Our Sponsors
Truly great projects need all of the following: strong teams, strong project managers and GREAT SPONSORSHIP!
Successful projects are never just about the project manager and are never just about one person.
Successful projects have skilled and enthusiastic team members and great sponsors.
Strong teams may overcome mediocre sponsorship to deliver not-bad projects. Truly great projects need all of the following: strong teams, strong project managers and great sponsorship.
AfriCat relies on the goodwill of visitors and donors. Every penny counts, and save for statutory audit fees, all of AfriCat UK’s funds are applied to conservation in Namibia. The AfriCat website has sponsorship forms to download, which contain various animal adoption options.
WHY CYMOT SUPPORTS AFRICAT
“Ever since Greensport was born in 1991, it had committed to conservation and support towards various institutions of wildlife conservation. AfriCat and it’s unique programmes of various conservation projects, including the Rehabilitation of endangered species, Environmental Education and Mitigating the ever-present Human-Wildlife Conflict, creates a deep feeling of appreciation amongst our management members. It is therefore a logical conclusion that Greensport is proud to be associated with a determined and professional team of Namibian conservationists at AfriCat.”
Since the company’s humble beginnings as a battery depot in Promenaden Road in Windhoek, Cymot has grown into a major Namibian organisation with eleven branches in Namibia. The name Cymot was derived from its main trading activities being CYcle and MOTor spares.
Motor spares for all passenger cars and light trucks continue to be part of the company’s main business activities.
Axel Theissen, the Managing Director of Cymot states: “Even though Cymot has grown significantly during the last decade, we continue to stay very close to our market. The Namibian market values superior service and our long-term relationships with our customers and suppliers provide the sound platform for future growth and success. Inherent in the Cymot business fundamentals is the strong team spirit of the Cymot management team and all employees, which I am very grateful about!”
Tusk was established in 1990 in response to the poaching crisis of the 1980’s, which pushed black rhino to the brink of extinction and saw 100,000 elephants slaughtered each year. Since then we have become a highly effective and efficient force in African wildlife conservation.
Whether tackling the rampant illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss or human-wildlife conflict, our success is rooted in the understanding that the interests of both people and wildlife are inextricably inter-twined, and that both must be served if our achievements are to last.
Tusk has achieved a great deal and has developed a strong reputation, buoyed by the high level of support and involvement of HRH The Duke of Cambridge, who became our Royal Patron in 2005. The charity is known for delivering well-targetted intervention, and has maintained a low cost/income that is one of the most competitive among our peers.
WHY TUSK SUPPORTS AFRICAT
However, frequent predation of livestock means they are severely persecuted and many are killed by traps, poison or guns. Since it began in 1991, AfriCat has rescued more than 1,000 animals, returning over 85% to the wild. It now cares for animals that cannot be released and works with rural communities to reduce carnivore conflict.
AfriCat operates on two sites. Okonjima Nature Reserve is a 200km2 former cattle ranch housing the captive care facility and serving as a release site and model for a healthy wildlife habitat. AfriCat North, on the Southwestern border of Etosha National Park, works with the park and local communities to address the high levels of carnivore (mostly lion) conflict. Education programmes run from both sites, bringing groups of secondary-age children and adults for 3-5 day field-based courses covering various environmental issues including tolerance of wild predators. Conflict mitigation activities in AfriCat North include construction of predator-proof kraals (livestock shelters), installing fence lines in critical locations, and collaring lions to provide early warning of potential conflict incidents. Both sites also conduct a range of research programmes into predator ecology, behavior and health.
Tusk has funded AfriCat for many years, supporting the purchase of a plane for transport and tracking of animals and the construction of a cheetah rehabilitation enclosure. We have also provided key funding for the environmental education programme.
Wild carnivores can only be protected in the long term if local people are prepared to live alongside them. AfriCat’s work needs to continue to bring this about and secure a future for these species.
You can learn more about their work at www.tusk.org.
OKONJIMA HOME OF THE AFRICAT FOUNDATION
Okonjima, home of The AfriCat Foundation, was established as a small ‘guest farm’ in 1986.
For many years, Val (VJ) & Rose Hanssen had been avid cattle farmers until the need for solutions to increasing livestock losses and post-independence interest in Namibia as a tourist destination, changed the face of Okonjima, as well as that of Carnivore Conservation.
With the family still at the helm (now the next generation), Okonjima now encompasses a dedicated team and a variety of accommodation facilities, offering you, our guest, a truly Namibian stay . . .
Established in 1993, The AfriCat Foundation started off as a sanctuary for Cheetah and Leopard rescued from irate, livestock farmers.
Today, AfriCat is dedicated to the protection and long-term conservation of all large carnivores in Namibia and has since become renowned for much-needed; “Environmental Education, Carnivore Research, Rescue, Release & Rehabilitation programmes, and Carnivore Welfare, Human Wild-life Conflict Mitigation and Community Support projects – throughout the whole of Namibia”.
The AfriCat Foundation is based on the farm Okonjima (central Namibia) and the farm Kaross (northwest Namibia). This mutually beneficial relationship allows for interested visitors to experience, first hand, the works of The Project, gaining valuable insight into carnivore conservation and, at the same time, creating the platform for donating much-needed funds to The Project and its Programmes.
WHY W&V SUPPORT AFRICAT
Okonjima and The AfriCat Foundation are honored with the recognition
from the Wecke & Voigts Group
The Africat/Okonjima Fund is a very successful and professionally managed fund which the Wecke & Voigts Group would like to be associated with. The group supports conservation of Namibian wildlife, one of the biggest assets of Namibia, and as a 100% Namibian corporation, it is their duty to ensure that these assets are protected. “People that spend these incredible amounts of energy and time in conserving such beautiful creatures, should be supported by everyone, and that is the reason why we as a company are doing it.” says Dieter Voigts, Chairperson of the Wecke & Voigts Group.
WHY ULTIMATE SAFARIS SUPPORT AFRICAT
“Ultimate Safaris, through the Conservation Travel Foundation (nee Tou Trust), is committed to conservation in Namibia. The AfriCat Foundation’s work with regards to large carnivore conservation in Namibia is crucial, from both a conservation perspective but also from and environmental education perspective. We are proud to be associated with the AfriCat Foundation and feel that our contribution towards their efforts is of national importance.”
SWAVET was founded, early 1971, originally in Namibia by Fritz Rexrodt, Senior. Having always been interested in animals and their care and well being, Fritz spent the first two decades building the business, by sourcing and providing quality veterinary and agricultural products, to farmers in Namibia at affordable prices.
In 1995, SWAVET RSA Pty Ltd, became operative with Fritz Rexrodt (Junior), at the helm to broaden its focus from Namibia into neighbouring countries. Since then, both companies have grown significantly, extending their customer bases and increasing their product ranges; by keeping abreast of product innovations and technology advancement, internationally in the agricultural sector.
By virtue of long standing relationships with our suppliers overseas, SWAVET RSA ,offers one of the most extensive ranges of instruments, to the commercial farmers for use with cattle, sheep, goats as well as horses.
In our over 35 years in business, we have invested in developing sound relations with both customers and suppliers. We have strengthened and broadened the scope of the medicinal side of our business and as a result, can now offer some well-established brand names, in addition to our own tried and tested products.
Notwithstanding a strong and growing sales force, we remain a family run business, which still strives to bring our products at most affordable price to the end user – the farmer thus upholding our mission of affordable retailing.
WHY BENTHIN AFRICAN AGENCIES SUPPORT AFRICAT
BAA situated in the Northern Industrial area in Windhoek boasts a proud history of service-delivery that spans more than 50 years.
The wholesaler, with its humble beginnings in the supply of fencing material, dates back to 1957 when Egon Marschall began to work for Mr. Benthin, the original owner. Six months later Benthin decided to move back to Germany because the business was no longer rewarding. Marschall however continued and officially became the sole owner of Benthin African Agencies.
He had already started importing handbags, washing machines and car parts form Hamburg, Germany.
Locally, the Pupkewitz brothers, Morris, Julius and Harold were the biggest clients of Benthin African Agencies and stored their goods without any security fences at nearby Ausspannplatz!
The outbreak of the foot and mouth decease at the beginning of the 1960’s caused the government to buy all the available fencing material in the country, as farmers were forced by necessity to fence off their farms in order to control the movement of the cattle. The redistribution of land in line with the Odendaal plan provided further inputs to the growth of the fencing industry.
This got the ball rolling for the sale of fencing material, which also became the company’s main focus. This included poles, gates and fences.
The company’s first premises were established in the old “Continental Building” and were later moved near the DHPS (Deutsche Höhere Privatschule) in Windhoek. They occupied their current premises in Newcastle Street in the Northern Industrial Area 13 years ago.
Today the company is the proud supplier of all kinds of fencing material, as well as a wide variety of agricultural equipment and tools to clients in Namibia and Angola. Hardware for basic housing is also offered, including doors, locks, kitchen interiors and roofing material.
According to Heiko von Ludwiger, Managing Director of Benthin African Agencies, a major part of the products, including fencing, agricultural machinery and hardware are sold to retailers in the northern parts of the country. According to him the local market expanded significantly after the end of the Angolan war.
During their 52nd year in operation Benthin African Agencies officially changed from sole-ownership to company status and is now importing products from England, America, Germany, Italy, South Africa and the Middle East.
Von Ludwiger says that the company’s ambition to provide competitive prices, to have sufficient and quality products in stock and above all, to deliver a fast and effective service, enabled Benthin African Agencies to grow into a prominent firm in the agricultural and housing sector.
The four directors of the company are Egon Marschall, Heiko von Ludwiger, Gesa Flemming and Hilko Marschall.
