The Amarula Trust: Sustaining Communities & Conscious Conservation

Recently ranked as one of the world’s fastest-growing spirit brands by researchers Euromonitor International, Amarula has also been listed in 86th position on the 2010 Impact Databank World’s Top 100 Premium Spirits Brands list, up from 87th place a year ago.

The continued growth of the brand, known universally as the ‘Spirit of Africa’ has a direct bearing on the livelihoods of 60 000 rural people in the Phalaborwa region. As the harvesting occupies no more than two months at most, of their time, the producers of Amarula have established a not-for-profit trust to fund community upliftment projects amongst these otherwise marginalised villagers, says spokesperson Lorien Kee.

‘With so many people dependent on the harvesting income, it was necessary to find additional employment opportunities to sustain families throughout the year. Amarula consulted with the tribal indunas representing the local communities and together evolved a series of skills transfer projects, including the secondary processing of the oil-rich marula nuts, used for a range of health and beauty products. In the process, a crèche, clinic and recreational facilities have been created for people in the villages close to Phalaborwa, enhancing the local quality of life for residents.

The indigenous marula trees are not only a source of income, but they serve as meeting places for community gatherings and the spiritual locus for ritual activity in kraals and villages. Amongst some tribes they are known as ‘marriage’ trees and even today nuptials are conducted under their umbrella-shaped branches.’

Kee says the Amarula Trust is also engaged in long-term elephant research and field guide scholarship programmes to promote conservation in their natural habitat and where marula trees are prevalent. It has recently committed to a further three years of financial support to the Amarula Elephant Research Project (AERP) under Prof Rob Slotow of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The latest grant of R900 000, to be paid in three equal annual instalments, brings to R4,25m the amount donated by the trust to the project that explores issues affecting the conservation, protection and management of African elephants in their natural habitat.

For further information on Amarula Cream please visit www.amarula.com and on the Amarula Trust www.amarulatrust.com.

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