African Impact

My perspective on things has definitely changed, I find now that I have learnt a lot about myself. I have learnt to appreciate the small victories in life and this has helped me not only on the projects but personally too. A beautiful place, such a good group of volunteers and seriously amazing and supportive staff who seem to always be there for you (volunteer coordinators; when do you sleep!?) both on a professional and personal level.

I feel I have achieved a lot on a personal level. This is mainly because I had never travelled to this part of the world or lived in this kind of environment before. I have learnt a lot about photography, a new culture and country. They have also allowed me to challenge myself and I shall leave feeling a little more self-confident and happy I achieved many new happenings in such a short space of time; safe in the knowledge that I can have an incredible time and hopefully give something back to a situation, despite initially feeling very nervous and apprehensive about what lies before me.

I want to live here forever, it's an incredible country with so much to offer. I feel I have a lot more to give...I will be back!

I spent 4 fantastic weeks at the Big Cat Project and it was truly an amazing experience and one I will never forget. I was given the opportunity to take part in activities such as bush chopping, fence rolling and cleaning cheetah enclosures. That was an experience I will never forget. Afternoon activities include leopard tracking, hyena tracking on foot, time spent in the cheetah reserves and game drives. We were even lucky enough to watch the rescue and release of a wild leopard from a local farm, which included holding the leopard which was my personal highlight of the 4 weeks. It is also fantastic to learn so many facts about the animals we see. Evenings are spent round the camp fire and every so often include cooking! This was a fun and brilliant experience. Some of the views and sunsets/sunrises are amazing and I cannot recommend this project enough.

This has been one of the best experiences of my life, I have learnt lots about the wildlife as well as the history and current state of affairs regarding bush encroachment.

I had real high hopes when I decided to do this project but in all honesty it exceeded my expectations. To say I had the time of my life is an understatement. The work the project is doing is so special and important and to be a small part of that made me very proud. The real bonus was seeing the first 5 cheetah's being released which was an absolute honour and really quite overwhelming.

So many highlights! Living outside, cooking on a camp fire, being 3 metres away from a cheetah, watching them eat, play and sleep, camping under the stars, hearing a lion roar, knowing that you are having a positive effect on the land and the amazing animals that live there.

The project is an amazing scheme that has been great to be a part of & thus for me the whole thing has been hugely enjoyable but of course time with the cheetahs and cubs was best.

It's a wonderful experience, it really makes you appreciate all that you have, it shows you a different perspective on life. I absolutely LOVED this trip, it's one of the BEST things I've ever done in my whole life.

Best time that I can ever imagine! I liked everything but especially time spent with the cheetah in the afternoon.

I had a terrific time! It was so nice to meet awesome, interesting people! The cheetahs, there are just no words to describe how awesome they are! Everything was perfect:-)

Life changing trip, Tofo is amazing!

Mozambique and the Whaleshark and Marine Conservation Project definitely stole my heart. I think it is an amazing project and I got the feeling that all the work that the project does definitely makes a difference worldwide. I had the most wonderful and unforgettable experiences and fell in love with the ocean.

Awesome! I can't think of a better way to spend my holidays. It's been a fantastic experience, with passionate scientists and volunteers and some moments of this month will be in my memory. Please keep on working like this!!

The lion breeding program is enormously important. The world cannot afford to lose the African Lion. It is a universal symbol of courage, beauty, and strength. My experience here has raised my consciousness about the potential for such programs to equally enhance the lives of the neighboring human population.

I never want to leave. Everyone is so friendly and everything is so relaxed and down to earth. The rest of the world could learn a lot from the people here. I think the project is fantastic and with money and time allowing I would definitely come back. I have had the chance to do things I would never have done otherwise and I have learnt a lot about Lion Conservation. If I had any negative experiences they are so far outweighed by the positive ones that I don't remember them!

The staff was beyond marvelous. I felt such joy and happiness and caring from everyone. I feel I have a new family now that I will stay in contact with forever. Lions are magnificent. It is a wonderful dream come true.

To me, there is no argument that this program will prosper. The knowledge, experience, hard work, determination, and eagerness of the people that play the roles of keeping this place moving along everyday makes it inevitable that Antelope Park will be successful in releasing these lions back into their natural wild world. This program is built well, and couldn't be more perfect for those people searching for adventure and enlightenment. To really explain to someone how living in this place in Africa for the last 6 weeks has influenced my outlook on life would take me forever, all I can say is that I am a different person then the girl that arrived. The things that this place has given me, the things that these people have given me, are so much more then I could have ever imagined.

I wouldn't even know where to begin with my six weeks spent at Antelope Park. This place has changed my life forever, the park has given me a whole new perspective on my future goals in life and the people of Zimbabwe allowed me to see true kindness. I am so grateful that Mr. Connolly has dedicated his life to helping save the African Lion and I am honored to be apart of something that I know will make a difference to these beautiful creatures. I will forever have some of the most amazing and true friends in my life. Thanks AP and I hope that i will be working with my family again soon!