Category: Travel with Purpose

World Elephant Day may have passed on 12 August, but its message lingers long after the date itself. For us, it’s never just a single day on the calendar. It serves as a reminder to pause and honour these wise, majestic giants that shape the landscapes we love.

And now we’d like to spotlight a cause that not only honours elephants but also protects the environment: Ele-Collection, a community-powered initiative in Victoria Falls turning plastic pollution into hope.

Why Ele-Collection Speaks to the Soul of World Elephant Day

In 2021, after a deadly elephant attack in Victoria Falls, an autopsy uncovered a heartbreaking truth – the elephant’s stomach was packed with plastic. This tragic discovery revealed just how deeply plastic pollution was harming wildlife, causing sickness, disorientation, and ultimately, loss of life.

It was from that moment of tragedy that Ele-Collection was born. Their mission is simple: remove plastic waste from the environment, protect wildlife, and uplift local communities.

From Problem to Possibility

Ele-Collection’s approach is practical and inspiring:

• Collect: They gather plastic from streets, rivers, and surrounding areas (every type of plastic from bottles to film to hard plastics).
• Empower: Locals are paid for the plastic they collect.
• Transform: Using a proprietary, low-emission process, the plastic is converted into a product called Plazrok, an aggregate for building. No microplastics, no toxic residue, just a second life for what was once waste.

World Elephant Day may be marked in the calendar, but the work of protecting elephants and their habitats in the days after that matter most.

Picking up a piece of plastic, supporting innovative recycling, or simply telling their story, we can all be part of a chain reaction of change.

How You Can Help

Join the Ele-Collection Tour – Visit the Thompsons Africa Customer Zone to view rates HERE

Would you like to see how plastic can become concrete, discover how it benefits communities around wildlife areas, and contributes directly to conservation? On this short, 2-hour tour in Victoria Falls, you’ll witness Ele-Collection’s groundbreaking process that transforms every piece of plastic waste—contaminated or clean—into eco-aggregate, a sustainable alternative to quarry stone and the only technology of its kind in the region.

By assigning street value to plastic, nothing is burned or dumped; instead, it provides a vital income stream to the one-third of the region’s population living on less than $1 per day, helping to reduce reliance on poaching and charcoal-driven deforestation. This is your chance to see transformation in action—and know your visit restores ecosystems and empowers local communities.

Opening hours: Daily – morning or afternoon (flexible timing)
Includes: Scheduled transfers from/to Victoria Falls Town Hotels
Child policy: No age restriction, 3–11 years pay half the adult rate, under 3s are free
Excludes: Drinks

• Learn more about their work at elecollection.co
• Share their story to keep the conversation going beyond World Elephant Day
• Support initiatives in your own community that reduce waste and protect wildlife

‘Elephants never forget. Let’s make sure we never forget them—or the habitats they need to survive.’

Contact our team today to check availability and book your experience.
Email: info@thompsonsafrica.com
Tel: +27 31 275 3500