Our Footprint in Conservation
The song, Wilderness, is intended to spread the awareness and encourage people to also use what they have in their hands to protect and restore the synergy between communities, nature, man and wilderness
Lourens and Esté have recently partnered up with a global initiative, The Community Conservation Fund - Africa (CCFA) as official ambassadors for the NPC. CCFA came about when two hospitality partners, Accor and Mantis, recognized the urgent need for tourism to play an active and hands on role in community upliftment and conservation. The dream: To create a ‘green print’ for all hospitality tourism in Africa.
After a concert in the Eastern Cape in 2018, attended by CEO and Chairman of CCFA, Adrian Gardiner, a partnership was born between the Bottomless Coffee Band and the CCFA. He asked them the burning question: “What are you as musicians doing for conservation?” Fast forward to the early hours the next morning where Lourens and Esté found themselves awake, inspired by the possibility of being involved in conservation through their music. And with that, their single “Wilderness” was born. “The song tells the story of a Rhino calf being separated from his mother after she is shot for her horn. This as a metaphor for the greater environmental and conservation crisis; we are all created to live in harmony and synergy on this planet - to protect all the natural systems that we as humans can’t create once it’s gone...” the duo explains
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Bottomless Coffee Band, like many people, are well aware of the current state of our planet and the urgent need to highlight the preservation of our environment, especially in collaboration with the community. They were inspired to make a difference with what they have in their hands - music.
Their strong belief and inspiration for “Wilderness” has been the driving force behind their partnership with CCFA. “For us, music is all about bringing people together and sharing stories. What we can contribute is to carry the torch to different audiences, from all walks of life, spreading the conservation message and raising money for the cause.
When asked what drew Adrian to the band, he explained, ”I was inspired by the talent I saw in Lourens and Esté. Chatting to them afterwards I realized that with their passion and musical ability, they could be agents for change" A perfect fit to be Ambassadors for CCFA, to spread the conservation message through song. And the band is doing just that having taken on the roles of official ambassadors for the CCFA.
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The song, Wilderness, is intended to spread the awareness and encourage people to also use what they have in their hands to protect and restore the synergy between communities, nature, mand and wilderness
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CCFA & BOTTOMLESS COFFEE BAND PROJECTS -
The Bottomless Coffee Band was the guest artist at the first CCFA fundraiser held in October 2019 , where they performed ‘Wilderness’ for the audience. R700 000 was raised that night. ‘We believe that the power of music can be used at grassroots level to emphasize the conservation cause and to inspire people, from all walks of life, to get involved.’ - Their contribution aims to continue with the release of the ‘Wilderness’ music video and song
Bees are tiny little miracles of nature – they not only pollinate our flowers but are largely responsible for our crops and food. It is estimated that a third of the food we consume relies predominantly on pollination by bees… Read here to help us protect and conserve our Cape Honeybee Colonies
MORE ON THE CCFA
The biggest challenge that faced two international hospitality groups, Accor and Mantis, with properties in Africa, was how to protect the beautiful natural wilderness areas and the wildlife. Tourism depends on conserving the environment but, equally important is uplifting, empowering and integrating local communities. It was from this that the Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA) was born, to address the imbalances and find a workable solution to the growing conservation crisis facing, not just Africa, but the world.
It has been 18 months since CCFA began its involvement in projects aimed at improving the environment for people as well as nature. These have contributed towards the alleviation of poverty, assisted with personal and social transformation, changed and uplifted communities and addressed ways of creating more sustainable lifestyles, while also helping to offset carbon emissions.
Successful projects are currently being supported in seven countries in Southern Africa with positive outcomes. They range from focusing on gorilla health in Rwanda through to bringing clean drinking water to communities in Namibia, stopping the illegal trade of the endangered grey- crowned cranes, creating green landscapes, supporting elephant conservation and the human/elephant conflict mitigation program in Namibia and creating a fisheries project that currently supports around 120 families.
For more information on the current projects run by the CCFA, go to www.ccfa.africa.