Guests of andBeyond Phinda Rock Lodge can take part in wildlife conservation efforts with three distinct animals. Get up close with wild elephants as researchers fit them with radio collars or provide contraception to help control their population size. Assist in the capturing of black or white rhinos as professionals notch their ears for research or remove their horns to protect them from poachers. Finally, look on as specialists do a health check and download research data from a ground pangolin’s tag. andBeyond also offers a program called Echo that takes local students on game drives while educating them on the importance of ecotourism and related career opportunities.

Many of andBeyond’s projects are made possible through a partnership with nonprofit Wild Impact. In South Africa specifically, the Future Foundations program considers children’s health and nutrition as well as social and educational needs. As such, it has generated new school curricula, primary and secondary campuses, the 24-hour emergency Mduku Clinic, and the Mange Health Post facility. Additionally, the Mbhedula Craft Centre was set up for South Africans looking to make a living by creating authentic crafts. The center features a production room and training area as well as safe storage space for artistic equipment and a borehole for water access.

Although formal job opportunities are limited in rural Africa, andBeyond Phinda Rock Lodge and Wild Impact work together to help locals develop crucial business skills, improve their productivity, and capitalize on mentorship to help maximize economic growth and minimize poverty. It also offers the Community Leaders Education Fund, which provides bursaries for college-age students looking to shape the future. The program has given out more than 1,200 scholarships to students from more than 60 African villages and features a service component that helps these recipients turn their good fortune into a positive element for the community through local service projects.