My father, Sibusiso Vilane, wasn’t always a world-famous adventurer. Before he became the first Black person to summit Mount Everest, he was a goatherd in rural Swaziland. His life changed when he became a ranger at Malolotja Nature Reserve in 1993 and guided a British man named John Doble. After seeing his natural talent, John asked him if he’d like to climb Everest. My dad said yes… without even knowing what Everest was. This seems to run in the family because I also have a “Say yes to the opportunity, ask questions later” attitude.
That decision led to history. But before Everest, before the speeches and accolades, he was trained by &Beyond (before it was even called that), and worked as a guide—a different class of guide. Quietly skilled. Deeply rooted in the bush. Unshakably passionate about conservation.
He always had a dream, not for more mountains, but for more young people in nature. He told me many times that one day, he wanted to own a game viewer and take children from local communities out on safaris—every weekend, every school holiday. To help them fall in love with the bush. To show them what’s worth protecting.
That dream shaped my own life. Because of him, I grew up around game drives, conservation, and wildlife. It changed me. I went on to be part of Youth4Lions, Youth4AfricanWildlife, Crash Kids Against Rhino Poaching, and many other initiatives. I’ve spoken at the World Youth Wildlife Summit and worked in conservation filmmaking. Today, even as a software engineer, I’ve chosen to live and work in the bush, building systems and operations that help conservation and eco-tourism thrive.
I started The Shuri Foundation because I believe we need to do more. This campaign is our first big step. We're fundraising to buy a secondhand game viewer—affectionately called “Simba” (my father’s nickname when climbing Kilimanjaro, which he’s done over 40 times).
Simba will:
- Take children from underrepresented communities on game drives every weekend
- Be used during the week for school visits and environmental education
- Enable camping trips during school holidays
- Share conservation stories directly from the man who lived them
If we raise more, we hope to buy more vehicles—there are many secondhand options—and expand the reach.
Are other organizations doing similar work? Yes. But there are many stories left untold. Many communities are still unreached. And how many young people get to learn about wildlife from a former chief scout of South Africa… and the first Black man to summit Everest?
This campaign isn’t just about a vehicle. It’s about exposure, mentorship, and legacy.
Our youth need better role models!
It’s about preventing poaching, not just through punishment, but through pride.
It’s about helping more kids grow up like me—protectors of the bush, not just visitors to it.
Help us bring Simba home. Help us drive a generation forward.