THIS IS OUR NEW WEBSITE, WE WORK ON IT EVERY DAY SO WE CAN SHARE OUR 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM.
IT IS STILL A WORK IN PROCESS.
Diversity * Inclusivity * Humanity * Environment * Fun
OUR REASON FOR BEING
Founded in 1991, before Nelson Mandela was released, Dreamcatcher was founded to kickstart social change through inclusive social-enterprise in struggling communities affected by the Apartheid system in South Africa. South Africa is blessed with incredible diversity in cultural encounters and nature unsurpassed. Tourism, for years functioning outside the involvement and benefits to local communities, whom we viewed, for the sustainable future of South Africa, its incredible environmental attributes and its people, we figured it was time for change, not to short-change visitors who missed so much on their trips, but to do what our first black State President would come to ask of all South Africans: ‘ To work together to create a better future for all our people’. So Dreamcatcher was founded to realise this, to break the mould of exclusionary tourism practise, to literally, not just talk about it, We are making the dream of Nelson Mandela and our people, WORK.
Here our key strength: we have done what the world is talking about. We walked the talk, taking over 2 decades, pre-empted by 8 years of research in communities, growth industries and potential growth industries. Now we have all our projects we pioneered to show for it.
After researching the barriers which inhibit sustainable socio-economic development which includes working with environmental integrity for sustainable futures, The founder Anthea developed a model, with the communities, especially women and youth. Anthea developed an integrated model, working across the barriers (which incidentally also then addressed the very issues which needed to be addressed by the UNSDG’s). She followed a pluralistic approach as opposed to the classic and orthodox economic development models which were clearly not working to address ; SOCIAL JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY WHERE IT WAS NEEDED THE MOST FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURTES IN SOUTH AFRICA.
With at least 13 of the goals flagged up directly by women, youth and esop-system stakeholders across South African townships, the following projects where pioneered, of which some fiercely inhibited and/or stonewalled in what was then Apartheid South Africa. Today we are humbled to know, and particularly during Covid Pandemic, that Dreamcatcher had actually created the “New Normal’, sought as a top priority and trend today for sustainable futures.