The Sanctuary is not just a special place. It is home to special people too. Since inception, a sound relationship has been built and nurtured between The Sanctuary’s management, the homeowners and commercial lodges, and our local community.
The Sanctuary’s operations have recently received noteworthy praise from BIOFUND who have used The Sanctuary as an example of how a conservation/ecotourism model should ideally be administrated. Members of the Sanctuary’s team are regularly consulted for their administrative and managerial expertise in this field.
Our community
Through co-management and ongoing interaction, community programs, support and job creation, the livelihood of the local community improves year on year and we continue to strengthen our relationship which is uniquely symbiotic.
get to know us
Dave and Taryn Gilroy joined The Sanctuary as its management team in June 2018, bringing with them 15 years of experience in the Community Conservation industry in South Africa. As the General Manager of The Sanctuary, Dave’s hands-on, practical approach is well suited to the operational needs of the project while Taryn’s interpersonal and organisational skills complement her marketing, administration and fundraising portfolios. With their backgrounds as Ecologists in the far reaches of northern Kwazulu-Natal, the tough conditions of The Sanctuary are familiar to both Dave and Taryn, who are as unfazed by the heat as they are undaunted by the variety and complexities of their respective management roles. Their resilience is exemplified by their enthusiasm to embrace raising their two young children, Joely and Campbell, on The Sanctuary where they are home-schooled using a remarkable nature-based approach to education.
Both BSc. graduates of the University of KZN (South Africa) Dave and Taryn are deeply invested in and knowledgeable about the conservation industry; experience which is of huge value to The Sanctuary and to the wider Bazaruto Archipelago. They share a passion for an holistic integrated conservation approach and are committed to helping Africa’s people benefit from wildlife and tourism economies. The Sanctuary presents an exciting opportunity for Dave and Taryn to manage a potentially world-renowned project uniquely incorporating the 3 tenets of conservation, tourism and community in alliance with the Mozambique Government.
The Sanctuary’s operations are managed by a professional team of permanent employees based on site and in nearby Vilanculos. The majority of The Sanctuary’s employees are drawn from the indigenous community resident on The Sanctuary. The team comprises specialists in various fields including human resources, community liaison and game and marine conservancy, among others of both broad and specific applications.
A Board of Directors, appointed by the homeowners from their ranks at the annual AGM, oversees The Sanctuary’s operations and guides the management team in strict accordance with law and the objectives and philosophy of the project. The Board is populated with various experts in their field including founding members of project who hold invaluable background knowledge vital to understanding The Sanctuary.
The work of the Sanctuary’s Board, specialist sub-committees and Management Team would not be possible without the expertise of several key facilitators who provide in-depth assistance to The Sanctuary in their particular areas of expertise, vital to the sustained viability of the project.