The first scholarship holder for the one-year training as a professional safari guide Grace Seidisa, who successfully completed her training in autumn 2016, is one of the first local women in Botswana to be offered a job as a guide at a renowned safari lodge in the Okavango Delta and to have been working for it on a permanent basis since February.

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„Growing up in a low income family where my parents run a small business and relied on it but still managed to send me and my siblings to school, fed and cloth us.
I always wanted to repay them in kind. When an opportunity presented itself in form of a scholarship I swore to work as hard as possibly can.

I started my training to be a guide at Eco Training school under Knyphausen Foundation the 1st September 2015 and finished on the 22nd August 2016.

Thanks to Theda who saw potential in me and gave me a chance as the first student to be sponsored. Her encouragement and continued support throughout my studying and training was a true blessing. After I had finished my guide course and had my license the next step was to find a job, which was not easy but persevered and secured one at Sanctuary Retreats from the 1st February 2018.
Being one of the few female guides it was hard to penetrate the male donated field but I never thought of giving up. I am still working for Sanctuary Retreats (Stanley´s Camp) and the financial freedom the scholarship has given me is tremendously appreciated. I now help take care of my parents in their golden age and help take care of my siblings school needs with the income I generate from being a guide.

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