Defender awards calls on South African Changemakers: £100 000, a vehicle and mentorship up for grabs

South African small-scale charities and non-profit organisations dedicated to conservation and humanitarian efforts are urged to enter the newly launched Defender Awards. This international initiative by the original British adventure brand, Defender, aims to support and champion local heroes and their initiatives as part of a substantial £1m global campaign.

Entrants from South Africa stand a chance to be one of the seven global winners who will receive a £100,000 bursary, a rugged and capable Defender vehicle to support vital front-line work in hard-to-reach locations, and invaluable mentoring support from a community of experts.

Entries are sought from programmes making a difference in one of four categories:

• Defenders of the Wild: Protecting endangered and at-risk species, from vultures to vital indigenous flora.
• Defenders of Humanity: Supporting vulnerable communities, helping them prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises.
• Defenders of the Land: Protecting and restoring South Africa's most precious and fragile ecosystems.
• Defenders of the Sea: Protecting marine species, coastal environments, and addressing challenges such as pollution and unsustainable practices.

The Defender Awards initiative is specifically designed to support small-scale charities and non-profit organisations working on humanitarian and conservation projects at a grassroots level.

Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, said: "Defender has a proud heritage of helping people make more of their world, spanning both humanitarian and conservation causes. Our enduring 70-year association with the Red Cross and our 20-year partnership with Tusk support established organisations, but we wanted a way of engaging with smaller-scale initiatives. We have launched Defender Awards to recognise and support local conservation and humanitarian heroes. It is international in scale but has a grassroots focus and will further Defender's rich history of supporting vulnerable habitats, species, and communities.”

Esteemed Panel to Adjudicate South African Entries

Adding significant local expertise, Defender has announced a prestigious panel to adjudicate entries from South Africa and select local finalists. The panel includes:

• Ross Holgate: Operations leader and mapping and navigation expert for the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, renowned for using adventure to improve and save lives through malaria prevention, distribution of reading glasses, and providing clean water to vulnerable communities.
• Ivy Wairimu: Head of Conservation Partnerships at Tusk, an organisation supporting progressive conservation interventions across Africa, with a 20-year partnership with Defender.
• Bryan Habana: Springbok legend, Defender ambassador, and founder of the Bryan Habana Foundation, which inspires young South Africans and supports social change through sport via the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa.

Janico Dannhauser, Brand Manager, Defender, said: “Defender is renowned for forging enduring relationships with various organisations that exist for the primary goal of advancing the betterment of the world through humanitarian and conservation causes. Through the Defender Awards, and with the support of Ross, Ivy, and Bryan, we will be able to extend our reach to organisations at the cold phase of delivering humanitarian and conservation services.”

This initiative builds on Defender's legacy, which traces back to the first Series Land Rovers in 1948 and includes deployments with British Red Cross nurses in Kenya in 1954, and a 20-year collaboration with African conservation charity Tusk.

Charlie Mayhew OBE, Founder and President of Tusk, added: “The new Defender Awards initiative represents a valuable opportunity for smaller organisations to begin their own relationships – and benefit from additional funding and expertise, as well as the 4x4 capability that is associated with Defender.”

How to Enter

Small-scale charities and non-profit organisations from South Africa are encouraged to submit their entries.

• Visit: www.landrover.co.za/defender/defender-awards/index.html 
• Closing Date for Submissions: 16 June 2025

Following the closing date, national judges, including Holgate, Wairimu, and Habana for South Africa, will select two entries in each of the four awards categories. This will create a 56-strong international shortlist, from which a judging panel of global experts will select the seven overall winners, with at least one winner from each participating country (South Africa, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Japan).

This is a unique opportunity for South African organisations making a tangible difference on the ground to receive significant backing to amplify their impact.