Putting your conservation levies to work

Mashatu Game Reserve forms part of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve (Notugre).  All the properties that make up this wildlife area and various other donors, contribute to a conservation trust, The Tuli Conservation Trust (TCT). The funds  from this trust are spent on a number of initiatives including conservation, antipoaching and upliftment of the communities within and surrounding this conservation area.

Each guest that stays at the Mashatu Game Reserve is charged a conservation levy which is donated to the Mashatu Conservation Trust, which in turn supports the Tuli Conservation Trust.  While guests book to stay at Mashatu to be blown away the incredible landscape and the plentiful animal sightings, perhaps some don’t realise the important role they play in conserving this unique wilderness while visiting us.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, which served as a stark reminder that we need tourists to keep conservation areas alive, the Tuli Conservation Trust and Notugre still managed to continue to do amazing work. Anti-poaching efforts continued uninterrupted throughout the year of lock down and the team on the ground worked hard at looking after the legacy of this land.

The conservation in any area is inextricably linked to the well-being of the people living in and around those areas. To this end Notugre and the Tuli Conservation Trust are also actively involved.

One of the initiatives planned for the local community in early 2020 was unfortunately put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are pleased to share now, that after 15 months of postponements, in June 2021, the project went ahead and has successfully been completed – with the help of various generous donors, including the Tuli Conservation Trust, eye tests were conducted on approximately 2 300 children aged 9-14 from the six primary schools in the Bobirwa area alongside the reserve, as well as a few adults. Eye glasses were dispensed where needed as part of the sponsorship.

Our heartfelt thanks to humanitarian Anton Poplett and his team of volunteers who travelled some 4 500 km from Cape Town to our neck of the woods to ensure the project came to fruition.

“This project was long overdue”, noted Anton. “I was depressed at not being able to travel last year when lockdown happened. The support from ALL parties has been superb, and we gave out around 70 pairs of eye glasses to specific people in need. Happily, we arrived back home safe and COVID-free, as we had planned”.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Anton Poplett, the Tuli Conservation Trust, the Lady Khama Charitable Trust, 4×4 Out Far, Optima Ballistic Glass, Global Vision 2020, Hoya, all the Children in the Wilderness Bobirwa Eco-mentors, Emmah Ditiso and Annie Peatling, who assisted with the testing. Without whose generous donations, monetary and in time, this life-changing exercise would not have been possible.

Prepared by Janet Kleyn.