Thriving people, thriving planet: Transforming lives and landscapes

CEO of ACT, Francois du Toit says: "As one of the strategic implementing partners (SIPs) of the SEF, we connect unemployed individuals with meaningful work that benefits both communities and ecosystems." ACT has a large footprint across four provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, and manages diverse projects.

These include: community food gardens, agro-ecological training, invasive species eradication programmes, soil erosion rehabilitation, rock art monitoring projects, and energy solutions for small businesses. All aimed at building a legacy of sustainability in the environmental, conservation and sectors. Collaboration with traditional structures and community-based organisations ensures these initiatives are hyper-local and impactful.

ACT, a 24-year-old NGO, is leading a transformative vision for southern Africa’s conservation economy. DuToit explains: "Our goal is a world where people thrive on a profitable planet, by investing in our most precious asset – planet earth – through a system that is socially equitable, environmentally restorative and economically just."

Food security meets conservation

ACT’s work demonstrates the powerful link between food security and wildlife conservation. In collaboration with SanParks and the Sabi Sands Pfunanani Trust, it established over 36 community food gardens near the Kruger National Park, benefiting residents and ecosystems. In northern KwaZulu-Natal, similar gardens and bush-thinning projects enhance habitats near rhino reserves such as Manyoni, Mkhuze, and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi.

Around 2,500 participants in ACT’s SEF projects earn stipends but are also encouraged to volunteer in their communities. Over 67,000 unpaid ‘volunteer days’ have been spent repairing roads, maintaining school grounds, cleaning pension pay points and collecting plastic waste.

In addition, the SEF participants have donated more than 38 tons of produce to community centres, feeding schemes as well as vulnerable households. "Our projects foster a spirit of service," says Du Toit. "When neighbours help each other, they unite communities and create lasting development."

Transforming lives

The SEF goes beyond employment and improves participant’s future career prospects through vital work experience alongside building self-worth and providing soft and lifestyle skills. ACT’s agro-ecological training, which includes ongoing mentoring, provision of tools and PPE, seedlings and agricultural materials, equips individuals to grow organic, chemical-free produce that can be consumed at home, sold for profit, or donated to those in need.

On average, each participant’s work supports eight family members, meaning the programme directly and indirectly benefits over 22,000 people.

Participants also develop entrepreneurial skills to secure income beyond the SEF stipend. In KwaZulu-Natal, landscape restoration teams clear invasive bush to restore grasslands, earning an income from wood sales and service hire, while improving livestock grazing areas. These projects are aligned with local cultural and environmental priorities, ensuring long-term sustainability.

Sihle Mthethwa, ACT’s monitoring and evaluation officer, says: "Livestock owners appreciate the work being done by the participants and discourage each other from driving their cattle through the paddocks, so as not to disturb the work. The participants have the support of the community and the response has been very positive."

Fostering sustainable futures

ACT’s efforts demonstrate the value of blending social, environmental and economic goals. From repairing eroded landscapes to generating income for underprivileged households, the projects reflect a holistic approach to conservation. The SEF programme also provides a springboard for participants to secure permanent roles or start sustainable businesses, paving the way for a brighter future.

"SEF gives discouraged job seekers purpose," says Du Toit. "It allows them to support their families, build self-confidence and uplift their communities."

As ACT gathers data on the programme’s outcomes and explores retail partnerships for wood sales, its commitment to creating a thriving conservation economy remains steadfast. By investing in people and the planet, ACT is proving that sustainable development benefits everyone.