What do Imbewu trails mean to our students?

This year’s Umzi Wethu Hospitality Academy students attended their third Imbewu trails in March. Both took place at Kleinrivier in the Groendal Wilderness Area, Eastern Cape.
The Blue team was on trail from 8-11 March, and the Red team went out from 22-24 March. Unfortunately their trail was cut short by a day due to torrential rains.
According to Experiential Education Coordinator, Lihle Mbokazi, the students are keen to participate in the Imbewu trails and some shared what the experience has meant to them:

Interview with Siya:

Interview with Lindile:

Graduates give back to Pride

Ntobeko Ngcala (Umzi 6 conservation graduate) joined the Pride trail at Groendaal as a guest guide on Saturday, May 12. He was one of the volunteer guides for the Wilderness Foundation’s Pride of Groendaal project in the Eastern Cape, and was introduced to Umzi Wethu by experiential education manager, Lihle Mbokazi.

After graduating from the conservation academy in 2010, Ntobs joined Shamwari Game Reserve as a ranger. He regularly volunteers as a Pride guide on his days off.

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Sonwabile Tobi - Umzi Wethu Success Story

Sonwabile “Soso” Tobi grew up in an impoverished area of Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Raised by his grandparents, Soso did not have the funds to study at university after graduating from high school. Looking for an alternative to help support his family and younger brother, Soso came across the Umzi Wethu programme. After attending the public presentation in his local community, Soso applied to become an Umzi Wethu Student.

“At that time, I did not have any ambitions to be a chef or do anything in the hospitality industry,” says Soso. “I liked watching TV shows about cooking, and I always wondered about all the different ingredients, but I never considered it as a career option. The presentation opened my eyes to see this as an opportunity for a better future, so I applied.”

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Rhino Notching in Pilansberg National Park

On  April, 2012, a rhino notching operation took place at the Pilansberg National Park. “Notching” is a method of marking an animal so that it can be recognised easily by conservationists. It involves cutting a specific pattern onto the ear – similar to the methods used by cattle farmers.

Notching, and data recording allows conservationists to record information about individual rhinos over time including territory/home range, birth rates (calving intervals), associations with other known (notched animals) and eventually age of post reproduction etc.

As a result of the poaching crisis in South Africa, DNA samples are also collected during the notching operation to add to the national DNA database at Onderstepoort. DNA samples can be used as evidence in poaching cases.

The operation was successful thanks to the highly trained team, and the sponsorship of the Volkswagen Amarok vehicle (one of 6 donated byVW Commercial Vehicles) which allowed the team to navigate across rough landscape to get to the tranquilised rhino.  

Nozibele Adonisi - Umzi Wethu Success Story

Nozibele “Nozi” Adonisi sees Umzi Wethu as a stepping stone for skills development as well as personal development. “Through Umzi Wethu, we were encouraged to have future goals and to do something we’re interested in. It gave me the opportunities I needed to earn a living and to finance my studies. Without Umzi, I don’t know where I would be now.”

Nozi first heard about the Umzi Wethu programme through a job skills project running in the Motherwell Township in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. She had always been interested in cooking and saw the Umzi Wethu Hospitality programme as an excellent opportunity to increase her knowledge and skills.

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