Laura Bada Zepeda
Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla
George Dionne
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Africam Safari is a wildlife park in Mexico dedicated to the conservation of mostly African species in environments similar to their native habitats. Employees are encouraged to use their talents creatively as an avenue to personal and professional growth.
When we first asked Frank Carlos Camacho Wardle (CEO) to describe the innovation at Africam Safari his answer was simply, “El efecto tribu” - the tribal effect.
As we delved into the story we realized that the Efecto Tribu is the result of many events and actions since 1972, beginning with Captain Carlos Camacho Espiritu, Frank Carlos's father, who started this animal kingdom as a private collection at his home in Valsequillo, Puebla, Mexico. The name "Africam" combines the continent where most of the animals came from (Africa) and the first part of Camacho's name.
His main concern was always the welfare of animals, and as a self-proclaimed ambassador for their species, he considered it vital to rescue threatened species and create environments where they could survive and breed in conditions similar to their natural habitats. The result is a wildlife park where 350 species totaling about 2500 animals roam freely in harmony with their care givers and visitors.
The animals are not the only ones to benefit from his philosophy. “In the tribal effect there is a realization that everyone has had an impact in different ways," says Frank Carlos's elder sister, Amy Camacho, who took over the operation after their father’s sudden death in 1976. The tribal effect includes employees who are all considered equally vital to the success of Africam and who are encouraged to use their gifts and creativity to the fullest.
This innovation has drawn thousands of visitors to Africam Safari every year, hundreds of job applications from all over the world, and visits from zoo administrators from many countries.
This project emerged out of an unquenchable thirst for adventure by Captain Carlos Camacho who traveled the world marveling at the flora and fauna found on his expeditions. Committed to protecting nature, he devoted much of his time to creating a sanctuary where wild animals, many from Africa, and plants could find favorable conditions to thrive.
Captain Camacho's son Frank Carlos shared stories of his love of elephants and participation in anti-poaching expeditions in Africa, which resulted in extraordinary efforts to rescue nine elephants from Namibia whose mothers were killed by poachers and bring them to Africam Safari, despite tremendous obstacles.
The owner of a hunting ground, who had taken the young elephants to his farm with the support of the Namibian government, "did not have the space and conditions to do so for a long time," Frank Carlos commented, so he traveled to Africa to oversee the transfer of the group of elephants to Africam.
There are the short-term effects of empowering people in a work environment that fosters continuous learning and personal growth, which generates confidence in themselves and long-term effects of building a team committed to the mission of Africam.
An employee, Bibian, calls it "a sense of belonging and being part of something bigger."
We were amazed by the story of a woman who was hired to do cleaning in the area of the giraffes. She had the spirit and commitment to do an excellent job as all people and jobs in Africam are considered equally important for the park to function. She became more and more interested and engaged with the care of these animals, and gradually became an expert and one of the park instructors. This tells us a lot about the opportunity for growth and a sense of belonging to "tribe."
Frank Carlos and Amy will continue to explore this successful model. One of its great strengths is that the employees' talents are used in a very rich way; workers teach themselves by improvising with what they have on hand.
Since the beginning, people with disabilities have been welcomed as part of the organization. Women have a chance for growth. "I have the ability to change many things, along with the team, but I'm inspired, desperate because there are so many things to do," says Bibian.
“As human beings we limit ourselves, we tend to say we cannot," said Captain Camacho. But in saying this, he gave this motivation to each person involved in the project since the beginning -- even the construction crews as they built the park along with his daughter, Amy.
Frank Carlos says, “I want to conserve the way you walk the tribe and how this effect will continue to move, to launch it to infinity.”
Bibian adds, “When people enter the Africam community, they learn how to do things they never imagined. No opportunity is missed, even beyond the roles they were hired to do. The pride in the tribe permeates every person who works here in such a way that those who move on to other organizations or return to their countries after an internship continue to believe in and give recognition to Africam. There is a continuing sense of belonging even when outside this organization.”
Several quotes that inform and inspire the heart of Africam as an organization and all those who work there are: "The impossible is temporary," "Everything we do with passion, because we love," and "The difference between excellent and extraordinary is in the details." These affirmations are lived by the entire team of people in their daily work, reflecting their passion for nature, human beings, and the link between their performance as members of the tribe and its impact.
Hundreds of visitors experience Africam every day.
Africam Safari is accredited by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums; only 10% of zoos in the world have received this accreditation. Africam was the first in Latin America.
"Be fully responsible for our planet; make decisions where we are clear about our responsibilities," says Frank Carlos. "In Africam it is part of everyone's responsibility to help everyone else, each area is part of the whole, and affects us all the same, because we are part of something bigger." This sense of collaboration and solidarity goes beyond the limits of Africam. Frank Carlos adds, "When one of our collaborators had a family emergency everyone in the organization was there to support him during those trying times."
They have a process of recycling and waste collection that favor the environment and the community by almost 100% reuse of organic waste in composting processes. They developed processes of power generation using the droppings of elephants, besides having a model of sustainable energy savings throughout the park.
Area of investigation in rehabilitation and reincorporation of species to their natural habitat.
Fifteen different education workshops for schools from preschool to college. Courses for businesses, under privileged, groups with special needs, and the general public.
Active participation in conservation projects around the world.
Support of innovations by suppliers, for example CPlantae in the creation of 18 natural wetlands for the treatment of organic waste.
Participation in the conservation in Mexico and elsewhere of endangered species, such as the Mexican gray wolf, royal eagle, guacamaya militar, flamingo, humpback whale, jaguar, and spider monkey.
By touring the park in vans and buses, visitors experience closeness with animals and their ecosystems, observing animals interacting in the wild. Visitors also receive information regarding the importance of preservation of threatened species and the necessity of preservation of the natural habitat of animals everywhere.
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