!Khwa Nature Reserve, Yzerfontein

!Khwa ttu Nature Reserve strives to restore dignity and cultural pride, navigating a practical path between the old ways and the new World. They are committed to the dynamic preservation of indigenous knowledge and the development of skills to equip San to thrive in a rapidly changing Southern Africa.

The Heritage of the San and its restitution, conservation and responsible tourism practice creates a powerful learning experience for young San from across Southern Africa. By sharing their example, expertise and information with visitors, and through forming partnerships, they leverage the impact locally and strengthen indigenous initiatives in remote communities across Southern Africa.

THE HISTORY OF THE SAN PEOPLE- "The San people are members of various Khoe, Tuu, or Kx'a-speaking indigenous hunter-gatherer culture. They are the first cultures of Southern Africa whose territories span Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Zambia. They have called these regions home for tens of thousand of Years. In 2019, Botswana was home to approximately 64 000 San people, making it the country with the highest population of San people- hence the strong relationship with the Botswana people!

San people were traditionally semi-nomadic people- moving seasonally within certain defined Areas, based on the availability of natural resources such as: "water; game-animals and edible plants." The tribes are well known for there remarkable connection and knowledge of their land and natural surroundings. They have astonishingly maintained this for Millions of Years in this Area. The sad reality is that their unique way of life will be destroyed if their Heritage is not preserved and passed on to the youth. Hence why !Khwa ttu was established. To serve as a workplace and learning centre which delivers individual designed job-training to 50-75 San people, a Year."

The San people are threatened with a disenfranchisement from their Culture, language and knowledge of their way of life. This is largely due to climate change and the developing World, leaving behind this delicate niche of people! (This generally goes for all of humankind)."

This San culture and education centre, was founded in 1999 and is located 70km from Cape Town. It's a non-profit company managed jointly by: the San and a Swiss-based 'Ubuntu Foundation' !Khwa ttu Nature Reserve story begins with: Irene Staehelin. In 1998, the Working Group for Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WIMSA) decided that the San needed assistance in unlocking potentialTtourism opportunities and showcasing San culture to the World. They turned to Swiss anthropologist Irene Staehelin for this. She agreed to help! In 1999, she was guided by her own vision, and inspired by the Heritage Centre's in the USA and Canada, Irene bought an 850 hectare, Wheat farm, on the West Coast of South Africa for the !Khwa ttu project. Irene, later set up the Ubuntu Foundation in Switzerland, to help guide and support the project.

!Khwa ttu Nature Reserve, opened to the public in 2006. In the following Decade, Farm Buildings have been restored andthere is a steady development of its Tourism. This offered the San more development capabilities. Outside, the Area was carefully rehabilitated and wildlife reintroduced.

In September 2016 Ubuntu Foundation, committed a substantial portion of the funding needed to build !Khwa ttu’s San Heritage Centre. This paved the way to fulfilling the dreams of many, and launched the next exciting stage of !Khwa ttu’s development! 

Yzerfontein Lime Kilns where established and a the refreshment station at the Cape of Good Hope; by the VOC there was no cement available for building purposes. The Dutch built lime kilns to burn mussels to form a binding material to be used as cement.

There is also many Outdoor Activities: The Schaapeiland Hiking Trail (Link in Further Reading). The 'Schaapeiland Hiking Trail'; skirts the edge of the Village of Yzerfontein. Approximately two kilometres long, it starts from the Main Beach – or Sixteen Mile Beach as it is also known – and then runs in a Southerly direction.