There are few places in South Africa where conservation, wilderness and a deep sense of purpose come together as seamlessly as they do at Samara. Set in the heart of the Great Karoo, Samara Karoo Reserve is not just a safari destination. It’s a place where landscapes are being restored, wildlife has returned, where every guest becomes part of a much larger story – and it is where a grassroots sports initiative was launched eight years ago.
“We are delighted to announce that our 8th annual Samara Heritage Sports Tournament is being played at Botanics Sport Club in Graaff-Reinet this year. Hosted by Samara Karoo Reserve, it is scheduled to take place on Saturday 29 August 2026”, said Samara co-founder, Sarah Tompkins.
In 2018 the inaugural Heritage Day Football tournament took place over two days at the uMasizakhe Soccer Stadium in Graaff-Reinet, bringing together eight teams of boys and young men aged 15 to 30, mainly from the communities of Asherville, Kroonvale and uMasizakhe. Now a single-day community sports event, it has grown to bring together hundreds of children across various age groups to compete in both football and netball in a tournament-style day filled with fun, food and prizes.
Anneley Swemmer, hailing from Kroonvale herself, is Samara’s Karoo Lodge Manager and Community Projects Manager. She was instrumental in getting the event off the ground.
Anneley explained: “At that time the youth of Graaff-Reinet and the Beyers Naudé municipality needed support to see a future for themselves. Too many ended up getting involved in drugs and crime because it seemed like there was no other option. Samara is proud to be a proactive member of the local community. We already contribute to the community through employment, as well as being especially committed to the support of young people in Graaff-Reinet, but even so Sarah Tompkins wanted to help more. I suggested that football could be a good start – a tournament, as a way of motivating the youth to challenge themselves and to think about their reason for being on this earth.”
In 2005 Anneley had applied for a job at Samara Karoo Reserve: “and when I got the job I knew I had found what I’d been looking for – a place where I could be whatever I wanted to be. And it was Sarah’s support that helped me get from where I was when I started, to where I am today. Sarah likes to help people achieve their potential.”
Anneley, working and collaborating with community leaders, developed Samara’s community outreach initiatives to make a social impact in the local area, to unite the community and offer hope for a brighter future through sportsmanship and teamwork.
The initiative she is most proud of is the Samara Heritage Sports Tournament – a collaborative effort involving Samara, the local municipality, ward councillors and regional soccer and netball clubs.
“In the spirit of Ubuntu – ‘I am because you are’, the tournament provides a platform for young people in under-served communities to find purpose through sport and envision and shape their future and the tournament slogan Masibabanye yeyethu sonke – “Let us be one for all” – captures the spirit of this initiative based on inclusivity, hope and opportunity.”
Samara is a purpose-driven business dedicated to positive impact for biodiversity conservation and local communities. A member of The Long Run, Samara is dedicated to achieving holistic sustainability across the “4Cs”: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. Staying at Samara acts as a direct contribution towards this vision.
