Written by Jess Tyrrell

South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who famously coined 'Rainbow Nation' to describe post-Apartheid South Africa, also popularised an exceptional term, ubuntu (oo-boon-too), that loosely translates to 'humanity' in isiZulu. Ubuntu is the acknowledgement that "I am, because we are", that we share a common humanity or oneness, and community is the building block of society. 

Ubuntu speaks to the inherent goodness and morality in each being, championing compassion between all individuals. Compassion and tourism can go hand-in-hand, and both are crucial to building a healthy, inclusive and sustainable future for our world. A prominent pillar of sustainable travel is that we should look to travel with purpose rather than pursuing experiences for selfish gain. Sustainable travel is an opportunity to experience the humanity you share with the rest of the world. If done right, it leads to a mutually beneficial exchange between traveller and host. 

One such way of leaving a lasting positive impact is to get involved in philanthropic or grassroots programs in your destination. These programs are essential as they provide opportunities to people and projects that may be too unpopular to gain widespread support. So on your next adventure, why not take some time to help out for a cause you believe in? We promise you, the mutual sense of fulfilment will give you unrestrained meaning and purpose. After all, we rise by lifting others.

Below we have listed our top 5 certified wildlife and community projects for you to get involved with when you visit South Africa (and perhaps even after you leave!). 

1. Uthando (Love) South Africa

This award-winning certified responsible tourism organisation based in Cape Town creates impactful links between tourism and community development projects. They offer respectful, culturally sensitive and life-changing philanthropic travel experiences that shine a light on life-changing community initiatives. 

Their daily, expert-led tours are non-voyeuristic visits to remarkable community projects driving social change. These tours take place in the Cape Flats and simultaneously teach you about the tainted history of South Africa and the many challenges that confront the locals. You will visit 3 or 4 diverse community projects on the tour. These could be a visit to an urban agricultural garden where healthy produce is grown in unexpected places, or a visit to a youth development centre where art, dance, choir singing and classical music are empowering disadvantaged youth. Some community projects provide special needs education to already ostracised community members with learning difficulties, while others offer assistance to refugees. Rest assured, your funds go directly towards keeping these projects going and changing lives. 

Check out their Instagram page and book a trip on their website. If you feel like donating items to Uthando, here's a list of items in need.

2. Coffeebeans Routes – Pan African Creative Travel

Coffeebeans Routes is a multi-award winning travel experience platform that splashes authentic stories all over the canvas of tourism. Stories are their currency, and tourism is the playground to share the stories of South African cities. Deemed “a fascinating window on life” by National Geographic, Coffeebeans Routes is a cultural tourism experience like no other.

Coffeebeans Routes offers a range of experiences in Cape Town and Johannesburg, including half-day music and creativity tours, evening excursions, and walking tours. Meeting, experiencing and living locally is an integral part of an immersive adventure. Learn from, eat and engage with local guides, cooks, musicians, artists, designers, architects, spiritual leaders, writers, landscapers, brewers, winemakers, historians, entrepreneurs, poets, town planners, and journalists. Most tours are suitable for solo travellers or groups. 

There are tons of tours to choose from in Cape Town and Johannesburg which you can explore and book on their website. Here are a few of our top picks:

Day tours in Cape Town

Revolution Route

This 4-hour tour is centred on stories of revolutionary struggle in Cape Town, South Africa from the 60s through early 90s, and the armed struggle against apartheid. The tour also seeks to provide greater context by including revolutionary acts by the indigenous Khoi and slaves against colonial regimes. You will visit important museums and meet inspiring people who experienced the struggle firsthand. Can’t make a tour? No problem! Do a self-guided version of the tour with this audiobook!

The Colour of Wine Safari

Drawing inspiration from the book and film of the same name, the Colour of Wine Safari is an intimate full day engagement telling the remarkable story of South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy through the personal journeys of Black winemakers. Enjoy 3 sets of wine tasting in different locations (you’ll be sipping on between 10-12 different wines!) and a traditional isiXhosa lunch spread featuring special fermented drinks. Check out our blog to read more about 12 pioneering Black Owned Wines and Wineries that are at the top of their game!

Cuisine Safari

On this tantalising culinary tour you can experience the City of Cape Town through food, one of our favourite lenses! Have you heard of snoek? Injeera? Koesusters? Daaltjies? Ulusu? Umngqusho? On this 4-hour tour you will sample the flavours and stories behind several of the different cultural foods of the city, from Cape Malay street food to chisa nyamas or hot meat bars to traditional home-cooked cuisine.

Evening tour in Cape Town

Jazz Safari

Cape Town is an incredibly musical city, mainly owing to the history of the city and the diversity of people, cultures and sounds. This musical journey begins at 7 pm. First you’ll visit the home of a jazz musician for dinner, with music and conversation, followed by a visit either to the home of a second musician for a nightcap, or to a jazz venue for the late set.

Day tours in Johannesburg

Johannesburg Cuisine Safari

This 3 part dining experience curated across Johannesburg focuses on traditional foods, often with a contemporary twist. You’ll taste your way through the City of Gold spatially, historically, and culturally. There are 3 components to the day, with the Soweto Soul Food Tasting Menu or Sotho-inspired Farm to Fork Tasting Menu at an urban farm downtown, at the heart of the experience. You’ll explore Pan African flavours including the famous shisa nyama, cuts of meat barbequed street side. Wash everything down with a local beer or a fermented maize drink.

Art Safari

This 4 hour exploration of art traverses galleries, public spaces, and artists studios across Johannesburg. You’ll be introduced to some public galleries, such as the Wits Art Museum and Johannesburg Art Gallery, some private, like the Gallery Momo, Stevenson, and Goodman, and meet local art curators and artists in their studio.

Soweto Futures

There is so much heritage and history to Soweto, but it also a thriving contemporary urban environment. In addition to the incredible histories and powerful stories of the Soweto Uprisings, and those of resistance figures such as Mandela and Tutu, there are the extraordinary stories about the Soweto that is being shaped right now. This stigma defying tour will see you visit the Soweto Theatre, a trendy fashion boutique, an urban farm, and a Sowetan craft beer tasting featuring traditional snacks.  You will walk the energetic and colourful streets and get to marvel at the local architecture and art scene.

Evening tour in Johannesburg

African Symphony Safari

Mac McKenzie and his Goema Orchestra are changing the narrative of African symphonic music, deeply rooting their compositions in the indigenous musics of South Africa. On this soulful tour, Mac performs his compositions with a quartet of the best of the city’s classical musicians. You can expect to indulge in gourmet snacks and fine South African wine, too.

3. Khaya Volunteer Projects

Khaya Volunteer Projects offers gap year, group and family volunteering in animal and wildlife, caring for children, community and culture, medical and health, sport and movement, and tech in South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, and Malawi. Guided by a strict ethical and responsible volunteering policy, Khaya – meaning village or belonging – has received a Lilizela Tourism Award and is a recognised partner of Volunteer World. In South Africa, you can get involved in Big 5 wildlife research, assist a children's hospital, teach at education centres and much more. 

Check out their Instagram for inspiration and enquire about projects of varying lengths on their site.

4. Wildlife ACT

Wildlife ACT is the only Fair Trade Tourism certified wildlife volunteer program in Africa! It is a non-profit trust dedicated to saving our planet's endangered wildlife by ensuring sustainable, long-term monitoring and conservation projects. Wildlife ACT assists game reserves by offering free tracking and monitoring services, fully funded by their wildlife volunteer program. Volunteers get involved in important conservation work and get to enjoy an immersive wildlife experience. Projects are currently focused in Zululand and are concerned with monitoring African Wild Dogs, Cheetah, Black Rhino, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, and others. You can sign up to volunteer or conduct your research on their site.

5. Ashia’s Cheetah Centre 

Born in 2016, Ashia's Cheetah Center is dedicated to preventing the decline of the cheetah. Located just outside Cape Town, Ashia offers a limited number of volunteer, student and internship spots. There is no petting or keeping of releasable cheetahs. Instead, they have an active phased and successful cheetah reintroduction program that reinforces wild populations' genetic and demographic integrity. Their beautiful grounds host the temporary cheetah residents in large enclosures, with onsite veterinarians and dieticians. Ashia also funds and coordinates research projects designed to contribute to cheetah conservation. For a complete list of volunteer duties, additional information, and applying, check out their site.

All this being said, some people try to take advantage of others' goodwill and get volunteers to help out in a not-so-legitimate, unethical way. These initiatives will likely cause more damage than they do good. A good rule of thumb is to look out for projects that are recognised by a national certification scheme, Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) and the Southern African Tourism Services Association (SATSA), for example. 

We encourage you to embrace Ubuntu and recognise the value of being selfless on your next trip to South Africa. Be it by offering a smile, helping hand or your time, your efforts to help others will undoubtedly leave a lasting positive impact on you, too. Send us your volunteer stories on Instagram or head over to our website to book your trip and get started!