Wilderness Angels of Wilderness Safaris and Pack for a Purpose have been working closely together from the very beginning of PfaP. The two organizations work together to make it easy and simple for guests who are traveling to South Africa, but not staying at a listed PfaP location, to bring donations.
Guests initially make contact with Pack for a Purpose via the website, and PfaP in turn advises Michelle Pudu (a Wilderness Safaris Angel) of their travel arrival details.
Wilderness Angels makes the necessary arrangements so that when Guests arrive at OR Tambo International Airport and overnight in Johannesburg or the surrounding suburbs, they can simply leave the donations at the concierge desk of their hotel for a Wilderness Safaris representative to collect.
The donations need to be clearly labeled with the contact persons’ details and telephone number to facilitate collection.
The Wilderness Angels then choose a very worthy and needy cause to make the contributions to. Feedback pertaining to the specific charity along with photographs of the donation handover are always sent through to the guests so that they feel involved in the process, can see and reap the rewards of their donations.
In 2006, at a WS Company function, Johannesburg staff decided that they wanted to make a valuable contribution to their local community and so the Wilderness Angels were formed.
The Wilderness Angels are collecting supplies for the following projects:
Animal project:
We are looking for donations of blankets, newspaper, magazines and animal related products, which we will be passing onto FORA (friends of the rescued animals).
Old Age Homes:
We will be collecting donations of toiletries, any cutlery or crockery, and clothing. In the past we have supported The Olievenhoutsbos Old Age Home and The Hospice in Kyalami.
Environment:
Assisting the Office manager with pushing the recycling project at head office (currently recycling old batteries & light bulbs, paper/brochures/magazines, and printer cartridges).
Arranging a clean up day for the area around the office.
Arranging a clean up of the swamp and planting new vegetation to organize a vegetable garden in the old swamp area.
Children:
We collect clothing, stationery (including all those half used crayons etc that children bring home at the end of each school year) so pencils, erasers, rulers, pencil sharpeners, pencil cases, exercise books, old school or sports bags to put everything in.
Games like cards, or board games, balls of all sizes, puzzles, skipping ropes, old toys. Magazines are useful as they can be used for school projects and to encourage children to read. Any story books – all ages.
Underwear – Many children also have just one pair of underpants which they have to wash at night and hope they dry by the next morning. People are reluctant to donate second-hand underwear but it’s needed and it does get used by both adults and children.