Social CommitmentsGuest SponsorshipEnvironmental Issues
Umngazi is actively involved in making a difference to the surrounding community.
Umngazi provides learning opportunities to people in poorer communities, as well as training and development of staff for future leadership positions. A group of employees has taken it upon themselves to make a difference in the lives of the staff at Umngazi (HIV training).
The resort offers this area on the opposite of the carpark to the local ladies to sell their baskets and beadworks to the hotel guests.
The resort provides a gilly service (operators are paid a daily or hourly rate by guests) – the gillies help guests explore and fish the river banks, the beach and the rocky outcrops in the area. One such excursion is an overnight stay at a nearby fishing spot called Brazen Head, where car guards, wood gatherers and porters are employed from the village at Brazen Head
The hotel’s hikes and walks afford the river-guides much-needed employment in the area. The mangrove swamp hike extends to the next valley, where the river guides from the Umgazana valley take over from our guides and paddle guests through the swamp, to a point where they can explore the beautiful beach as they walk back to the hotel.
Umngazi facilitates the booking process & collects the fees which are paid to the guides.
Parents can rediscover their freedom while nannies assist on a daily or hourly basis.
They offer care as baby sitters or happily help with bath and mealtimes. Umngazi manages their rosters, supplies uniforms & name badges.
Please note: Our nannies are not aupairs.
Guests are accompanied on an excursion into a nearby village to have tea with Alice – an unforgettable experience. Alice has a special brand of hospitality that reaches beyond formalities and radiates genuine interest. Umngazi assists Alice with implements and ingredients with which to offer guests tea in her home.
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
― Nelson Mandela
We are currently assisting 4 schools in the area with various projects. Two schools are Section 20 and two Section 21 schools – this means that they are only partially funded by the Department of Education and therefore need as much help as they can get to deliver quality education. In the past we have assisted these 4 schools with various building projects, adding store rooms and facilities, as well as hosting sporting events and sponsoring student teachers. We have previously run stationery drives and returning guests are regularly generous with donations of clothing and sports equipment.
If you’d like to assist a deeply appreciative community, join our FRIENDS OF UMNGAZI fund. To find out more, contact Nicole at nicole@umngazi.co.za..
You can support our community’s schools by joining the Woolworths My School program and every time you swipe your card; 1% of your purchase will go to your nominated school. You may link your card with up to three schools. We thank guests who have linked their My School cards to our schools: Vukandlule Junior Secondary School Cwebeni Junior Secondary School Sicambeni Junior Secondary School
Go onto www.myschool.co.za to register and click on one or more of our schools listed above. Your on-going support and love of our valley is so appreciated.
Local produce (fruit & veg) is purchased from the community. Over R4000 per week is paid to the neighbouring villagers who grow wholesome fresh produce.
The blanket project was introduced in the winter of 2005 and is another opportunity for guests to participate in community wellbeing.
Knit a few squares whilst on holiday at Umngazi, your contributions will go a long way to keeping bodies warm during winter.
Should you wish to give of your time and touch a life in the area – we have a guest knitting project. Once the squares have been completed by our guests we donate the finished blankets to the community. Please ask at reception for needles and wool.
At Umngazi, we strive to keep our beach and surrounding areas as pristine as possible. Therefore, we encourage our guests to ask for a bucket from reception and fill it up with any rubbish found on the beach and in exchange they will get a 300ml cooldrink. Everyone scores.
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
― Mother Teresa
Much of our refuse is burnt in our own incinerators and as much as possible is reused or recycled. All old cooking oil is removed from site and sold to be recycled into biodiesel. Unfortunately there is currently no recycling plant within the area – but we are working to implement this much-needed facility.
Every effort is made to conserve water; and water-saving practices have been put in place in our gardens, and throughout the property.
We’ve kept the Umngazi garden as indigenous as possible to acknowledge this natural paradise. All new planting is indigenous and only organic compost is used. No harmful chemicals are used in the garden.
Umngazi has built and installed a solar farm on the top of the hill that can produce in excess of over a 1000kwH on a sunny day.
An award-winning, unique, beach hotel and spa on the Wild Coast of South Africa.
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Email: requests@umngazi.co.za Tel No: 047-564 1115/6/8/9
Wild Coast, Eastern Cape, South Africa
GPS COORDINATES: S 31 36.680 E 29 25.938