Your safari has the potential not only to change your own life, through the incredible experiences you’ll have with Africa’s wildlife, wilderness and people, but it also has the ability to empower the communities all around. As a lodge, we don’t work in isolation of the communities around us in Hoedspruit. Conservation goes so much further when the people who share the land with you are involved or benefit from it in a way that empowers them. Through Pack for a Purpose, we ask guests to consider bringing items to donate to the local Hlokomela Clinic, an award-winning HIV and AIDS educational and treatment programme centre, that was initially built to support the local farming community. They have expanded to assist surrounding communities too, also helping seasonal workers and migrants from other countries such as Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and elsewhere in Southern Africa.

Sustainable, cloth sanitary pads made for women in the community through the Hlokomela Clinic.

Hlokomela provides awareness, treatment and health care to permanent and seasonal farm workers, families in the Hoedspruit community, and employees on private nature reserves adjacent to the Kruger National Park. They offer free HIV testing and free and quality anti-retroviral treatment, primary health care, cervical and breast cancer screening and early cervical cancer treatment. 

Hlokomela is invested in creating new ways of promoting self-sustainability in the local communities through Income Generation Projects. The Hlokomela Herb Garden grows and sells fresh herbs and herb products commercially. There is also a large and impressive Community Garden which grows fruits and vegetables to sell too.