Kwando Safaris, Chobe Safari Lodge, and Nata Lodge are proudly owned and hosted by Batswana citizens, and we’re serious about making a positive difference in the communities we operate in.
We developed the Kwando Compass philosophy to guide our approach to generating positive impact and social value. Our magnetic north will always be our People, determining our focus and orientation. We use Impact and Sustainability as navigational forces to chart our path and assess the success of our journey. Last but not least, our Guests provide a balancing counterpoint, reflecting our commitment to delivering the best of Botswana with warm and authentic hospitality.
The Kwando Compass philosophy is integrated into everything we do, and our education, community, and conservation projects fall under Kwando Impact, registered as a not-for-profit organisation in Botswana. Powered by guest contributions and donations, Kwando Impact champions grassroots-led impact projects, supporting an ecosystem of local partners promoting the well-being of the people of Botswana.
Find out more at www.kwando.co.bw
Empowers Africa has partnered with Kwando Impact in order to provide a cost-effective solution to fundraising in the United States by acting as their fiscal sponsor. Any donations made here will be granted to Kwando Impact.
Empowers Africa uses Stripe to process credit card donations. Stripe has very stringent security rules which may lead to declined credit card transactions. If you are experiencing trouble processing your donation, kindly contact Nadia Derelieva at (917) 328-1611 or via email: nadia@empowersafrica.org
Kwando Impact Campaigns
Early Childhood Education
Kwando Impact facilitates the expansion of a community playgroup model across northern Botswana. Our key impact partner is Learn to Play, a Botswana-based non-profit that aims to make critical early learning sustainable and accessible for remote communities. Their objectives include improved early childhood education, better outcomes in child health and child protection, and the upliftment of women’s economic opportunities. With Learn to Play, we have collaborated with communities to unlock early childhood education in the villages of Sankuyo, Nata, Pandamatenga and Kavimba, and we aim to reach new communities in Chobe and the Okavango Delta every year.
Kwando Impact Research Scholarship
In the long-term, we want to not only address today’s conservation challenges, but also build future capacity and resilience by playing a part in developing the next generation of Batswana scientists and conservationists. To do this, Kwando Impact has partnered with the University of Botswana’s Okavango Research Institute to develop the Kwando Impact Research Scholarship. We provide promising MPhil and PhD candidates passionate about conservation with financial and fieldwork support, including access to Kwando Safaris’ concessions for research. In 2024, our first Kwando Impact scholar successfully submitted their dissertation on the ecology of Temminck’s pangolin in Botswana.
Conservation Outreach and Support
Our approach to conservation is to accommodate and support research, participate actively in knowledge exchange and production, and partner with institutions to ensure we are contributing to broad goals with far-reaching impact. In collaboration with the University of Botswana’s Okavango Research Institute, we organise lively research discussion panels known as “Conservation on Tap”, held at a local brewery in Maun, making research more accessible and inclusive to the general public. We also provide logistical support to conservation researchers, such as the WildCru’s Trans-Kalahari Predator Programme and the Wild Bird Trust’s wattled crane project.
Community Outreach and Support
Kwando Impact delivers genuine impact by supporting a range of partners, projects, and initiatives that address overlooked gaps in the areas where we operate and live. This requires us to gain a deep understanding of local needs and aspirations, work with partners who have the technical expertise to address the challenges identified, and continually strengthen our ability to support their interventions. Some of our current projects include providing support for a school in Chobe that caters to children with special needs, as well as a volunteer-led organisation in Maun that delivers baby bags filled with essentials to vulnerable new mothers.
General Donations
If you do not have any specific project in mind and wish the organization to use their own discretion, please click here.
Donations can also be made by check or wire transfer:
Checks should be made out to “Empowers Africa” and should be mailed to:
Empowers Africa
2 Beekman Place, Ste. 18B
New York, NY 10022
www.empowersafrica.org
(917) 328-1611
Kindly note in the memo section of the check that funds are for Kwando Impact. Or email us at info@empowersafrica.org.
For wire transfer details or more information, please email us at info@empowersafrica.org.
Empowers Africa has been approved as a U.S. public charity, contributions to which are tax deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Section 501(c)(3) [EIN: 32-0403737] of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
Thank you for your support!