The Pumba Foundation
Since opening in 2004, Pumba Private Game Reserve has not only focused on being an ecotourism business, but also supporting the surrounding community. As one of the main employers of the Seven Fountains area, Pumba is committed to responsible tourism, conservation, education, community and social upliftment. The initial focus on conservation programs has steadily grown to support projects specifically designed to bring cooperation and support to the entire area.
The Pumba Social Responsibility and Conservation Foundation is funded through generous donations. All funds are directed towards conservation initiatives and projects identified by the local community. All donations are welcome and greatly appreciated. If you would like to get involved, please click the button below and send us an email.
If your require a Section 18 A tax certificates, we are able to issue you with one.
Women’s Centre: The Seven Fountains Women’s Centre has become the base for a crucial soup kitchen initiative which is feeding up to 150 people a day. Food security is one of the biggest issues in the community and this initiative is vital to the health of the vulnerable and elderly in particular. There is also a space for women to gather and organise initiatives. Empowering women economically is at the heart of this initiative. The Women's Centre will offer a range of entrepreneurship programs, including training, mentorship, and resources to help women start and sustain their businesses. These projects will empower women to take control of their financial futures, promoting self-reliance and economic stability.
Masakhane School Library: Education and early childhood development has always been a major focus of the Pumba Foundation. It was with this in mind that we erected a new library building at the local primary school, Maskhane Combined Primary School, located in Seven Fountains. This community is the heart of Pumba, with the vast majority of staff that work at Pumba coming from Seven Fountains. The library is focussed on providing a space for learners to expand their knowledge and escape to the worlds created by many amazing story tellers and illustrators. Another addition to the library is the introduction of digital tablets and an internet connection. These resources are going a long way in assisting the learners with access to content and alternative learning experiences.
The heart behind the foundation
Pumba Private Game Reserve has been a key employer in the Seven Fountains and surrounding area. With close to 150 staff members, Pumba relies on the community of Seven Fountains to maintain the exceptional care of our guests that we have strived to give since those early days in 2004. Owners and directors Trevor Lombard and Dale Howarth established the Pumba Foundation to give back to the community and further uplift the community that has been such a big part of Pumba.
The heart behind the foundation is the fundamentals and basic needs that the community so badly needs. Education, healthcare, sports, infrastructure, skills training and other community projects are all supported by the generous donations of guests of Pumba. All proceeds of these donations allow our Foundation to empower, create and uplift in so many ways!
Meet our team members
Neale Howarth
CONSERVATION AND FOUNDATION MANAGER
Neale has been part of the Pumba team since 2015, first working in the lodge as Day Safari Manager, then moving into the reserve team as Assistant Head Ranger, before finally taking over as Conservation and Foundation Manager. Neale grew up in the Seven Fountains and Grahamstown area and can trace his family back seven generations to exactly where Pumba is currently situated. Neale’s father, Dale, who is one of the Directors of Pumba, grew up as a fundamental part of the Seven Fountains community, playing an influential role in the initial upliftment and growth of the community. It is because of this rich history that the Pumba Foundation aims to continue the work done by Dale in the early years of Seven Fountains, a history that Neale is excited to be a part of.
Nomawethu Stuurman
FOUNDATION SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OFFICER
Nomawethu joins the team with a wealth of experience and knowledge in both the private and public sectors. Born and raised in Alicedale, just 25km away from Pumba, she first joined the Pumba family in 2007 as a field guide, developing a respect for the natural habitat of Pumba and using her naturally outgoing personality to educate and host guests at Pumba. Over the course of 6 years at Pumba, Nomawethu fulfilled a variety of roles, overseeing guiding responsibilities, staff accommodation management and the original social responsibility program founded to help Seven Fountains. In 2013, Nomawethu was given the opportunity to serve her municipality and took up the role of Outreach Youth Co-Ordinator at the Mayor’s office and later as the Agriculture and Rural Development Co-ordinator in the Local Economic Development and Planning Department. With the formal setup of the Pumba Foundation in 2018, Nomawethu was the natural choice for this important role and we are thrilled to have her back in the local community continuing what she started in 2008.
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