Habu students look at elephants at the waterhole to celebrate Earth Month [Photo credit: African Travel, Inc.]In honor of Earth Month, African Travel, Inc. (ATI), an award-winning luxury safari outfitter, is proudly sharing the measurable progress and positive impact achieved by its African project partner, Wild Entrust Africa (WEA). Through its not-for-profit, TreadRight Foundation, ATI provides grants to support the vital work of its conservancy partner’s three village projects, aimed at empowering women and youth in Botswana through community engagement and wildlife coexistence.
African Travel Inc. celebrates Earth Month
Conservation coaches and guides [Photo Credit: African Travel, Inc.]Since 2014, WEA has worked in the village of Habu in Botswana, implementing an integrated community development and conservation program.
Sherwin Banda, President of African Travel, Inc., said in a statement:
This Earth Month, we are proud to highlight the positive impacts our African project partner, Wildlife Entrust Africa,has made through its transformative work and we are honored to support them through our philanthropic arm, TreadRight, and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12.
The 2025 Earth Day theme is ‘Our Power, Our Planet,’ championing renewable energy, one of our grants supports the Village Lights Project, providing solar-powered lights to schoolchildren, allowing them extra hours to read and learn.
African Travel, Inc. is sharing the impact achieved by its African project partner, Wild Entrust Africa, with the help of grants received in 2024 as follows.
Progress from Wild Entrust Africa in Habu Village, Botswana
Habu Village Green Project [Photo Credit: African Travel, Inc.]
Village Greens Project
As part of the Community Coexistence program and to celebrate Earth Month, the Village Greens Project empowers women through community gardening to feed families in Habu and grow vegetables for sale. In 2024, grants from ATI supported 20 women and youth in horticultural production, fostering sustainable livelihoods and social coexistence.
Habu Village Green Project [Photo Credit: African Travel, Inc.]Meanwhile, the funds were also used for capacity building, providing hands-on training, and implementing two new garden area shade nets to protect crops from the harsh sunlight and bird damage. Moreover, the farm’s water reticulation and distribution systems were also improved.
Habu Village Green Project [Photo Credit: African Travel, Inc.]However, a standout success story comes from Ms. Katjivisire Kanjo, one of the project beneficiaries. She shared:
This is a very good project. I am now able to feed my family, and from the last benefits we received, I managed to finish my house.
In celebration of Earth Month, this project aims to create a harmonious environment, restore traditional employment for women, enhance food security and reduce reliance on harmful practices such as poaching and overharvesting.
Village Lights Project
A student studying under a solar-powered light, part of the Village Lights Project in Botswana. [Photo Credit: Cole Franklin]The Village Lights Project was launched due to the lack of electricity in Habu village. The project aims to increase access to renewable energy to support youth education in the Habu Community. Through a partnership between African Travel, Inc., and TreadRight, 180 backpacks and 180 solar lights were distributed to Grade 1 and Grade 5 classes, enabling them to study after dark.
Village Lights Project [Photo Credit: Cole Franklin]Additionally, 201 books were donated to help build the school’s library. Some of the funds were used for human resources to organize homework clubs, reading clubs, and movie nights, all aimed at increasing literacy rates and scholastic performance of over 350 primary school students.
Village Kids Project
Conservation team looks at animal prints [Photo credit: African Travel, Inc.]The Village Kids Project aims to improve youth perceptions of wildlife and foster a sense of stewardship for conservation, with hands-on wildlife education and environmental awareness to turn their fear and animosity into protection and attachment for wildlife.
In 2024, facilitated by the Coaching Conservation program, 44 Grade 6 students from Habu Primary School participated in a full-day BushRAP event. This included a morning game drive, where the students learned about elephant communication, wildlife behavior and safety.
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