Rifumo Mathebula has been awarded International Young Environmentalist of the Year 2022 by the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (London) for his work with Wild Shots Outreach. Rifumo is WSO's Programme Director and manages programme delivery with his team of assistants. This prestigious award recognises ‘passionate, proactive individuals actively working towards positive environmental change with lasting impact.’

Two of WSO's young female photographers have been selected as ambassadors for the Girls Who Click Programme. This US-based programme assigns professional female photographers as mentors to develop the most promising young female photographers from around the world. Karabo Magakane (pictured) and Queen manyike are very proud to have been selected.

In 2021 Rivoni Mkansi's image won a gallery competition at COP26. Hi image was published around the world including the Guardian (UK) and the Washington Post (US).

Neville Ngomane was invited to speak at EXPO 2020 held in Dubai. Neville's presentation was streamed across the world as he spoke about his journey as a black conservation photographer.

In 2020 Wild Shots Outreach was awarded The Global Good Awards' Gold Award for community partnership and the Bronze Award for education.

Neville Ngomane (WSO graduate 2018) was awarded "Young Environmental Photographer of the Year in 2019 for his image "Desperate Measures". The image was shot on assignment with WSO.

Wild Shots Outreach was awarded the SANParks Kudu Award in November 2017 for "Environmental Education and Capacity Building".

Since the programme commenced in Nov 2015, we have run 114 programmes with 970 student graduates.

Eight exhibitions have been staged featuring student photographs, including at the prestigious Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg and in local communities. Students have attended all of the exhibitions and proudly displayed their images.

We run wildlife photography programmes for the NGO Elephants Alive, targeting school children from communities with wildlife conflict and poaching issues. Students photographed elephant collaring operations in the field, with a follow up exhibition in their community, attended by 600.

We are honoured that Sam Nzima, legendary photojournalist of Hector Pieterson fame, was an ambassador for the programme, giving inspirational talks to students, launching exhibitions etc.

Wild Shots Wildlife Photography Conference – students have attended the conference to meet and be inspired by the best wildlife photographers. They have attended conferences in Johannesburg 2016 and Cape Town 2017, 2018, and 2019. 

Media Coverage – featured in Wild Card Magazine, national radio on Talk FM’s Nature Journal and  Beautiful News and News.24 (April 2017 – 150,000 views).

Wild Shots Outreach is delivering Canon SA's Young People's Programme in 2018 & 2019. This includes work-shops and community exhibitions. Canon is committed to helping young people harness the power of positive visual storytelling to drive change and is exposing young people to new learning opportunities. Wild Shots Outreach’s work was presented at the UN’s Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development.

Wild Shots Outreach is increasingly identifying individuals from local communities with real potential and passion – including budding conservationists and future photographers. We’re working with local businesses to secure work placements for some of WSO’s top graduates. These include a female graduate now working full time as a FGSA registered guide, and eight students on work placements within the local wildlife economy, including two now working at Tanda Tula Safari Camp.

Collaboration with SANParks and Wild Magazine with students’ images decorating the new lodge at Skukuza Rest Camp. “Shooting Skukuza” Story featured in Wild Magazine (summer 2019)

Mike Kendrick has given presentations at the Wild Shots Wildlife Photography Conference about the Outreach programme in Johannesburg and Cape Town.