A large part of the workforce in tourism nowadays is female, and at African Bush Camps, women bring a level of care and hospitality to the safari experience.

“We would be amiss if we didn’t recognise the strong and powerful women in our camps and those who are succeeding in their independent businesses due to our Foundation’s facilitation,” notes CEO and Founder of African Bush Camps, Beks Ndlovu.

“Our female staff add to the empathy, personality and community we have in our camps. This includes female guides, who are making their way in a male-dominated profession, and women striving to make a difference in their communities.”

The African Bush Camps Foundation was built to empower communities. It builds on members’ existing skills and provides training and support to develop self-sustaining and independent business owners while promoting and nurturing community spirit.

The Foundation’s impact is felt in the surrounding communities of 15 camps across Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, and many of the Foundation’s community empowerment projects comprise talented women. These include, among others, the Vuche Vuche Craft Cooperative, Thandanani Sewing Projects, Vukani Group and Detema Sewing Group.

These women-dominated groups have been consistently running their businesses successfully and empowering their villages, while managing to transform their own lives. These groups sustain their families and the greater community. The average working woman in Zimbabwe supports approximately eight dependants.

Today, the African Bush Camps Foundation employs 70% women, where three of the four members in senior management are women. All of the Foundation’s income-generating projects are majority owned and run by women.

Together, the female members support over 220 dependants. This stands testament to the unmistakeable endurance of women who are clearly making a visible impact, and a positive ripple effect for the future of women-led initiatives in tourism.