#BeautifulNews: Man versus mountain. Here’s where 365 days of ubuntu leads

The beauty of the Garden Route area has attracted more and more holiday-makers over the years, causing guest houses to spring up everywhere. Wilderness lover, Olivia Lawrence, runs Wild Spirit Backpackers in Plettenberg Bay. She and her colleagues have chosen not to follow the trend of more is better, promoting conscious consumerism and ethical tourism. They have created an environmentally-friendly space that rewards guests for taking care of their surroundings. Travellers are encouraged to trade in a few hours spent gardening or clearing alien vegetation for a wholesome meal. Read more about Wild Spirit Backpackers...

Ambassador Riina Kionka, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa, Ambassador Martin Schäfer, the German Ambassador to SA, and Ambassador Aurélien Lechevallier, the French Ambassador to SA, discuss the importance of investing in a green recovery for South Africa as well as the EU’s projects in South Africa.

Andrew Patterson wasn’t sure where the road would take him. He’d just been retrenched. Clutching the steering wheel in traffic, Patterson faced the mountain that loomed ahead. In that moment, he had an epiphany. The avid hiker realised he could use his unexpected spare time for a purpose. “I wanted to make sure I was making decisions based out of love and not fear,” Patterson says. He resolved to climb Table Mountain every single day for a year to raise funds for three charities close to his heart. Read Andrew Patterson's full story...

Even from the middle of South Africa, a young Hanli Prinsloo could hear the seaside calling her. Raised on a horse farm, she already had an unbridled love for the environment. But it’s at sea that she discovered how deep her passion was. “Every time I’m in the ocean, it makes me feel connected to myself, to nature, and to the people I share the oceans with,” Prinsloo says. She started freediving and soon broke over 11 national records. Being underwater opened her eyes to marine conservation. Now, Prinsloo’s focus is on changing the tides for kids who live near our coastlines. Read Hanli Prinsloo's full story...

Tiny hooves pounded the earth. Terrified animals were desperately fleeing the crackling flames as raging fires devoured Hermanus. All Corné Uys could think of was whether they’d make it out alive. The teenage conservationist realised that the slowest animals had the slightest chance of survival. “When I got home from school, it hit me – this is the biggest fire Hermanus has ever seen,” he says. Distressed families bundled their belongings and sped away from the streams of smoke overshadowing their houses. Instead, Uys packed his father’s car with emergency supplies and raced out into the blaze. He had tortoises to save. Read Corne Uys' full story...

Rhinos may look tough with their double horns and thick skin. But the iconic creatures have sensitive souls. Jade Aldridge didn’t expect to fall in love with the gentle beasts. When the veterinary nurse came to South Africa to volunteer in wildlife rehabilitation, she was confronted with the realities of rhino poaching. She began to take care of calves whose mothers had been killed after seeing the life-threatening position the orphaned animals were in. “I wanted to make a difference,” she says. Aldridge made a decision to put down roots here and fight for their lives. Read Jade Aldridge's full story...