WELCOME TO DAKTARI BUSH SCHOOL & WILDLIFE ORPHANAGE
DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage is an NGO founded in 2006 located in the South African bush, near Kruger National Park. DAKTARI works to educate and inspire children to value their environment and stimulate community projects.
DAKTARI provides the perfect environment for children to learn about their natural heritage. The children visit DAKTARI for 5 days to complete the teaching program and work with the animals in our wildlife orphanage. Volunteers from all over the world teach the lessons and guide the children in caring for the animals.
DAKTARI also runs an outreach program for a greater impact in the communities. The weekly ECO CLUB and Wildlife Crime campaigns give the children the opportunity to ignite positive attitudes towards their valuable environmental heritage.
CHILDREN HELPED
VOLUNTEERS WELCOMED
DAKTARI'S MEASURES AGAINST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
DAKTARI is following the national guidelines to fight against the spread of the Coronavirus outbreak.
We are limiting our movements and practising social distancing until the end of the national lockdown.
To help stop coronavirus, we recommend to follow the World Health Organization’s tips:
1- Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub
2- Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze
3- Avoid close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people
4- Stay home and self-isolate from others
We will overcome this and come back stronger. Stay safe and see you soon!
OUR GALLERY
We've worked on wonderful projects with great volunteers. Have a look below at some of our pictures to get an idea of what life at DAKTARI is like.
HOW DAKTARI CAME TO BE
Ian and Michèle Merrifield officially opened DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage in 2006 but it was a long road to make it happen. Ian and Michèle met while Ian was working as a game ranger at Tshukudu Game Lodge and Michèle was volunteering there. While hand-raising injured zebras, wildebeest, and warthogs, Ian and Michèle fell in love.
NOTES FROM PAST VOLUNTEERS
I would love to return to DAKTARI, it has been life changing and will stay with me forever, all the friends you make and how DAKTARI grows you is an amazing adventure which everyone should experience.BETHANY
VOLUNTEER IN JULY 2019
DAKTARI was a family experience we will never forget!Thank you so much!
KARIN
VOLUNTEER IN MAY 2018
I want to say to everybody who is considering to go volunteering at DAKTARI: please go! You can make an impact in the lives of beautiful and precious children and animals.MARJO
VOLUNTEER IN AUGUST 2018
I really do believe that DAKTARI has a very positive impact on the community. It helps children understand the importance of the environment and the animals in the surrounding neighbourhoods.JOSH
VOLUNTEER IN JUNE 2018
We arrived at DAKTARI on the same day from two different places of the world, strangers to each other and now, we are the closest friends.MAYA & EMMELIEN
VOLUNTEERS IN JULY 2018