DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage

Contact Person

Pretty Mogofe

Hoedspruit, Hoedspruit, South Africa.

Message Us

DAKTARI has three main areas of focus: the teaching program with children at the camp, our wildlife orphanage, and our work in the community surrounding DAKTARI.

The Teaching Program: DAKTARI invites 8-10 children each Monday to stay for five days. We teach the children about the environment and conservation, including anti-poaching, pollution, and identifying animal tracks. We also supplement their regular schooling with math games and social talks about respect, substance abuse, and safe sex. The children get one-on-one attention from the teachers and engage in fun activities throughout the week.

The Wildlife Orphanage: The animals at DAKTARI come from various people and game reserves of our area. They have often been found abandoned by their mother or simply injured. These animals in many cases, unfortunately, after being hand raised can not be rehabilitated into the wild because they are too dependent on humans or have lost their fear of people and become too dangerous. This is when they are brought to us. DAKTARI is not a rehabilitation center but rehabilitates as much as possible, when possible. The objective of DAKTARI is to give them a second chance at life, while serving the purpose of educating underprivileged children to care, love and protect them.

The Outreach Program: Our work doesn't stop at DAKTARI's gate. We go into the local villages weekly to provide environmental education opportunities to children at the high schools and creches. We also sponsor and implement community improvement projects like building a dustbin or planting trees. When the children are busy writing their exams, we host a Job Hunting Program where local unemployed youths gain the skills they need to find a job.
Through DAKTARI's programs, we have reached more than 4,000 children in 10 years, cared for hundreds of animals, and helped dozens of youth get employed. If you want to become involved with DAKTARI's work, consider becoming a volunteer or donating!