Impodimo Game lodge Social & Environment Initiatives

Social & Environment Initiatives

Community Involvement
The main purpose of the Madikwe game reserve is to create economic and social improvement for the surrounding communities. The Park achieves this currently through lodges like Impodimo.

We create employment and impart skills and training to 30 staff. Of these, 23 are from the local communities, and many of these are sole or significant breadwinners for their households. Many of those that we employ have never had jobs before joining Impodimo. Impodimo also makes use of local suppliers and services, which further generate employment and stimulate entrepreneurship in the community.

Impodimo makes a donation to the community of R25 per person per night for every guest that stays with us. This money is paid into a trust, of which Impodimo, the Parks Board and community representatives are trustees. This money will be used for projects that we select, such as helping to develop new local businesses.


Supingstad Primary School
Impodimo Game Lodge has decided to take on a project that is near to our hearts, the Supingstad Primary School. This school serves the community of the local village nearest us (Supingstad) and caters to children from grade 1 to grade 7. One reason we chose to support this school was that some of our staff have children at this school and we felt it was only right to help improve our staff's lives if we can. Another perhaps more important reason is that we believe that a community's future is built on its children. If children are allowed to get a decent education they stand a far higher chance of being successful in later life.

In early 2003 when we first visited the school, we were basically shocked at the conditions that the children have to endure. Broken windows, completely cracked up floors, termite infested roof trusses and out door pit toilets were the main problems. In fact two classrooms are totally un-useable. Other deficiencies included a complete lack of teaching aids such as science equipment, math sets and even basic requirements such as a map of South Africa or even the world! In due course we were able to donate a whole range of teaching aids to the school including equipment for conducting science experiments and some maps!

The kids and teachers were ecstatic. We wanted to do more, so this year we are going to do some renovations on the worst two classrooms where the floors are completely broken up. This has now been completed, in fact we did all the floors in the senior block and we repainted a few classrooms. Many windows were also replaced so that the kids did not risk getting cut on the brolen glass. Thanks to a recent donation we have now also delivered a supply of school stationery. This will not end here as we have some exciting new things planned for this school so watch this space