In the 18 years since I founded ROAR AFRICA, my mission has never wavered – to share Africa thoughtfully, responsibly and with the unwavering passion of someone who calls this spectacular continent home. As we bid farewell to 2024, I find myself filled with awe, gratitude and excitement for the future. It’s been a rollercoaster of a year for all of us but staying true to our mission of rewilding souls and enhancing lives while saving Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces is the light I continue to hold.
I am also truly humbled and moved by our incredible guests who continue to inspire us, as well as the meaningful friendships we have built, the lives we’ve touched and the impactful initiatives we’ve supported this year. But, on top of all this responsibility, we have also had FUN. Fun transports us out of our self-focused, often threatened state, and allows us to connect to something larger than the self – joy! The feeling of freedom is part of this space when we sense ourselves dissolving into something else. The canvas of Africa does this for me—and I suspect for many of you, too.
I distinctly remember a very funny moment that happened on board the jet, just as we came into land in Cape Town. A client on board undid her seat belt and jumped up to ask me a question – but at just the wrong moment. Lee on my team pulled her into her lap to keep her safe, and there they sat, forehead to forehead, giggling like young schoolgirls. A moment we will never forget!
