Kwendalo Institute

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Kwendalo Institute

The Kwendalo Institute

The Kwendalo Institute is reimagining education as a dynamic process of learning that promotes wellness, interconnectedness, and harmony with life.

At Kwendalo, we possess a genuine passion for acquiring and sharing knowledge that is in service to life, and which has harmony and health at the core of that emergent wisdom. We wish to enable diverse citizens, especially our youth, to become leaders in co-creating a regenerative future.

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Promoting harmony in education and wellbeing through nature-inspired learning and experience.

Whilst it’s been very vocal around Kwendalo these days, getting to see (and photograph!) the summer migrant Diederik’s Cuckoo is quite another matter. But our regular birder Neil Ebedes managed to do just that earlier this week with these beautiful images. #birdingsa #birdlifesa

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This past week we’ve been fortunate to have had an African Jacana take up residence in the ponds below our Green Cafe . Whilst this individual has been seen on nearby ponds in recent months, this beautiful bird remains a rare sighting for our region. (Image: Neil Ebedes)

Kwendalo institute
The Kwendalo Institute is therefore creating and implementing nature-inspired learning that promotes:

We are aspiring toward these outcomes through formal education and curricula, gap-year learning journeys, workshops and training, and explorative research.   

The Kwendalo Institute is bringing the philosophy of The Harmony Project to schools and courses around Plettenberg Bay and, in time, across South Africa. The Kwendalo Institute is home to Africa’s first international Harmony Project initiative. 

We are aspiring toward these outcomes through three main focus areas

Education & Curricula:

  • Formative: Implementing The Harmony Project’s nature-inspired approach to learning in local and regional schools around Plettenberg Bay and, in time, across South Africa. The Kwendalo Institute is home to Africa’s first international Harmony Project initiative.
  • Graduate: Facilitating an immersive gap-year programme that focuses on philosophical foundations, personal growth and essential practical skills for living a wholesome life.
  • Postgraduate: Delivering tertiary level learning around the wellness dimensions of planetary health (incl. nature connection, biomimicry, and regenerative agroecology)

Workshops & Training:

  • Nature Referrals / Green Prescriptions (NRx): Developing a dedicated 5–6-week programme for health professionals to assist with the “social prescribing” of nature.
  • Nature Connectedness & Wellbeing: Facilitating “connection essentials” workshops with theory and core practices for psycho-social health & wellbeing.
  • Kwendalo Signature Courses: Offering short introductory experiences into aspects of Kwendalo expertise: harmony training; regenerative ecology; and wellness treatments. 

Research (Impact Driven):

  • Wellness Impact: Testing the potential (opportunities + challenges) & effectiveness of a “Nature Referrals” programme in the local/regional context.
  • Learning Impact: Assessing the ongoing impact of Kwendalo Institute learning programmes with a focus on The Harmony Project
  • Regenerative Impact: Monitoring the ongoing ecological restoration of the Kwendalo Estate (e.g. changes in biodiversity, water quality, vegetation cover)

The Harmony Centre 

The Harmony Centre at Kwendalo is the home of The Harmony Project in South Africa and is our shared hive for learning events and workshops that create a buzz of curiosity and pollinate new ideas within our community.

The Harmony Centre is equipped with conferencing facilities available for hire.

Corporate room at the Harmony Centre, Kwendalo

Meet the Associates Team

The Kwendalo Institute is proud to partner with a number of local and international mavericks: leaders with vision and proven expertise in expanding the boundaries in their field. Our Associates engage in activities that align with the institute’s ethos, have the capacity to provide valued input and guidance into its growth, and are actively involved in advising, designing and facilitating programmes, courses, and workshops at the Kwendalo Institute. Our Associates are as follows:

Matthew Zylstra 3

Dr Matthew Zylstra

Programme Director Kwendalo Institute
Richard Dunne

Prof Richard Dunne

International Associate
Saskia von Diest

Dr Saskia von Diest 

International Associate
Sue Swain

Sue Swain

Kwendalo Associate
Galeo Saintz

Galeo Saintz

Kwendalo Associate
Carol Surya

Carol Surya

Kwendalo Associate
Matthew Zylstra 3

Dr Matthew Zylstra

Programme Director Kwendalo Institute
Richard Dunne

Prof Richard Dunne

International Associate
Saskia von Diest

Dr Saskia von Diest 

International Associate
Sue Swain

Sue Swain

Kwendalo Associate
Galeo Saintz

Galeo Saintz

Kwendalo Associate
Carol Surya

Carol Surya

Kwendalo Associate