Please support the long term survival of sustainable tourism - and make a difference to the people who make it possible.
Every donation will have a profound impact…
A big hello to all our valued Epic clients. We hope you are safe, healthy and coping as best you can during these extraordinary times.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been especially harsh on those countries that have poor economies and struggling health systems. Many of the developing countries in which we operate (largely Africa and Nepal), moved immediately into extreme isolation, shutting down business and borders to protect vulnerable populations who don’t share the privileges of medical infrastructures that we do.
As you know, tourism is the heartbeat of the destinations Epic travellers visit.
To set the scene, Epic’s great supporter and TV personality here in Australia, Simon Reeve, has put together a short video.
Tourism builds local capacity and employment, empowering local communities to help provide food, shelter, educate children and overcome the constant threat of poverty. Tragically with the global shut down of the tourism sector, many of the staff in the lodges and camps, their families and wider communities dependent on the tourism industry, are on minimal, if any, income. Safari operators are doing their utmost under dire circumstances, but with little clarity on the timeframe of recovery, this situation will become desperate in the months ahead. Unlike developed economies, where governments are providing a degree of financial assistance, employees in many developing countries have no such safety net.
In addition, the conservation of wilderness areas is heavily dependent upon the empowerment of local communities and ensuring the security and management of these habitats. The people, their culture and these unique natural environments are facing the gravest peril. As I write, rhino poaching incidents in Botswana and South Africa have increased in the last month, the bush meat trade is escalating and according to my old friend Map Ives, founder of the nonprofit organisation, Rhino Conservation Botswana … “It’s a bloody calamity. It’s an absolute crisis.” It has been reported that 35 rhino have been poached in recent times from the central region of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Now more than ever, we need to ensure ongoing conservation efforts. Having “eyes and ears” on the environment is crucial, but this comes at a cost. Dark forces are at play to take advantage of the Covid crisis.
With this in mind, Epic is seeking your help.
Many of you will be familiar with the places and operators we are supporting. Indeed, many of you have visited these areas and camps and hence have first-hand experience. This makes this appeal all the more personal.
This appeal focuses on two key outcomes:
- To support conservation efforts in these wild areas through funding wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching efforts.
- To assist the staff and families of our key suppliers. In developing countries, the impact of reduced income to one employee directly affects their extended family.
Every dollar donated will make a difference and as always we are very grateful for your support. Importantly all donations are guaranteed in full, to reach those in need.
Donation Pathways
Many of our partners have social and conservation programs already in place with the communities in the areas they operate. They’ve recently directed these programs to focus on the complex issues arising out of Covid 19. A link below beside the list of these great companies will take you to a more detailed description of how your donation can make a difference, including links to company websites, foundations and newsletters.
Importantly, a number of these organisations have tax exemption status in United States (US registered 501c3 charity) and the United Kingdom (https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/clz).
If you would prefer Epic to manage your donation, you can deposit funds into our account and we will process it from there. Please reference your payment ‘Epic Covid’.
If you wish to donate in AUD $ please pay by electronic transfer to:
Account name: Epic Expeditions Pty Ltd Trust Account
Bank: Westpac Banking Corporation
Branch code: 034013 – 89-91 Boundary St, West End QLD 4101
Account No: 178719
Swift Code: WPACAU2SXXX
If you wish to donate in USD $ please pay by electronic transfer to:
Account name: Epic Expeditions Pty Ltd USD Account
Bank: Westpac Banking Corporation
Branch code: 034702 – 80 George Street, Parramatta NSW 2150 Australia
Account No: 411416
Swift Code: WPACAU2SXXX
We’ll aim to keep you posted on the progress of the projects you have donated to.Please let us know the details of your donation via email to Brad Horn (bhorn@epicprivatejourneys.com) so that we can ensure your donation goes to the initiative you wish to support.
Feel free to contact Brad direct by phone +61 415348697 or email if you have any questions regarding the appeal.
I want to say a very big thank you in advance for your support.
As ever, I am very grateful.
Best Regards
Brad Horn
BOTSWANA- Natural Selections
ZAMBIA- Bushcamp Company
ZAMBIA- Chiawa Safaris
TANZANIA- Nomad
TANZANIA- Alex Walker’s
TANZANIA- Summits Africa
NEPAL- Shangri-La Nepal Trek
We’ll aim to keep you posted on the progress of the projects you have donated to.Please let us know the details of your donation via email to Brad Horn (bhorn@epicprivatejourneys.com) so that we can ensure your donation goes to the initiative you wish to support.
Feel free to contact Brad direct by phone +61 415348697 or email if you have any questions regarding the appeal.
I want to say a very big thank you in advance for your support.
As ever, I am very grateful.
Best Regards
Brad Horn
COVID APPEAL UPDATE
The impact of COVID-19 has been profound – particularly on rural communities dependent on tourism and on wildlife conservation. Generous donations to Epic’s COVID 19 Appeal have made a big difference in Africa and Nepal in the following ways:
- Food hampers and other essentials such as blankets
- Supporting anti-poaching teams – helicopter and vehicle surveillance
- Mobilisation of extra de-snaring teams who also keep a critical presence in unpatrolled areas
- Supporting small sustainable businesses – cooperative farms
- Sanitation and water supplies – water storage tanks and boreholes
- Assisting government and working with the local village leadership to deliver support
- Development and distribution of education material to reduce the spread of Corona Virus
Every single contribution, no matter how big or small, makes a significant difference.
COVID APPEAL UPDATE
The impact of COVID-19 has been profound – particularly on rural communities dependent on tourism and on wildlife conservation. Generous donations to Epic’s COVID 19 Appeal have made a big difference in Africa and Nepal in the following ways:
- Food hampers and other essentials such as blankets
- Supporting anti-poaching teams – helicopter and vehicle surveillance
- Mobilisation of extra de-snaring teams who also keep a critical presence in unpatrolled areas
- Supporting small sustainable businesses – cooperative farms
- Sanitation and water supplies – water storage tanks and boreholes
- Assisting government and working with the local village leadership to deliver support
- Development and distribution of education material to reduce the spread of Corona Virus
Every single contribution, no matter how big or small, makes a significant difference.
WILDERNESS SAFARIS
Food Hampers
Here is a video LINK for an update of the situation in Bostwana and the impact of the food hampers to date.
Kim Nixon, Wilderness Safaris Botswana MD, describes ‘an increasing scale of hardship’ witnessed in his team’s ongoing outreach to villages surrounding the Okavango Delta, and Bushman families within the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), all seriously impacted by the fallout associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘The bottom line is that the works have literally changed a heap of lives and the food hampers do have a huge effect influencing food security in the positive.’ People in these villages – deep into rural areas, in extremely hard to get to remote places – are either unemployed, doing subsistence farming (livestock or food staples), or their work is related to tourism or government’. With the onset of COVID-19 and lockdown, people are staying at home on reduced salaries, or no salary. Supplies in many of these villages are extremely limited. Botswana’s government, through local village leadership, began reaching out to Wilderness for assistance, to add to government’s already significant efforts. By the time December rolls in, the people’s stored grains will be long gone and ploughing will only just of commenced. Tourism remains on its’ knees, as a result of a further 6 month State of emergency precluding international traveller arrivals. We wish to reach and exceed over 2000 food hampers to the rural villages, to really ensure deep support to help see the families through the Christmas period