Getting Back on
the Right Path
A second chance. A community that believed. A purpose found.
We came to Hluhluwe carrying a dream. But somewhere along the way, we trusted the wrong people. Slowly, they stripped away our direction and our hope. We drifted far from the path we were meant to walk.
Through divine timing, the Mdledshe family came into our lives — and with them, the truth about the people we had been trusting. By the time they entered our lives, we had nothing left to offer but a story of failure and hearts that still believed in something better.
Yet they opened their land to us. They asked nothing in return. They simply asked one question: "Can you build some kind of skills development center?"
That question brought us back to life. Because that was the dream we had before we lost our way — a place where people could learn, grow, and find their own path. A place that gave back to the community that was now giving us a second chance.
The Reality of Rebuilding
When we first set foot on this property, it was completely overgrown — bush so thick you could not see the buildings. Some structures were dilapidated, roofs caved in, walls crumbling. Invasive species had taken over, choking out the indigenous growth.
We are still fighting that bush today. But slowly, with limited resources and a lot of sweat, we have been clearing, cleaning, and fixing. Every patch of ground we open up is a small victory.
Come Help Us Build
We have two rooms available in the main house for volunteers who want to be part of this journey — clearing invasive plants, building infrastructure, planting the community garden, and more.
If you want to do real work that matters, in a forest, next to a game reserve, with a community that will welcome you — read the full volunteer page.
Honest Hospitality
The forest is real, the welcome is warm, and everything else is growing step by step with love, limited resources, and a community that refuses to let this dream fail.
We lost everything once. But we found something more valuable — a second chance, a community that believed in us, and a purpose that was always waiting for us to come back to it.
Ready to be part of what happens next? Book a site and support the dream in person.
Siyakwamukela. Welcome. We are glad you are here.
— Ethlathini Rest Camp, Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal
