Empowering Young Black South Africans in Wildlife Photography and Conservation
Wild Shots Outreach empowers young Black South Africans by immersing them in wildlife photography and conservation near Kruger National Park, fostering a deeper connection between local communities and the natural world
Many Black residents in the towns surrounding Kruger National Park, in northeast South Africa, have never had the opportunity to see some of the country's most famous wildlife. Despite living close to one of South Africa's largest natural reserves, which is home to elephants, lions, and more, seeing these animals in person appears to be a luxury only afforded to a select few.
Empowering local communities
Award-winning, Black-run program Wild Shots Outreach (WSO) has dedicated the past eight years to addressing this issue. By engaging with local schools, the organization is introducing young Black South Africans to photography and conservation through workshops and game drives. These experiences take students through Kruger National Park and its surrounding areas, allowing them to encounter wildlife firsthand. The program has been incredibly successful, with one of its alumni now leading the initiative.
Mike Kendrick, the founder of WSO, was inspired to start the program during a trip to South Africa in 2015. This idea came about when his wife, zoologist Harriet Nimmo, organized a symposium to celebrate wildlife photography in Africa. While planning the event, they realized that there were no Black photographers from South Africa to speak at the symposium, which led to the creation of WSO.
Later in the year, Kendrick and his wife relocated to Hoedspruit, located just outside of Kruger. "We noticed that none of the young Black individuals from the nearby community had ever visited Kruger Park or any of the other reserves," he explained. "It was incredibly surprising."
These realizations inspired Kendrick to establish WSO and start connecting with local schools and youth centers to involve the future generation of Black photographers and conservationists.
Vusi Mathe is among more than 1,300 local residents who have participated in the program. Initially aspiring to be a car designer, Mathe's interest in photography was sparked by WSO's visit to his high school. He believes that this engagement has played a crucial role in encouraging more locals to take part in conservation efforts.
"Can you truly love something you've never seen?" Mathe questions. "Getting local people involved makes a significant difference." With exposure to wildlife, he is confident that local communities will be better prepared to contribute to wildlife conservation efforts.
"For me, participating in conservation is essential because I am breaking the barriers and dispelling the notion that you can't make a living out of photography," he adds. "I believe that having Black people lead the program and serve as role models is crucial. In my community, there is a belief that photography and conservation are not sustainable career paths for adults... but now I see my community gaining a better understanding of this profession."
This image was taken by Vusi Mathe, who participated in the Wild Shots Outreach program.
Vusi Mathe
Mathe has leveraged his expertise acquired from WSO workshops to establish himself as a professional photographer and cinematographer, working with esteemed organizations such as Global Conservation Corps and Sunshine Cinema.
Neville Kgaugelo Ngomane's winning photo. A rhino being dehorned in an attempt to protect it from being poached
Neville Kgaugelo Ngomane
South African student Melody Mnisi is combating animal poaching by using her wildlife photography. Mnisi, a success story of WSO, now works as a nature guide in the greater Kruger Park area. She discovered her talent for working with animals at school and thanks to WSO, she is now passing on her skills as a guide for Koru Camp, an educational non-profit organization. Mnisi and her team take locals on game drives to educate them about wildlife and provide environmental education back at the camp.
Female nature guides are in the minority in South Africa, and Mnisi adds that her work includes empowering women.Â
Giving people a voice
Rifumo Mathebula, a pioneer student of WSO in 2016, took on the role of program director in 2020, succeeding Kendrick. In 2022, he was honored with the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management Young Environmentalist of the Year Award for his impactful work as an environmental educator, photographer, and filmmaker.
According to Mathebula, his presence as a Black photographer is essential in sharing his knowledge with the upcoming group. "Being a part of the Wild Shots Outreach and teaching there allows people to feel more at ease when conversing with me, especially when I communicate in their native language," he explains.
The program is expanding its reach beyond South Africa by forming partnerships with schools and youth centers in Kenya, Namibia, and Botswana. Mathebula acknowledges the progress made in local engagement and education but emphasizes the need for more effort to involve community members. He believes that increasing conservation awareness among local communities is crucial, as many people still lack knowledge about it, creating a significant gap that could impact nature conservation.
Trips into wildlife reserves with WSO introduce young South Africans to conservation efforts firsthand. This white rhino is being dehorned to protect it from poachers.
Vusi Mathe
For Kendrick, its rewarding to see WSOs alumni taking the reins and making their mark on conservation.
"It's fantastic to see someone like Rifumo creating his own momentum and displaying his passion for working with his community," Kendrick expresses. "Watching Melody contribute to a camp for local communities and sharing her passion makes it feel very special to have been a part of facilitating that."
"Black youth in Africa now have a voice in conservation, which they haven't had in the past," he adds. "Hopefully, we're beginning to include more Black voices and Black photographers in that."
