In 2015, the Time + Tide Foundation was born with a simple yet powerful mission: to create lasting social and environmental change in some of Zambia and Madagascar’s most underserved regions. Ten years later, that mission has grown to touch lives, transform communities, uplift women and children, and support the ecosystems that sustain them. This month, we celebrate all that has been achieved in a decade of care, dedication, and heartfelt impact in some of Southern Africa’s most remote areas and communities.
At the heart of the Foundation’s work is a belief in people: their potential, their dreams, and their ability to shape their own futures.
The Female Empowerment programme has become a beacon of hope for girls in some of the most remote communities in Madagascar and Zambia, where access to education was once a distant dream. Today, girls are discovering their self-worth, finding confidence, and learning to dream bigger than ever. In 2024, retention for the graduating cohort reached an inspiring 84%, compared with 49% in 2019 and a regional average of just 35%.
Recognising that education does not end with childhood, the programme expanded in 2021 to support women who had left school early. Through literacy lessons in English for Zambia and French for Madagascar, financial education, and business training, these women were given the tools to transform their lives. With the Foundation’s support, women have grown small businesses that now provide stable incomes for their families. As an example, in early 2024, Lillian used a grant to grow her poultry business from 50 to 200 chicks per cycle, boosting her income by 500% and giving her family the security and comforts they had needed, like a stove and fridge. Her story is just one of many, with the cohort seeing an average income rise of 272%, changing lives with every step forward.
Education remains a cornerstone of the Foundation’s impact. The Student Sponsorship Programme identifies academically promising learners from remote wildlife regions and opens doors to schools and universities they might never have imagined. More than 300 students have benefited, with new initiatives now offering internships and work experience to help graduates step confidently into the future.
“The support I received from the Time + Tide Foundation has been life-changing for me. It allowed me to complete secondary boarding school and graduate from university without the financial stress that would have otherwise held me back. As the first in my family to finish high school and earn a degree, this opportunity opened doors I never thought possible and now, working at one of Zambia’s top insurance companies, I can feel the ripple effect of this support shaping not just my future, but that of my family and community too.”
Robert, Student Sponsorship graduate (pictured above, left)
Meanwhile, the Home-based Education Programme (HBE) supports children with special needs. Where only 10% of these children once attended school, 93% are now learning in safe, inclusive classrooms. One such student is six-year-old Peter who was born with mild cerebral palsy and joined the HBE Programme in 2021. With tailored support from a caregiver and his mother, he learned to use his right hand and, by the end of 2023, could write his name. Encouraged by his progress, Peter started school in January 2024, quickly settling in, making friends, and eagerly engaging in his lessons.
Beyond education, the Foundation provides conservation work in all areas of operation guided by care for both wildlife and the communities that share their homes.
In Zambia’s remote wildlife areas, conservation projects protect biodiversity and support sustainable livelihoods through the support of partner organisations like Conservation South Luangwa and Conservation Lower Zambezi. In Madagascar, particularly on Nosy Ankao, the Foundation nurtures lemur populations, watches over nesting seabirds and sea turtles, work with local fishing associations to encourage sustainable practices, and supports coral reef regeneration. Between 2023 and 2024, these efforts helped the population of translocated Crowned Lemurs grow by 23%, a small but meaningful sign of hope for the future.
Through this work, the Time + Tide Foundation reminds us that tourism can do more than offer extraordinary experiences; it can nurture hope, opportunity, and change. Guests are invited to witness wilderness at its most pristine, while communities that were once overlooked are celebrated for their strength, their talents, and their resilience. Here, people are not just recipients of aid, they are empowered to shape their own futures and to care for the ecosystems they call home.
As the Foundation marks its 10th anniversary, one truth stands out: when people are seen, supported, and encouraged, communities flourish, and the natural world flourishes with them. This is the power of care, the promise of purposeful action, and the heart of a brighter, more equitable future.
FOLLOW THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
Discover the road less travelled
Our expertise in African travel and conservation dates back for many decades, you can expect equally pioneering travel guidance from our award-winning team. Time + Tide are custodians of some of the most remote corners of our planet and it is our privilege to guide you along the road less travelled.