The Hills of Africa Foundation: Africa’s Possibilities Have No Borders
 Understanding the intricate web of Africa’s fragile economic, environmental, and socio-political climates is something sustainable organizations have been researching for years. Expanding the borders of possibility every single day, sustainable programs are working harder than ever before to understand the detrimental elements affecting the progression of Africa’s state and why both private and government donations are failing to produce beneficial results.
 Partnering with some of the most influential eco-tourism organizations in Africa—which all represent diverse cultures and some of Africa’s most threatened wildlife populations—Hills of Africa Travel is taking our 10 years of experience with sustainable companies and programs, and broadcasting our voice in an effort to reach millions.
Since our beginnings, Hills of Africa Travel only supports tourism companies that implement socially, environmentally, and economically responsible practices. Today, we’re solidifying our dedication to eco-tourism by partnering with some of the greatest sustainable programs known to the world.
Through our efforts, Hills of Africa Travel is raising funds and working with developing communities and wildlife conservation programs that are using tourism as an economic powerhouse, to provide employment and income to African families, while conserving the fragile wildlife of Africa.
Teaming up with Ol Malo Lodge in Northern Kenya, The Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, and The Manhenya Village in Zimbabwe’s Gona Re Zhou region, Hills of Africa Travel is working hard to ignite our vision for a more sustainable Africa. Raising funds for these different programs, The Hills of Africa Foundation hopes to reduce the threats to Africa’s natural resources by offering their assistance to allow the local people to co-exist with Africa’s delicate wildlife.
Below is a brief look into each of Hills of Africa Travel’s eco-tourism partners:
The Ol Malo Trust
Developed in an effort to help preserve the Samburu people of Kenya, in terms of their quality of life, Ol Malo Trust is taking great strides to assist the Samburu people in their health and education systems. Empowering the Samburu people to live their lives in a strong and independent fashion, the Trust is providing them with the tools and knowledge necessary to have a self-sustaining education and health system in place.
Through Ol Malo’s tours and operations, the Samburu people can maintain their traditional values and skills, and share those unique values with visitors.
Gorongosa
 As one of Africa’s most famous and wildlife-rich National Parks, Gorongosa was once referred to as the lost Eden. But, after years of civil unrest, Gorongosa became a barren land—stripped of its exotic creatures and the humans that once lived there.
Today, phenomenal efforts are occurring in the area thanks to The Carr Foundation. Created to slowly introduce animals back into the region and encourage reproduction and growth, The Carr Foundation is turning Gorongosa back into the paradise it once was and ensuring it remains in that state. In addition to the wildlife being introduced back into the area, reforestation programs are helping to rebuild forests that were damaged by uncontrolled logging, and locals are also moving into Gorongosa as schools, clinics, and communities are being developed.
Through the conservation efforts occurring in Gorongosa, the local people will have the opportunity to generate income as they all have a stake in the direction of the conservation program and Gorongosa.
Mahenya Village
 As National Parks began to be established in Zimbabwe, many of the local Mahenya people felt threatened by this development. In an effort to resolve the conflict between the National Parks and the Mahenya people, the National Parks made a compromise that allowed the Mahenya people to benefit from revenues raised from the wildlife. This concept of allowing rural communities to benefit, and ultimately have ownership of the natural resources, was new and untested in Africa, making Maheyna one of the first symbols of wildlife conservation in all of Africa. Today, this conservation model is often used throughout most of Africa’s eco-tourism establishments.
Some of the overall benefits that eco-tourism can provide for Africa:
- Locals receive higher paying jobs than almost any other profession in their region.
- Locals develop skills that can be used in other areas of work; therefore, they feel a sense of personal success.
- Locals receive foreign currency—which often has a highly favorable conversion rate—that leads to economic growth and stability.
- Through tours operated by locals, century-old cultures, customs, and languages can remain preserved and shared with the world.
- Much of the proceeds from travelers staying at eco-friendly lodges and camps or participating in eco-tours go to the conservation of Africa’s wildlife and the fragile eco-systems in which they live.
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Meredith and I just returned from a few days of life work coaching with our wonderful friend and author of the new book “The Transformation”, Ainslie MacLeod in Bainbridge Island near Seattle. It was so fantastic to be with our Soul Safari friends from our 2009 Soul Safari Trip and to learn so much from Ainslie again.
One of the topics we discussed was how to help the world and to get back to the days of pure tribes, where everyone worked together for the better good of the world. In those days, we all lived together in tribes, we had healers, leaders, hunters within our tribe and we worked together to provide a community where our every needs were met. Times have sure changed; we now have wars, poor people and other oddities.
Trip Name: Kruger Safari and Beaches of Mozambique
Hills of Africa Travel specializes in customized African safari tours.