitate it on your behalf if it’s an organisation we partner with already.
2. Donate essential items
Take a bundle of items to donate, things that communities truly need like clean, good-quality second-hand clothing, books, stationery, sport equipment, medical supplies, or personal hygiene products. These donations deliver immediate support, like equipping a school or aiding a clinic. We’ll connect you with the right projects, tailored to the regions you’re visiting, so your gifts reach those who need them most.
Through our partnership with Pack for a Purpose, founded by Rebecca Rothney in 2010 to “make a difference one suitcase at a time,” we make giving easy. Pack for a Purpose links your donations to community projects at the lodges and camps on your itinerary, ensuring every item has a direct, meaningful impact. Take a look here>
Image: Mandy from Air Adventure Australia at a Tanzanian school, donating stationery crafted by an Arusha business we work with. Mandy and the group met the stationery artisans, then school teachers and children who were extremely grateful for the group’s generous gift – delivered with a tour and impromptu song. It sparked tears and lasting impact for all.
Personalised giving in your itinerary
Your Encompass Africa itinerary will highlight select charities and community projects in the regions you’ll visit, empowering you to support impactful work. We’ll also suggest enriching activities – like a village visit or conservation project that create unforgettable experiences while driving sustainability and uplifting locals.
That way, you can then book your safari to make every moment count based on your dream safari and travel parameters.
Amplify your impact:
Volunteer your time and skills
Your Encompass Africa safari can change lives, not just for the communities you visit, but for you too. We’ve seen it firsthand: giving a few hours to paint a school in Tanzania or plant trees in Botswana creates such a lasting impact on those who benefit. Volunteering connects you to locals, nature, and even yourself, lifting your spirit and sense of purpose. Whether it’s an afternoon teaching kids or a few days tracking and monitoring endangered wildlife, every moment matters. We can find you the perfect project to match your heart and itinerary, making your safari a that leaves an impact well after you return home – and memories and stories you’ll cherish for years to come.
Make a difference hands on
It’s easy to lend a hand to projects that matter. In 2024, Encompass Africa travellers contributed over 500 volunteer hours, transforming local child care centres, schools, villages, wildlife populations and wilderness areas across the continent.
A story of shared impact
Volunteering isn’t just about giving, it’s about connecting. Picture the smiles of Tanzanian students as you share a photography lesson, or the pride of a Botswana community unveiling a new garden you helped plant. These moments forge bonds that linger long after your safari ends. Your time, paired with our curated projects, ensures every contribution resonates deeply and becomes memories you’ll always remember fondly.
Image: Steph in Botswana with San Bushmen and women