blogGroundbreaking KZN Field Guide School

KwaZulu-Natal has a new, pioneering guide training school. The Isibindi Foundation, in partnership with Infiniti Insurance, has launched a transformative Nature Guide Training Programme aimed at empowering local youth and enhancing conservation efforts in the region.

Through this annual initiative, a group unemployed young adults from communities bordering protected areas including Hluhluwe – iMfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park were carefully selected to participate in the programme. By investing in youth who live closest to South Africa’s natural heritage, the Foundation is fostering local stewardship of conservation areas while providing viable pathways into the ecotourism industry.

The trainees will complete the FGASA Nature Site Guide NQF2 qualification, which equips them with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to guide professionally in natural environments. “FGASA is very proud to support and recognise the Isibindi Foundation’s commitment to skills development within the communities neighbouring their lodges” says Michelle Du Plessis, Managing Director of FGASA.  “By providing guide training to local youth, the Foundation is creating pathways into professional guiding and conservation careers, while fostering meaningful partnerships between communities, tourism, and the natural environment. This initiative reflects the kind of responsible and inclusive approach that strengthens both the guiding profession and the conservation sector as a whole.”

“This programme would not have been possible without the generous support of Infiniti Insurance and our strategic partners, including Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge and FGASA,” said Paige Gehren, Director of the Isibindi Foundation. “Together, we are creating opportunities for youth to build careers in conservation while uplifting their communities.”

This initiative is part of the Foundation’s broader mission to bridge the gap between conservation and community development. With projects across its network of Isibindi Africa Lodges, including Thonga Beach Lodge, Kosi Forest Lodge, Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge, and Tsowa Safari Island, the Foundation continues to demonstrate how sustainable tourism can support both people and the planet.

About the Isibindi Foundation
Established as the philanthropic arm of Isibindi Africa Lodges, the Isibindi Foundation drives meaningful conservation and community development across Southern Africa. Through a combination of education, job creation, environmental stewardship, and strategic partnerships, the Foundation is committed to empowering the next generation of custodians of Africa’s wild spaces.