VOLUNTEER OR GET INVOLVED
1)Flower Valley Conservation Trust
The Flower Valley Conservation Trust works to conserve the vulnerable fynbos kingdom and protect those livelihoods that depend on it. Many fynbos species have already been lost, and more than 1 000 are endangered. To counter this, FVCT promotes sustainable fynbos harvesting and host an Eco-School on Flower Valley, offering youngsters aged two to six from surrounding communities pre-schooling and environmental education. Flower Valley is farm is the home of the Trust and is based near Gansbaai – a botanical treasure in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom in the Western Cape of South Africa. FVCT is a registered public benefit and non-profit organisation.
The Flower Valley Conservation Trust has the following focus areas:
- Sustainable Harvesting
- Ethical Fynbos Trade
- Alien Clearing on the Agulhas Plain
- Early Childhood Development
- Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative
- Responsible Tourism
2)Grootbos Foundation
The Grootbos Foundation was established in 2003, to run the non-profit activities of the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve.
The Grootbos Foundations vision is to transform communities and conserving the environment through the creation of sustainable livelihoods and active citizenship, in order to conserve the unique Cape Floral Kingdom and to develop sustainable livelihoods through ecotourism, enterprise development, sports development and education. Sustainable project models are created, which are replicable and scalable in order to assist the communities in the surrounding Walker Bay area. Many of the projects generate their own income and/or are partially self-sustaining. The Foundation’s implementation strategies are based on three integrated umbrella programmes: ‘Green Futures which focuses on conservation, Football Foundation which focuses on utilising sport for development, and Siyakhula which focuses on the creation of sustainable livelihoods through enterprise development.
3)Skills Exchange Cooperative
Farm 215, the CART, Whalesong Lodge, the African Horse Company and Lomond Wine Estate have teamed up to establish The Skills Exchange Co-operative (SEC) which will serve as the vehicle for implementing the SECs RSDP (Responsible Social Development Program). The RSDP will be facilitating the process of bringing over skilled and specialised volunteers and matching their skills with the needs of the community.
The little hamlet of Baardskeerdesbos is a farming community and borders the reserve of Farm 215. Through a lack of education and economic opportunities, people are faced with poverty and social problems. Early school drop outs, child neglect and a lack of education for young children have led to unskilled youth with no job opportunities. Substance abuse is on the rise and therefore the community is faced with children that carry the effects of this lifestyle. Through the exchange of knowledge and the nurturing of the people around, especially children, the SEC makes sure that the greater vision of developing and maintaining the land over generations, in a natural way, is fulfilled.
The SECs function is to Educate, Empower and Uplift through skills development, and skills exchange with a focus on the local residents.
