FOOTPRINTS OF THE FUTURE

As the sun began to rise and the first birds greeted the dawn, our Onderstepoort LiC team was already en route to Mongena.

Fueled by passion and a shared mission, we set out to educate, inspire, and plant the seeds of conservation. Hoping it would take root in the hearts of the children we’d meet.

Awaiting us at Mongena were 40 students from two high schools in the surrounding areas – young minds full of potential, curiosity, and a hunger to understand the wild spaces they’ve grown up beside, but may never have truly known.

We couldn’t blame them for not knowing; they had simply never been exposed to the world of conservation and wildlife that we were about to share.

This was more than a lesson.

It was an invitation – to connect, to question, and to take ownership of our world.

At first, the students were quiet – wide eyes and shy smiles exchanged among peers.

But with every passing moment, a shift began.

A hand raised hesitantly turned into a confident question.

The quiet corners gave way to open discussions and bright ideas.

As the day unfolded, so did they – stepping out of their shells, finding their voices, and realizing that their thoughts mattered.

One by one, we journeyed through different topics: the iconic Big Five, the hidden heroes like insects and spiders, the language of birds, and the delicate balance of ecosystems.

Every slide brought new questions. Every activity brought laughter, awe, and a spark of something deeper.

But it wasn’t just excitement that filled the air – it was awareness.

These students understood the seriousness of the situation we find ourselves in. They saw beyond the beauty and into the challenges: habitat loss, species decline, climate threats.

These conversations rippled outward, planting thoughts of future careers in conservation and wildlife protection.

That evening, the team had the privilege of staying at the Kevin Richardson Foundation, where we were introduced to the lions who now call the sanctuary home.

As night fell and the stars claimed the sky, the deep, echoing roars of the lions calling to each other resonated through the air, like a natural symphony – calming yet grounding and humbling.

The following morning, we returned to Mongena for the final part of the weekend: a game drive through the reserve.

A front-row seat to life on the wild side.

Herds of antelope, soaring birds, and of course, the sight of a few “Pumba’s” rooting around, adding a playful note to the safari experience.

We are endlessly grateful to Mongena and the Kevin Richardson Foundation for helping us make this experience possible.

Thank you for investing in LiC’s mission and supporting our efforts to ignite passion and purpose in the youth, expanding our conservation army.

We easily get caught up in the rush of life – going with the flow and forgetting the simpler things. The things that really matter.

This weekend in Dinokeng was a much-needed reminder of what it’s all about: serving to save.

We teach with passion, learn with wonder, and strive to leave behind more than just knowledge.

We leave footprints for the future.

Together, we serve to save.