The Latitude Hotels group is a unique African lifestyle hospitality brand based in urban environments across the continent.
As well as hotels, the group offers members clubs, workspaces, spa, gym and conferencing facilities.
Recognising that the pandemic would put heavy pressure on the already vulnerable communities and economies in which the Latitudes Hotel's operates, the group launched Latitude Gratitude, a reinforcement of Latitude's existing programme of community giving.
Its global campaign has raised over $25,000, which has been channelled into local grass-root organisations and charities in Lusaka, Lilongwe and Kampala, the company's three areas of operation.
Latitude has also worked with one of its regular suppliers to produce face-masks which are sold to raise money for the campaign.
Sausage Tree & Potato Bush Camps, Zambia
Named after distinctive local vegetation, Sausage Tree and Potato Bush are sister camps located on the banks of the Zambezi River, in Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park.
The camps offer a wide range of game-viewing.
On the eve of lockdown Jason Mott, owner of Sausage Tree & Potato Bush Camps in the Lower Zambezi, decided to move his young family from Lusaka to look after their camp and to keep an eye on things in the surrounding bush.
A home-made film gives a glimpse into one family's lockdown experience :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIq_DDkeSGw&autoplay=1
Zanzibar White Sand Hotel
Co-owner Natalia Niznik arrived in Zanzibar for a regular 3 week visit early in 2020 and has been unable to leave.
She has used the time to increase her work with the local community.
Redundant hotel stock has also been put to alternative uses.
Working with a local doctor, old linen has been made into masks for the community and the hotelpartnered with an NGO to donate towels for conversion to sanitary products.
Staple food items have also been distributed to the local community.
Hotel upgrades, during this time, have included additional solar panels, new shingle roofs produced in the carpentry and decking and pathways made from recycled plastic.
The Farmers Market
With seasonal and local food a passion for the hotel, Natalia and like-minded hoteliers on the island who have established The Farmers Market.
This is a new monthly market which aims to connect local growers and buyers from the hospitality sector, encouraging local food and fewer food miles.
The markets are buzzy, music-filled and sociable, with a long term aim is to support local farmers to go organic and adopt the best sustainable methods.
Ker & Downey, Botswana
While working on a major refurbishment of the Shinde Camp in the Okavango Delta, Ker & Downey's Fran Hird has been extending the ecologically significant Kariba Weed project, at the Delta camps.
Salvinia molesta, commonly known as giant Salvinia or Kariba Weed, after it infested a large portion of Lake Kariba between Zimbabwe and Zambia, is an aquatic fern, native to south-eastern Brazil.
This alien invasive aquatic plant if left unchecked is very damaging to the delicate ecosystem of the Okavango Delta.
Ker & Downey Botswana have established a weevil breeding project whereby the weevils are used as an agent of biological pest control for Salvinia molesta.
The female weevil lays over 300 eggs in the lower leaves of the plant, which burrow through rhizomes and feeds on new buds, warping and stunting the plant until it eventually sinks.
Adults also feed on the buds and leaves of the plant.
Boschendal, South Africa
With 4,500 acres of agricultural and conservation land, Boschendal wine farm in Franschhoek, is known for its farm to fork menus.
During Covid, the property redirected all of its fresh produce to local child development centres and community schools and soup kitchens.
It has delivered basic medical supplies to local clinics and books for children unable to go to school.
Santorini, Mozambique
Santorini has used its period of inactivity to plan and launch its Footprints programme, which is geared to leaving a sustainable footprint in the lives and land of this Mozambican coastline.
Santorini gives resources and invests staff time to its Footprint commitments.
A major partnership with ParCo, a community development agency based in Vilanculos, will help improve wellbeing and environmental conservation through community led, sustainable initiatives.
a percentage of revenue is donated by Santorini to Footprints projects for every guest night.