Wild Shots Outreach: Empowering South African Youth Through Photography

Introducing our competition’s charity partner

At Penda, we’re passionate about the power of photography—not just as a way to create art, but as a way to tell stories, shift perspectives, and make a difference. This is why we’re excited to have partnered with Wild Shots Outreach, a South African nonprofit doing transformative work at the intersection of conservation, education, and photography. Wild Shots Outreach will receive the proceeds from our upcoming Penda Photography Travel Competition. Here’s what this organization is all about.

Introducing Wild Shots Outreach

Wild Shots Outreach was founded in 2015 with a clear purpose: to bridge a gap that had long been overlooked in South Africa’s conservation and photographic communities. Harriet Nimmo, Co-Founder and Strategic Development Manager, recalls how the initiative began:

“Wild Shots Outreach was founded in 2015, as a result of two motivating factors. One was that while we were running the Wild Shots wildlife photography conference in South Africa for four years in a row, we had failed to find a black South African nature photographer. The other was that when we moved to the Greater Kruger Area in 2015, we were dismayed to see the lack of engagement between youth from the local communities and their natural environment. The vast majority of the young people living in the impoverished rural areas bordering Kruger National Park had never had the opportunity, resources or aspiration, to be able to access local game reserves. How will we save Africa’s wildlife and wild places if there is this disconnect with local communities?”

From the outset, Wild Shots Outreach has sought to change this. By giving young people from local communities access to cameras, mentoring, and opportunities to experience their nearby wilderness, the organisation helps foster a sense of connection between youth and the natural world they live alongside.

Why Photography Matters

Photography is not just a technical skill—it’s a way of seeing, of engaging, and of storytelling. Harriet explains why the camera has proven such a powerful tool in their work:

“The camera is an incredibly powerful tool to immerse yourself in nature. Going on a game drive with a camera becomes an active rather than passive experience – the camera allows you to form a relationship with your subject. It gives you a voice, a means of telling your story. Our young photographers develop a sense of pride and ownership in their natural heritage, talking about ‘our elephants’ or ‘our rhinos.’ Plus, learning to use a camera provides transferable digital skills and helps build self-esteem and self-belief.”

This shift—from being a bystander to becoming an active participant—is at the core of Wild Shots Outreach’s mission. Students don’t just learn photography; they develop confidence, transferable digital skills, and a stronger sense of identity rooted in their environment and natural heritage.

The Challenges of Grassroots Work

Like many grassroots NGOs, Wild Shots Outreach faces obstacles, particularly when it comes to sustainable funding. Harriet notes:

“I’m sure it’s the same for any grassroots NGO, but securing funding is our biggest challenge, especially if we are committing to three year university places for some of our Bursary Fund students. In addition, providing our top photographers with top quality cameras, lenses and laptops.”

The organisation’s ambitions go far beyond short-term workshops. Wild Shots Outreach invests deeply in its participants, supporting them through bursaries, providing professional-grade equipment, and even helping them secure higher education and employment opportunities. This makes financial support all the more crucial to sustaining their long-term impact.

Achievements to Celebrate

Despite these challenges, Wild Shots Outreach has seen remarkable successes in just a few short years. Harriet reflects on some of these milestones:

“It’s hard to identify our biggest achievement, as there have been so many, including being invited to speak at international photography conferences, two of our young photographers winning global photography awards and seeing our formerly unemployed bursary students now working in the wildlife economy, including seven female qualified safari guides. But probably our biggest achievement and the one we’re most proud of, is the development of our team now running and teaching the programmes – they all started their journeys with us and are now role models for others. The impact of our Programme Director, Rifumo Mathebula’s work has been recognised with a number of national and international environmental leadership awards.”

These achievements highlight the ripple effect of the programme: not only are young people gaining new skills, but they are also stepping into leadership roles, inspiring others, and building careers in conservation and tourism.

Why This Matters

At its heart, Wild Shots Outreach is about equality, representation, and empowerment. South Africa’s most iconic wild spaces—Kruger National Park and beyond—are world-renowned, yet for many young people growing up in the surrounding areas, they have long been out of reach. By putting cameras in the hands of these youth, Wild Shots Outreach is opening doors to opportunity, storytelling, and pride in local heritage.

The impact is both personal and collective. On an individual level, students gain confidence, digital literacy, and in some cases, a pathway to a career. On a broader level, the programme nurtures future conservation leaders, amplifies voices that have too often gone unheard, and fosters a deeper connection between local communities and their wildlife.

Get Involved

By entering our competition, you’ll be joining us in backing this important cause. Every image submitted helps extend the reach of Wild Shots Outreach, enabling more young people to access training, equipment, and opportunities that can transform their futures.

And if you’re inspired to donate to Wild Shots Outreach directly, visit their website to find out how to go about this.