About Us
1. Inspire, educate and empower young people. We create wildlife, conservation and traditional cultural experiences for young people that give them a life-changing opportunity to learn from local guides, conservationists and mentors in South Africa’s nature reserves. This type of beyond-the-classroom education opens students’ hearts and minds to the diverse world they live in. Through experiences such as these, young people begin to learn the most important life lesson of all: the essential role they play in building and shaping a sustainable future for all.
2. Operate a sustainability-driven eco-education business.
As a company, we believe it is our responsibility to be the change we want to see in the world. We are committed to building a business that is grounded in sustainability. It is our mission to have a positive effect on both the environment and on the communities within which we operate.
Established in 1996, to date we have hosted
over 12 000 students.
Our Team
Susi and Andrew Anderson
Co-founders and directors of African Insight Academy
Both born in Africa, Andrew and Susi love their African heritage dearly and spend their free time exploring its natural bounty at every opportunity. Andrew qualified in professional conservation and wildlife management and Susi is a veterinary nurse. After they got married, they lived and worked in Umfolozi Game Reserve in various conservation and hospitality positions.
The limitations of working within an autocracy eventually resulted in them leaving to set up their own business in 1996 … which is today African Insight Academy. Their vision from the outset was to play a significant role in educating and mentoring future generations to be responsible global citizens with regards to the environment and specifically conserving biodiversity, which sustains human life on earth.
Living and leading by example is important to them. African Insight Academy, in its various forms, is the realisation of their vision. They strongly believe that success has no financial value but is measured by the positive difference one makes.
They live on a small holding in the beautiful KwaZulu-Natal Midlands of South Africa where they strive to achieve self-sufficiency and a “carbon-negative” footprint. Each member of the African Insight Academy team is hand-picked and encouraged to work to, and grow, their natural strengths.
Abednigo Nzuza
Abe Nzuza is one of the Zulu pioneers of post-apartheid professional conservation, serving in many positions within formal conservation organizations such as Natal Parks Board and KZN Wildlife, as well as the renowned NGOs, Wilderness Leadership School and Foundation. He has had a close relationship with African Insight Academy spanning over two decades!
His in-depth experience in conservation management, guiding visitors through South Africa’s prime wilderness areas and passion for his native Zulu culture is a unique and invaluable asset to African Insight Academy. Over the last 20 years he has facilitated numerous international academic field trips and private safaris.
Abe holds a Diploma in Protected Area Management obtained from Southern African Wildlife College and recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies from the University of the Western Cape.
Thabani Nzuza
Field Programme Facilitator
Shadreck Chinamira
Field Programme Facilitator
Shadreck is Zimbabwean born and has 15 years’ experience as an outdoor adventure and education instructor. His passion for working with youth has given him the opportunity to travel and work internationally. “Shaddie” joined the African Insight Academy team on a freelance basis in 2015, leading youth development programmes.
In 2017 he joined the permanent team where upon he has added a wildlife/nature guiding qualification to his list of qualifications. Shaddie’s greatest strength is his ability to make groups feel at home and safe in no time at all.
Michael Belton
Field Programme Facilitator
Michael grew up on a farm and is a high achiever by nature. His passion for nature and wildlife led him to sign up with African Insight Academy as one of the first one-year interns. This internship was a catalyst for impacting his life like a dose of steroids that triggered off a metamorphosis that transformed a boy into a man. At the end of his internship a position was created for him in the permanent African Insight Academy team. Michael’s deliberative and responsible approach to his work brings an understated energy to the team that connects with programme participants across the academic spectrum that inspires them in their life journey.
Nokuthula Mtembu
Camp Cook
Nokuthula (Nox) is always smiling and chatting as she goes about her work as our amazing camp cook. A member of the Gumbi community adjacent to Pongola Game Reserve, Nox signed up as a hospitality intern with African Insight Academy in 2013 and, not ever having considered cooking as a career, she found her calling. In 2014 she joined our permanent team as a kitchen assistant. She completed a certificate in Tourism Services (hospitality) and worked her way up to cook’s assistant and finally cook. Our groups love her cooking which blends some favourite local Zulu dishes and traditional South African dishes into our unique “safari kitchen”.
