Virgin Limited Edition launches ‘Creating a Better Future’ series to celebrate 10 years of Mahali Mzuri

Virgin Limited Edition is celebrating 10 years since first welcoming guests to Mahali Mzuri with the launch of a new instalment of its ‘Creating a Better Future’ video series, dedicated to the extraordinary achievements of Sir Richard Branson’s 12-tented luxury safari camp in Kenya’s Olare Motorogi Conservancy. The new five-part video series allows viewers an insight into the camp’s widespread and ongoing work to support local employment, raise the standard of living in the surrounding Maasai communities and conserve the future for generations to come.

The series features members of the Mahali Mzuri team, who are instrumental in leading life-enhancing projects and initiatives to enrich and safeguard the Maasai communities local to the camp, as well as spotlighting some of the team members’ personal stories and unprecedented accomplishments, which are paving the way for younger generations of Maasai people.

Committed to sustaining support for the community long into the future, Mahali Mazuri is also unveiling a dedicated charitable association – Inua Jamii, meaning “uplifting the community” in Swahili. Funding support for ongoing and future initiatives will be channelled under the umbrella of Inua Jamii, with 100% of donations still going directly towards specific projects and the Maasai communities.

General Manager, Wilson Odhiambo, kicks off the series, reflecting on the origins of Mahali Mzuri, meaning “beautiful place” in Swahili, and 10 years on from opening its doors to guests, he looks ahead to a sustainable future - youtu.be/2ZLre8Id4aA. From its inception, Mahali Mzuri has been deeply rooted in conservation, with the underlying goal to preserve the under-threat route of the Great Wildebeest Migration. It has gone on to form close bonds with the local Maasai landowners and today employs over 80% of staff from the local community, many of whom have been there a decade, offering award-winning service to their guests. Dedicated to creating even greener prospects, the imminent completion of a solar farm will provide 100% of the camp’s energy, with a larger garden to supply the kitchen with vegetables and herbs and a rainwater harvesting system also on the near horizon.

Uplifting the community - 24th October

Over the last 10 years Mahali Mzuri has worked with generous individual guest donors to enhance the standard of living in local communities through the key pillars of Education, Water and Sanitation and Health. One of the biggest success stories is the decade-long development and ongoing support of the local school for 300 students, aged 3-15 years old, complete now with dining hall, computer lab, accommodation and toilet facilities, as well as a school meal programme and rainwater harvesting system aimed at combatting malnutrition. Guests to Mahali Mzuri can contribute towards the expansion of the school and running of these initiatives by visiting the local villages and, in turn, learning about the Maasai culture and long-standing traditions.

Conservation - 7th November

Mahali Mzuri guide, John, enthuses about teaching not only guests, but both the older landowning generation and the youngest members of his community about conservation. From offering their input on how to control grazing within the conservancy, to visiting the Mahali-funded school and helping to nurture the next generation of conservationists, the guides at Mahali Mzuri are passionate about protecting the future of Olare Motorogi.

Female empowerment - 21st November

One of only a few female guides in the Maasai Mara, Betty, describes her immense pride at being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated job and her hopes of inspiring her own children to follow in her footsteps, as well as the young girls in her tribe, who are often married very young. Alongside government initiatives, Mahali Mzuri works hard to tackle period poverty in the rural local area, a major roadblock to keeping girls in education.

Personal growth - 5th December

From physically laying the foundations for the camp to be built on, to ultimately becoming the Head Waiter, Bob, reflects on the stratospheric rise of his career at Mahali Mzuri over its 10 years of operation and the opportunities he has taken to grow through taking on varying roles within the camp.

View the full series once launched here – Creating A Better Future, along with the first instalment dedicated to Sir Richard Branson’s private island paradise, Necker Island, here.

For more information on Mahali Mzuri, visit www.mahalimzuri.virgin.com

Notes to editors:

High-res images can be downloaded via our Trade and Press Hub.

For advance journalist only viewing of videos, please see below:

Uplifting the Community – launches 24th October
Conservation – launches 7th November
Female Empowerment – launches 21st November
Personal Growth - launches 5th December

Virgin Limited Edition

Virgin Limited Edition is an award-winning collection of unique retreats, chosen for their beautiful locations and magnificent surroundings; each offers a sense of fun, style, luxury and exceptional personal service. The group includes Necker Island and newly launched Moskito Island in the Caribbean’s British Virgin Islands, Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa, Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco, The Lodge in Verbier, Mahali Mzuri, a tented safari camp in Kenya, Mont Rochelle Hotel and Mountain Vineyard in South Africa, and the Son Bunyola Estate in Mallorca. Please visit www.virginlimitededition.com for more details.