I was a Director of the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve and prepared the submission to UNESCO for its declaration. I have worked for 30 years in various environmental and community development capacities, including animal husbandry and rehabilitation, environmental education, project development, fundraising, implementation and management. In 2011 I did a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in order to enhance my abilities to understand, interface and engage with corporate entities. My research focused on the relevance of social capital in the success of cooperatives in small communities.