
About Unearthed
We Create Leaders.
Unearthed started as a program aimed at giving young people a vision for their future. For finding news ways to use their skills and make the world a better place. Our initial pilot program (supported by the Kenchaan Foundation in the Netherlands) worked with (and still does support) a group of community based leaders who could build a better vision for their own future, for the future of their communities and the future of the protected game reserves around their communities.
We've seen many business plans and complex financial forecasts over the years, we've seen people with brilliant minds fail and we have seen people with hardly anything succeed. The difference is in the vision. Unearthed is very different from the normal "business training" programs out there. We don't focus on the technicalities as much as we focus on the vision. If you have a clear vision of who you are and what you want to do, you can make it happen.
We're Looking For You.
We’re looking for people who want to control their own lives BUT also want to make a positive impact on our planet but are not sure how. People who want to start a business, who want to control their own destinies, people who want to find ways to make extra cash but also do more than just make money, people who want to help others, who want to make our planet a better place in their own small way, people who follow a bigger calling. Whether is around lighting up with world with your creativity or sharing your passion or exposing people to something new or even something which just helps makes someone else’s life a bit simpler, easier, more enriched…..then you’re the kind of person we want to work with! Some may argue otherwise but this is what we believe social entrepreneurship is all about. As an example, even something like taking people’s dogs for a walk can be crafted into something a lot more than that. It’s a chance to educate people about the value of animal companionship, a chance to raise awareness or funding for animal anti-cruelty work, a chance to educate people around care for animals. There’s so much opportunity. It could be a simple dog walking business or it could be crafted into a website that certifies dog walkers to a specific standard or care and empathy. Our point is, it does not matter what your interests are or where your passions lay or what your skills are, there is a way to make a viable business out of most ideas ……and do good at the same time. And when your aim is to do good, to make a difference, that’s where the magic starts to happen. This isn’t just a good principle to live by, it makes brilliant business sense too. I have to share a story, last week, we had a video call with a potential client who had what I felt was a fairly "weak" business idea. Probably more because I did not understand the concept and market very well. But that aside, I sat there through most the call, trying to be positive, but thinking to myself, "this is going to be a hard sell" But then, in an instant it all changed. The client started waxing lyrical about her mission around helping people unlock their creativity and the sense of satisfaction people get when they make something with their own hands. Her enthusiasm was palatable and instantly I moved from this being something with a 50/50 chance of success to this being a brilliant idea, riddled with potential. That simple addition / mind shift from the "product" to the "purpose" CHANGED EVERYTHING about this business idea. I picked up a big lesson. No matter how odd or simple an idea is, no matter how small the market may appear, if you have a bigger purpose behind your business idea, it will work. It's not about selling a product or service, it's about adding value to people's lives. If you can add value and have a bigger purpose, everything else will follow. That's really what social entrepreneurship is all about, it's about more than sales and profit, it's about the underlying purpose. How are you making someone's life more enriched or helping your community or making our planet a better place to live in? Get that right and the rest will follow. Coming up with ways to monetize an idea is something we’re good at, really good at. Taking an idea and crafting it into a small business, a side hustle, something that can generate some extra cash, this is our element and we’ve helped scores of small businesses start up from fairly off the wall ideas into successful little businesses. Helping these businesses be successful and making the world a better place at the same time …..this is what gets us out of the bed in the morning.
How we do It.

Wilderness
We spend three-five days walking in the wilderness (on specific programs only) A carefully facilitated and powerful experience to disconnect from all distractions and discover yourself. It's a digital detox, and a chance to create.

Purpose
A large focus of our process is to unpack what is important to you. Ultimately it's about building a vision for the future you want to see for yourself and the world around you. If you get the purpose right, most things follow quite easily

Goals
Formal training sessions include taking this vision and building a business model around it. From concerns around financial viability to plans for growing organically. It's all about getting a razor sharp plan for tomorrow, the next week, the next year.

Action
All our programs focus on creating step by step plans to make things happen. Review, rinse, repeat. Action is everything in our programs and we walk you through each step along the way. Connecting with mentors and our alumni to ensure long term support
Our Partners

Kenchaan Foundation
The Kenchaan Foundation is our core partner in the Netherlands having funded the development and implementation of the first pilot phase of the Unearthed project with communities around Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve
Kenchaan Foundation is committed to preserving the unique South African nature and wilderness. We finance and support projects aimed at involving the local population in the development of nature parks. By letting them understand the value of nature and also offering new opportunities in terms of work and income, we create a situation in which nature conservation and growing prosperity go hand in hand.

Wilderness Leadership School
The Wilderness Leadership School was the first non profit organisation in Africa dedicated to providing a pure wilderness experience for people of all backgrounds, races and nationalities. Steeped in a rich environmental history, The Wilderness Leadership School was founded in 1957 by the legendary Dr. Ian Player who, together with his friend and mentor Magqubu Ntombela, recognised the necessity for people to connect with the environment. Long before ecology had become a vogue catch-word, the Wilderness Leadership School foresaw the urgent need for a large body of well-informed, conservation-oriented leaders. The Wilderness Leadership School is the offocial implimenting agent for Unearthed

ETC-Africa
ETC-Africa is a South African based community tourism consultancy and implementing partner for the Unearthed Programme. ETC-Africa has worked with community based eco-tourism operations and Social Entreprenurs across Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico, Canada and Australia. They have supported the development of no less than 50 community enterprises over the years and feel passionately about creating a connection between livelihoods and natural resources as a tool for conservation. ETC-Africa provides the formal training sessions and mentorship for the Unearthed Programme.
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