Hunter Hotels’ four properties – Hunters and Tsala on the outskirts of Plettenberg Bay, Gorah situated in Addo Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth, and Marataba at the foot of the Waterberg Mountains in Limpopo – have each chosen to support a creche or educare centre in the local community.
The hotels and lodges sponsor the monthly salary of a caregiver or teacher and provide linen, blankets, towels, soap and other essentials. Treats are supplied for special occasions such as Christmas, Easter and on Nelson Mandela's birthday.
Food is a big part of a crèche or educare centre’s budget and Hunter's and Chipkins have stepped in to fill this gap. Delivering directly to the centres, Chipkins not only discounts its prices to Hunter Hotels for these centres but has also donated kitchen equipment for the newest crèche, Siyazama Child Nursery, supported by Tsala Treetop Lodge, which opened at the beginning of March this year.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION TO ANY OF OUR COMMUNITY PROJECTS, IT CAN BE DONE DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR "HH COMMUNITY TRUST", WHERE ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE COMMUNITIES IN NEED.
Contact Julie Smith - details under Contact Us.
The Siyazama Child Nursery, brainchild of project organisers Thandekile Toyi and Lulamile Ralawe, is for children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. It has been established with the help of the local Bossiesgif’s community Parish of Formosa which offered the use of a small building at the base of the hill in Qolweni.
Hunter Hotels other projects’ in the Eastern and Southern Cape are the pre-primary Bongolethu Educare Centre supported by the Hunters Country House; and Langbos Squatter Community Creche supported by the Gorah Elephant Camp.
The Langbos Squatter Community Creche in Addo was opened in January 2006 and in just a year a vegetable garden has been established and recently it started a soup kitchen for the entire community.
A third project supported by Hunters Head Office in Plettenberg Bay, is the Mazizame Children’s Project (now known as the Plettenberg Bay Street Children Project). Registered since 1992, this successful project currently has three centres running which provide two day care services (early childhood development and youth development) and a 24 hours children’s shelter. But faced with massive development in the area and more and more people moving into the informal settlements, the reality is that there will be an increasing need for facilities and services such as those offered by the Mazizame Children’s Project.
Born in Africa Foundation
For the last five years Born in Africa has been very active in the Plettenberg Bay area and has managed to earn a very positive reputation with educational projects and social upliftment initiatives.
The main purpose of Born in Africa is to support the educational development of children from previously disadvantaged communities.
Other projects herein are for example after-school sewing classes for young girls, computer classes, hospitality camps, eco-friendly nature outings, woodwork workshops for boys and fire fighting courses.
During regular meetings and workshops parents are given the opportunity to talk about problems and learn skills to enhance their self empowerment.
Tsala and Hunters have assisted with these workshops in teaching parents skills within the hospitality trade such as cooking, housekeeping and service.
Hunter Hotels assisted with the sponsorship of food and our staff helped with the 5th anniversary celebrations of the Born in Africa Foundation where children of all ages enjoyed a fun filled day.
