Cultural Connections for Conservation and Restoration
Our development work creates connection to our roots, ourselves, others and nature, encouraging self-reliance and community-owned initiatives.
Our work
Connecting people from diverse backgrounds and places to create learning, sharing and healing spaces.
Cultural Connections is an organisation working in coastal Tsitsikamma and Pearston, Karoo, South Africa. We enable collaborations for ecological/human conservation and restoration, socio-cultural integration and holistic education.
Sophakama Community
This is our main fully funded project in Pearston. Our work here focuses on Teacher Development; Youth Development through Nature Based Life orientation and supporting a Food Growers Association.
Bushman’s Pillow
Our newest project is based on a reforestation demonstration site in Tsitsikamma. We bring together youth from Pearston and Tsitsikamma for peer learning exchanges and exposure to nature connection camps, tree planting, food and medicinal gardening.
This is also an income generating arm for the organisation through AirBnB and other services offered.
Our previous work
We have gained experience and resources through years of travel and study, working on projects through different organisations.
Our Vision
Eco-systems are restored, relevant indigenous knowledge revived, all beings living in harmony, abundance and freedom.
What is Asset Based Community Development?
This approach is citizen-led and offers very simple, practical and transformational tools for personal and community development.
Our programmes
Culture brings people together, creates shared values and principles to live by. Culture also conditions us, where we may have beliefs and behaviours that we learnt and have never questioned, whether it serves us and all life or not. We ask questions like – which parts of our culture have become redundant, which parts still serve us and all life? What do we need to let go of? How do we integrate different parts of ourselves and others so we connect more deeply?