Simise – All Out Africa

Savannah Research Centre Eswatini Q1 2026

Simise — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:41:37 +0000

Savannah Research Centre Eswatini Q1 2026 highlights a productive period of conservation work, volunteer engagement, and community outreach across Eswatini. Earlier this year, the SRC team hosted a World Challenge group (11 participants) at Wide Horizons Mountain Retreat. The group actively engaged in various conservation activities, including rodent trapping, camera trapping, and the removal of invasive species.

In addition, they contributed to community outreach by teaching over 65 local pupils about ecology and conservation, helping to raise environmental awareness among young learners.

During this period, the SRC hosted 2 interns and 18 volunteers. Their primary contribution was to the large herbivore monitoring project, focusing on giraffe and zebra photo identification. Participants received training prior to fieldwork and were involved in both data collection and data entry. As a result:

24 giraffes were successfully identified
8 zebras were successfully identified

Furthermore, two call-in surveys were conducted in Mlawula Nature Reserve as part of the Spotted Hyena Monitoring Project.

SRC staff attended a workshop hosted by RECAP_BR at Mabuda Farm Lodge in Siteki. The workshop focused on empowering African students through funding opportunities to conduct research within their home countries, with the aim of generating locally relevant knowledge and supporting community development.

A concrete slab was successfully constructed in the dining area around the kitchen. This improvement enhances the functionality and durability of the camp’s communal space.

The SRC experienced several operational challenges during this period:

Heavy rains led to flooding and erosion within the SRC camp. Fortunately, no major damages were incurred, and the camp was restored promptly.
Weather conditions also made field operations difficult during the World Challenge programme; however, all planned activities were successfully completed.
Roads within Mbuluzi Game Reserve were damaged due to the rains, resulting in two instances of tire damage to the Mahindra vehicle, requiring replacements.
Power outages, caused by a faulty solar electricity system, disrupted daily operations during the volunteer and intern programme.

Despite these challenges, SRC maintained operational continuity and successfully delivered all key activities.

Feeling inspired? Contact us at bookings@alloutafrica.com to learn more about our Eswatini Conservation volunteering and internship programs.

Marine Conservation Mozambique Q1 2026

Simise — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:21:06 +0000

Marine Conservation Mozambique Q1 2026 marks a dynamic and impactful period for All Out Africa’s Marine Research and Conservation Center. In January, we said goodbye to Jule Buschmann, who has been managing the Marine Research and Conservation Center for the last two years. She will be greatly missed for her valuable contributions, and spent her last month at the MRC training her successor, Therese Lauridsen, who will be managing the center going forward.

We have hosted three volunteers in January, eight in February, and five in March, completing more than 60 research dives! On these dives, 13 Leopard sharks have been identified using AI spot mapping. Two Leopard sharks had not previously been documented, so these were submitted as new individuals for the shared global dataset ‘Sharkbook’. The volunteers named the first one ‘Professor’ and the second one ‘Power’. We also managed to submit a research paper on Leopard sharks “Leopard Sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) in Southern Mozambique: Population Structure, Spatial Ecology and First Observations of Courtship behaviour” led by AoA and supported by MMF.

This quarter presented great challenges for the community of the Inhambane province. With floods in both January and March, and the cyclone Gezani in February, the research center was challenged on completing the research dives and the regular activities. It was, however, during the 6-day power outage following the cyclone the new Leopard shark ‘Power’ was discovered - hence the name. The volunteers however made these challenges into opportunities, as they offered their support in cleaning up debris and rebuilding, which many from the community expressed moved them.

In March, the Whale sharks finally returned to Tofo, after having been absent since September 2025. The volunteers are very excited, and we are taking every chance we get to swim with these magnificent creatures. Four times we have been able to ID them, one of them has not been documented in the datasets before, so the volunteers are lucky enough to name this one too. The timing could not have been better, as we currently are hosting a three month intern from the Netherlands, coming to study the Whale sharks. She however changed her research topic from Photo-ID and AI spotmapping, to trying to explain this long absence of Whale shark from September 2025 to March 2026. This fits well with another research paper submitted for publication this quarter, where the data sets of Whale shark sightings have been analysed, and suggests a new possibility of a seasonal redistribution and movement patterns of the Whale sharks, which used to be present in Tofo all year.

Overall, the volunteers have shown great spirits through challenging times, and very genuine care for the community and the locals of the area, while still completing their research dives and contributing to the large datasets aimed at marine conservation in Mozambique.
The research center has submitted three different research papers. Follow along on our Instagram, where we will post when they are published

Feeling inspired? Contact us at bookings@alloutafrica.com to learn more about our Mozambique volunteering and internship programs.

Cape Town Volunteer Programs: Q1 2026 Community Impact

Simise — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:13:53 +0000

Cape Town Volunteer Programs made a meaningful impact in Q1 2026 as seven international volunteers supported community projects in Hout Bay, Cape Town. Four volunteers joined as direct placements and three participated in the Kruger to Cape two-week programme. Volunteers contributed to childcare, education, and disability support initiatives through partner organisations including the Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD), Wavecrest Early Childhood Development Centre, Hout Bay Primary School, and the Ikhaya Lethemba After‑School Programme in Imizamo Yethu.

Volunteers assisted teachers in classrooms, supported early childhood development activities, and helped with daily care routines such as preparing meals and supervising play. At the Ikhaya Lethemba After-School Programme, volunteers supported approximately 175 children by helping with homework, organising games and sports, and assisting with meal distribution. At APD, volunteers contributed to daily support activities including meal preparation, creative workshops, and social interaction with participants.

Several volunteers also made meaningful personal contributions, including donations of classroom items, school uniforms, and shoes for children in need. During the quarter, a fire in Imizamo Yethu affected a number of families connected to the projects. Volunteers responded with compassion by helping provide essential school supplies for affected learners.

The quarter also presented challenges for the community, including the passing of the head teacher at Hout Bay Primary School, which had a significant emotional impact on staff and learners. Volunteers showed respect and solidarity with the school community during this time.

Overall, volunteers demonstrated dedication, flexibility, and genuine care while supporting local partners. Their involvement helped strengthen childcare, educational assistance, and community support services. Continued collaboration with partner organisations remains vital for maintaining these positive outcomes.

Feeling inspired? Contact us at bookings@alloutafrica.com to learn more about our Cape Town volunteering and internship programs.