Rafiki Safari Foundation

About the Organization

Organization category

Foundation

Country / State

USA/ Wyoming

Mission

To educate and inspire the next generation of stewards through place-based learning, conservation, and intergenerational connection to our planets living landscapes.

Programs or services

Rafiki Safari Foundation provides immersive place-based education programs on a private reserve in Costa Rica’s Savegre Valley and in Wyoming. Our core offerings include 1-week and 2-week student immersions, advanced field programs for older youth, and custom learning pathways for schools, outdoor education organizations, camps, homeschool groups, and educators. Programs integrate field biology, watershed and forest ecology, conservation education, local knowledge, Spanish language learning, and direct experience in a living landscape. All programs are intentionally small (maximum 20 participants) and can be tailored to the age, goals, and learning priorities of each group.

Detailed programs

Rafiki Safari Foundation offers immersive place-based education programs on a private reserve in Costa Rica’s Savegre Valley, within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Our core programs include:

1-Week Place-Based Immersion — an introduction to watershed ecology, forest systems, birding, conservation learning, local knowledge, and field observation
2-Week Place-Based Immersion — deeper inquiry, extended field study, mountain-to-coast learning, student leadership, and conservation storytelling
Super Lekker Safari / Advanced Immersion — a more rigorous program for older students focused on independence, leadership, and advanced ecological understanding
Custom Pathways — tailored programs for biology-focused groups, leadership groups, families/homeschool cohorts, younger middle school students, and educators

Programs operate in small groups (maximum 20), combine rigorous field learning with daily life on the reserve, and integrate Spanish language learning, conservation education, and direct experience of river, forest, mangrove, and coastal systems.

Target Audience

Our primary audience includes middle school and high school students, outdoor and place-based education programs, independent and progressive schools, nature-based camps, homeschool co-ops, educator groups, and youth leadership programs seeking meaningful field-based learning. We especially serve groups that value small cohorts, ecological literacy, conservation education, and transformative outdoor experiences. Secondary audiences include teachers and education professionals seeking place-based professional learning.

Geographic Focus

Wyoming / Costa Rica

Current projects

Launch and expansion of place-based education partnerships with U.S. schools, outdoor education programs, camps, and educator groups
Development of comparative learning experiences connecting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Savegre Valley
Conservation education connected to watershed stewardship and the Path of the Tapir (Paso de la Danta) biological corridor in collaboration with regional conservation efforts
Strengthening intergenerational knowledge and youth learning programs on the reserve
Building the Foundation’s outreach, website, and partner pipeline as a Wyoming 501(c)(3)

Organization goals

Short-term

Secure initial school, camp, and educator partners
Run pilot immersions
Build a sustainable outreach and enrollment pipeline
Strengthen conservation education programming on the reserve

Long-term

Become a recognized place-based education partner connecting North American learners with the Savegre Valley
Support lasting ecological literacy and stewardship in young people
Contribute to conservation of the Savegre watershed and related habitat connectivity
Sustain family-stewarded land as a living classroom for generations

Leadership

Vanessa Boshoff — Founder / Education & Conservation Leadership; wildlife filmmaker, educator, and place-based program lead
Nel Boshoff — Co-leader / Visual Storytelling & Field Perspective; Emmy-nominated aerial cinematographer and wildlife filmmaker
Family stewardship leadership — multi-generational care of the Rafiki reserve and mission, including Lautjie Boshoff as part of the intergenerational continuum of place-based stewardship

Rafiki Safari Foundation is a Wyoming-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Strategic priorities

Launch high-quality pilot immersions with aligned schools, camps, and outdoor education partners
Build a durable partner pipeline across place-based education, independent schools, nature-based programs, and educator networks
Expand access through scholarship support so more students can participate
Strengthen conservation education connected to watershed stewardship, biodiversity, and regional habitat connectivity
Grow organizational capacity while preserving small-group depth and the integrity of the living-classroom model
Establish a strong funder and donor base to sustain programs over time

Organizational capacity

Rafiki Safari Foundation currently operates with focused founding leadership, family stewardship of the land-based classroom, and a lean organizational structure designed for high-quality, small-group program delivery. Capacity includes program design, partner outreach, educational leadership, visual storytelling, and on-the-ground reserve operations. As partnerships and funding grow, the Foundation intends to expand operational capacity while preserving the intimacy and integrity of the learning model.

Funding Needs

Grant categories you're seeking

Education
Environment / Conservation
Youth Development
Outdoor / Experiential Education
International Education / Global Learning
Wildlife / Habitat Conservation
Arts & Culture
Community / Place-Based Initiatives
Women led

Funding needs

We are seeking funding to support:

Scholarship / access support so more students can participate
Program delivery and field education costs
Conservation education and stewardship activities on the reserve
Partnership development and outreach to schools and outdoor education organizations
Core operating capacity for the Foundation’s education mission

Funding will help us grow high-quality, small-group immersions while keeping programs accessible and grounded in real conservation and place-based learning.

Impact & Recognition

Outcomes and impact

As a newly formalized Foundation building on more than two decades of family land stewardship and conservation-oriented hospitality in the Savegre Valley, our near-term impact focuses on:

Providing immersive place-based learning experiences for small student and educator groups
Increasing ecological literacy, attention, and conservation awareness among participants
Supporting stewardship of the reserve and related conservation education
Building durable partnerships with schools, camps, and outdoor education organizations

As programs scale, we will track participants served, partner organizations engaged, program completions, and qualitative indicators of student growth in observation, ecological understanding, and stewardship orientation.

Success stories

Although the Foundation itself is newly established, its work builds on long-standing family care of the Rafiki reserve and a deep commitment to connecting people with the Savegre Valley’s living systems. Early success is reflected in the creation of a complete place-based education model; the launch of the Foundation’s public platform; and the development of partnership pathways for schools, outdoor education programs, camps, and educators. The intended impact is clear: young people leave with stronger ecological literacy, deeper attention to living systems, and a greater sense of responsibility to protect the natural world.
As pilot groups participate, the Foundation will document specific student, educator, and partner outcomes to share as formal success stories.

Organization achievements

Establishment of Rafiki Safari Foundation as a Wyoming 501(c)(3)
Long-term family stewardship of a private reserve in the Savegre Valley
Development of a full place-based education program model (1-week, 2-week, advanced, and custom pathways)
Public launch of the Foundation website and partner outreach platform
Ongoing conservation alignment with regional efforts, including awareness and education connected to the Path of the Tapir / Paso de la Danta landscape

Major funders

As a newly formalized Foundation, major support to date has come primarily from founders, family stewardship resources, and early individual supporters aligned with the mission of place-based education and conservation. The Foundation is actively developing relationships with education, conservation, youth development, and place-based learning funders.

Partnerships & Collaborations

ASANA Costa Rica, Fundación Albatros Media

Sustainability, dissemination & replicability

Our programs are designed for long-term sustainability through small-group, high-touch immersions; partnership-based enrollment; and the ongoing stewardship of the reserve as a living classroom. Learning is disseminated through student inquiry, educator professional experiences, storytelling, and partner relationships with schools and outdoor education organizations. Elements of the model — place-based immersion, watershed and biodiversity learning, conservation ethics, and small-group formation — are adaptable and can inform similar programs in other landscapes, while remaining grounded in the specific ecology and culture of the Savegre Valley.

Internal checks & balances to prevent fraud

Rafiki Safari Foundation maintains basic nonprofit financial controls appropriate to its size, including separation of key financial duties where possible, documented expense approval, restricted use of Foundation funds for mission-related purposes only, and oversight by organizational leadership. As a Wyoming 501(c)(3), the Foundation is committed to transparent recordkeeping, responsible stewardship of donations, and compliance with applicable nonprofit reporting requirements. Additional formal controls will continue to be strengthened as the organization grows.

Get Involved

How can volunteers get involved?

Volunteers may support the Foundation through program preparation, outreach support, educational content assistance, conservation education projects, and special initiatives as needs arise. Interested volunteers can contact the Foundation directly through the website to discuss skills, availability, and current opportunities.

How can donors support your mission?

Donors can support Rafiki Safari Foundation through one-time gifts, monthly recurring support, student scholarship sponsorship, and designated support for conservation education or program delivery. In-kind contributions aligned with educational and stewardship needs may also be considered. Contributions to the Foundation, a Wyoming 501(c)(3), are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

Do you accept partnerships?

Yes. We actively welcome partnerships with schools, outdoor education programs, nature-based camps, homeschool co-ops, educator groups, and aligned conservation or place-based learning organizations. Ideal partners value small groups, deep field learning, ecological literacy, and transformative outdoor education. Partnerships may include student immersions, educator professional learning, and custom program design.

Are you seeking board members?

Yes, selectively. As a growing 501(c)(3), the Foundation is open to board or advisory members who bring experience in education, conservation, nonprofit governance, fundraising, outdoor learning, or community leadership, and who are aligned with the mission of place-based education and long-term land stewardship.

Website & Social Media