14 May 2020

Natural Selection launches Palette to Plate art auction to raise money for remote communities in Botswana

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Natural Selection is raising money for its COVID-19 Village Support Program through an art auction taking place on Facebook on the 20th of May. Up for grabs is a custom picture by South African artist Jemima Sargent. Those who have visited Natural Selection’s Lekkerwater Beach Lodge and Hoanib Valley Camp will be familiar with her work which decorates the camps.

Bidding will open on Natural Selection’s Facebook page at 12pm GMT on 20th May and close at 6 pm GMT on 22nd May. The winner will choose an animal from the reserves where Natural Selection operates. Jemima will bring the subject to life in an A2 watercolor and pen artwork created live on social media in 60 minutes for friends and family of the winner to watch.

The auction is raising funds for the Natural Selection COVID-19 Village support program. In Botswana 8.9% of the population are employed by the tourism sector. One employed person typically supports between five and seven other people. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, global travel bans, and the temporary closure of many safari camps across the region, this is a time to be mindful of the vulnerability of communities living alongside wildlife areas. The COVID-19 Village Support program is transporting food parcels to remote villages to improve the nourishment of communities in the face of this unprecedented viral threat. 100 families in the Khwai Village have already received food parcels in April and during May the reach will expand.

If operators would like to promote the auction to their guests please contact [email protected] for collateral.