Our Values

Askari provides volunteers with a lifetime opportunity that will never be forgotten; to actively contribute to and participate in the daily management, wildlife research and monitoring activities taking place on a game reserve in Africa. The programme fosters the conservation of wilderness and is based on Pidwa Wilderness Reserve in 17 500 hectares of untamed beauty. In a world where habitat loss is the biggest threat to species it is essential to secure, increase and improve these wild habitats.

Pidwa is well on its way to becoming a benchmark wilderness reserve as it has based all its ideals on mimicking the natural system as much as possible. As the old saying goes, “why reinvent the wheel?”

Unfortunately humans have taken their toll on many wild areas of Africa and natural processes have been affected. The goal of Pidwa is to restore the balance that existed prior to human interference; to regain and secure a functioning ecosystem in which wildlife can thrive. Volunteers at Askari will experience life on an active game reserve, enjoy world class wildlife viewing, while making a real contribution to conservation and the establishment of a benchmark wilderness area.

Meet The Team

Ryan and Tecla organise and lead the Askari activities, and guide the volunteers around the reserve to experience the amazing array of wildlife.

RYAN (BSc Hons, FGASA NQF2 Guide)

Born and raised in Johannesburg, Ryan’s love for conservation and the bushveld was cemented at 17 years old after a working holiday at Green Dogs Conservation. After high school, he went on to study BSc Biological Sciences and BSc Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand focusing on Animal Behaviour, Behavioural Ecology and Conservation. While at university, he furthered his passion for canine behaviour and worked as a dog trainer for 3 years before obtaining his canine behaviour diploma. After university, Ryan worked at a veterinary clinic for 2 years and in the corporate world in Johannesburg for 2 years. One day, he decided could not bear the thought of gridlock traffic and constantly having to wear trousers to work. Ryan went home that night and immediately enrolled for Field Guide training. He qualified as a Field Guide in 2023 and then joined the Askari team.

His favourite animals are hyaenas and wild dogs and he is passionate about changing people’s opinions on them. In the bush he enjoys watching animals to better understand their behaviour as well as tracking and trailing animals to learn their movements. He loves to sit quietly and tune into the sounds around him and enjoys walking to find  the little things, not easily seen from the car.

If he is not in the bush, Ryan spends his free time training his dogs, trying to finish all the books that he started to read or relaxing and watching TV.

TECLA (PhD, MSc, BSc Hons, FGASA NQF2 guide)

Tecla is from Switzerland and has loved nature since she was a child. She came to South Africa for the first time in 2013 and was completely blown away by the bush. Every summer, for three years, she returned to South Africa as a volunteer (once to Askari!) before moving to KwaZulu-Natal in 2016 to complete her Masters project studying vervet monkeys. The project’s success motivated Tecla to continue her studies and in 2018 she started her PhD, “Lab Cognition Going Wild”.

After achieving her PhD, despite her knowledge and six years of academic background, Tecla decided to change path. In 2023 she became the field manager for the Dwarf mongoose research project in Limpopo. When the project ended abruptly it was the perfect opportunity for Tecla to follow her dream to work full-time in the African bush. She completed her guide training at the start of 2024 with Bushwise and was head-hunted for Askari as soon as she qualified. We already knew she was perfect for the team from her time spent as a volunteer in 2015!

She enjoys being around animals but also enjoys spending time with people, sharing her passion, her adventures and her knowledge of the bush.
She believes in destiny and thinks that each of us has a thread leading us to where we are destined. Her thread led her to South Africa, where she found her true calling.

THE TEAM

Lindiwe and Florence will be your mum’s on the road. They do a fantastic job looking after the running of the houses for us, making sure we always have our comforts to return to after a day in the bush. Wellex is our gardener and maintenance number 1!…..always to be found in the garden with a smile on his face.