Staff Spotlight: Theda Knyphausen

Title:
Managing Director Botswana

Photos

Theda, tell us about yourself.

I founded CONSAFARITY in 2013 and moved to Botswana in 2013 - one of the best decisions!

I have been a member of the NATUCATE team since 2016, and spend most of the year in Botswana. Traveling has always been a passion for me and since I fell in love with southern Africa I'm using every free minute to explore the bush and the places I have not yet visited.

I can provide volunteers with valuable information about what to do, where to go, and what should not be missed!

What is your favorite travel memory?

There are so many beautiful memories that I wouldn’t know which one to choose!

Sitting on a horse and cantering over the open floodplains in the Okavango Delta next to buffalo is a favorite. Another would be an encounter with a group of meerkats, watching them is such a pleasure! As a group, they apparently felt very self-confident and started coming closer to me and were very curious. I felt like I was the one being observed!

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

That would definitely be our Horseback Adventure in Argentina – the best way to explore nature and to be part of it is either on a horse or on foot and I have always wanted to visit South America.

Of course, the projects taking part in Botswana and South Africa are some of my favorite projects as well, but if I have the chance I would also like to give another country a chance, explore a new place and get to know a new culture.

I am in love with Botswana and it will be tough to beat, but the combination of a horseback tour, mountains, and wide open land does sound very convincing!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

We offer only high-quality programs where the maintenance of natural habitats is combined with good education and the best opportunity for personal development.

Only out in nature and by using our hands, mind, and heart we can learn that we are part of it all and that we have to take responsibility.

Furthermore, we offer very personalized customer service and take care of each and every participants' wishes and needs. I’m always proud of our team!

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe that having clear goals is one key factor. Transparency and good communication – Internal and external is another important factor as well.

Trying to reach a goal is tough from time to time, but as a team it can be reached much quicker and with less effort than working for yourself. This is one aspect I started to realize when I joined the NATUCATE team - as a team, we can collect many more ideas and are much more creative, but also can learn from one another's experiences and follow our goals and ideas with much more strength of purpose.