The Kingsley Holgate Foundation way
The Kingsley Holgate Foundation, led by the legendary explorer often called the “most travelled man in Africa”, transforms high-octane adventure into life-saving humanitarian action. By venturing into the continent’s most inaccessible corners, the Foundation bridges the gap between remote communities and essential healthcare, proving that every expedition can serve a higher purpose.
Using adventure to improve and save lives, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, through each of its expeditions, actively works to prevent the spread of malaria amongst pregnant women and mothers with young children – the most vulnerable demographic to the disease which, according to the World Health Organization claims over 500 000 lives every year globally.
Augmenting the distribution of mosquito nets is the Kingsley Holgate Foundation-supported “Tchau Tchau Malaria” project – Portuguese for “Goodbye Malaria” – pioneered by Nando’s. The project is a region-wide indoor residual spraying campaign to protect communities in southern Mozambique, and to stop the spread of malaria into neighbouring Eswatini, as well as the KwaZulu-Natal and Kruger National Park regions of South Africa. Of the 3 000 permanently employed sprayers, 60% are women.
Coupled with its malaria prevention initiatives, the Foundation is also geared to distribute reading glasses to poor-sighted, mostly elderly people in remote regions across the continent. According to the World Health Organization, 246-million people are estimated to have low vision worldwide and about 90% of the world’s visually impaired live in developing countries. To help lower this statistic, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation launched the Mashozi’s Rite to Sight campaign, which supplies reading glasses in remote areas the Foundation visits through its expeditions. Since its inception, the campaign has benefitted over 224 000 people who have recovered the gift of sight through the reading glasses.
Another important branch in the Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s humanitarian work is a water purification campaign that supports rural communities that rely on contaminated and unsafe water sources. Through its expeditions, the Foundation distributes Vestergaard LifeStraw® water filters. These “drinking straws” remove 99.9% of waterborne parasites, preventing diseases such as dysentery and cholera, which are responsible for approximately 1.5-million child deaths annually. To date, the Foundation has distributed over 36 000 LifeStraw units.
Having explored all 54 countries on the African continent through more than 40 expeditions, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation recognises the crucial role played by each member of its expedition team, including the various Defender 4x4s that have powered the team for well over two decades.
“Our mission has always been about more than just reaching a destination. It’s about using the spirit
Explorer and humanitarian, Kingsley Holgate
of adventure to improve and save lives. The impact we make – from preventing malaria to restoring the gift of sight – is only possible through the strength of our team and the incredible support of our partners. We are especially grateful to Defender, whose legendary capability allows us to reach the
most isolated communities in Africa. Together, we are turning kilos travelled into lives touched.”
Completing more than 40 expeditions has given the Kingsley Holgate Foundation team a unique opportunity to test Defender across most of Africa and in Europe. Two of its recent expeditions – the Greater Gorongosa and Afrika Odyssey expeditions – totalled well over 150 000km in the new Defender.
Janico Dannhauser, Defender brand manager, JLR South Africa, adds, “Defender represents capability with purpose, enabling it to make a real difference. We are incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, knowing that the legendary robustness and all-terrain capability of Defender will not only power their incredible journeys but, more importantly, it will help save and improve lives in the remote communities they serve.”
The Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s partnership with Defender received a boost recently when the Foundation took delivery of two new Defender 130 vehicles, just in time for the start of its Africa Traverse expedition. The new vehicles, highly capable Defender 130 Outbound models, each offer up to 2 516 litres of loadspace – 1 329 litres with the second-row seats in use.
Unstoppable 4×4 capability is guaranteed by Defender’s proven intelligent all-wheel drive system and terrain response 2®. Additionally, electronic air suspension and adaptive dynamics are fitted as standard, with the air suspension allowing up to 430mm of articulation and 900mm of wading capability. The Foundation’s Defender also benefits from several optional items, including a raised air intake, a black roof rack and roof ladder for easy access to additional overhead stowage space, as well as the iconic black side-mounted gear carriers for storing wet or muddy items.
Underbody protection plates have been optioned to safeguard critical drivetrain components, while a winch and integrated compressor will aid recoveries and tyre pressure adjustments.