To our tourism and conservation partners… hello!
We have big news – it is Love Africa’s 10 year anniversary this month. Part of me thinks, ‘are we that ‘old’?’ and another part of me is thinking ‘it feels like it’s been going my whole life’.
How it started
To look at where and why it all started, I’m going to need to get a little personal.
There are two profound passions I have in life which have carved my life and my career. These are: the beautiful continent of Africa and creating awareness. I have my parents to thank for this.
The love for Africa, its people, wildlife and landscapes, was instilled in me as a child by my parents. Fond memories of my sister and I visiting local nature reserves, sitting for hours and hours – arguing over which side of the car was best for game viewing – fighting over the scraps of biltong that were lobbed over the seats during sundowners. Combine that with two passionate writer/ journalist parents and the concept of news and awareness has never been far from the dinner table. This evolved further when I began working in luxury safari lodges across the continent taking any gap that I could to be involved before, during and after my studies. The other crucial person (who has argued not to be included in this letter), has been my husband. An unwavering support in all aspects of my life, and a significant mentor in the conservation space.
Love Africa has been going for 10 years
It was the year before Love Africa started that I lost my sister in a car accident, which changed the course of my life. Life events like that catapult you into a radical shift in perspective. The ground fell away from under my feet and everything I thought I knew was different – in an instant.
Someone once said to me, grief can provide ‘an irrational amount of perspective’ where life thereafter and everything you do becomes….almost trivial. This was true for me and thankfully, over time, I came to realise that I did actually need to eat and sleep, and socialise and go to work, and survive. Things balanced out a bit. I wasn’t working too far away from my passions in life at the time of the accident, but it most certainly knocked me into place to ensure I would never stray from that path again.
They talk about life being ‘too short – make the most of it’, but I think it’s really about life being ‘too long’ to spend it having an average time.
For me, this was centered around working and living my passions; on choosing to work with amazing people and organisations, and most importantly, around making an impact. This is when I started Love Africa – with the aim to use communication and marketing to highlight this continent, its people and its landscape with a key focus on tourism and conservation.
That was the beginning – but how do I explain the last 10 years?
That story centres around our team and our partners. These are all very special people.
We have had a team who have come with equal passion and dedication to the craft of communications and a willingness to make a real impact. Years of research from our team has gone into complex issues in conservation, tourism and national policy governing the projects we work on. Coupled with an evolving digital age – with the world of ‘connection’ changing on a daily basis – it has not been easy. But they love it, and they are good at it.
And then there are our partners. Some of whom have become like family. These individuals and organisations have trusted us to tell their stories, to campaign, to mould their brand. Most of them have been with us right from the beginning, and we continue to work through life together.
There are truly amazing projects on the go tackling big issues and making a significant impact. I see it first hand, almost every day. Change may not be obvious, and it may not be instant, but there are projects in motion that will result in a positive ripple effect for generations to come. Those moments make the years of hard work leading up to them so worthwhile.
This is where we will be – doing our bit to create awareness, telling these stories, and working to make an impact.
Here’s to the next 10 years.
Sincerely,
Nicola
A new look for Love Africa's 10 year anniversary!
To celebrate one whole decade of Love Africa Marketing, we have given our logo a fresh new look.
Love Africa prides itself on professionalism, innovative thinking, and attention to detail, while also fostering a creative and diverse environment where unique ideas and strategies contribute to our success.
To express all that Love Africa encompasses, our new logo combines a polished and professional look through bold, crisp lines and modern typography with a sense of energy and vibrancy, which is evident in our bright colour pallet.
Our new logo honours the last ten years of Love Africa, while accurately representing who we are today.
We wouldn't be 10 years old without you
Ten years of Love Africa would not be possible without our amazing partners, many of whom have become part of the family.
Thank you for allowing us to work alongside you and for trusting us to tell your stories. We look forward to many more years of collaboration, making positive impacts, and building meaningful relationships.
