Our Vision, Mission and MO.

Heal the Rift.

After living in, working and/or visiting over 60 countries, I would rather wake up in the wilderness than the best suite at the Ritz. To me, the ‘promised’ land is wilderness - it is a necessity of the human soul. It is the ideal place to explore the last frontier - the one between our ears. I admit, wilderness is not for everyone - one person’s wilderness is another’s theme park. However, I hasten to add that no one should go through life without at least once experiencing the clarity of thought one derives from the solitude that wilderness provides. Dependent solely, on what you and your camels carry, everyday is a journey of self discovery. In the wilderness– SHIFT happens.

My formative years spent on many a bank of the Kafue River National Park in Zambia and the Matopos National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Zimbabwe, instilled my love of water, wilderness and wildlife.

My family name - Waterworth - found chiefly in the county of Lancashire, is ostensibly a topographical name deriving its name from the Olde English pre 7th Century word "waeter", water, and "woreth", enclosure, but the more likely origin of the name is that it derives from "waterward", an occupational name for a water bailiff from the Olde English "waeter", and "weard", a guard or watchman ... has in my later life been my inspiration and ‘call to action’ to live up to it’s origins and continue being a ‘water guardian’ and to inspire others to be the same.

For the past 30 years I have lived, painted, worked with and visited with many tribes around the world (including work with many western corporate tribes). The semi-nomadic Himba of Namibia, the Bushman of the Kalahari, the Samburu of northern Kenya and the Bedouin of Sinai, Egypt are those I have found to be the most resilient. A common factor is the respect and responsibility they all have for the most valuable resource on earth - clean water.

Waterworth Expeditions are a core component of Wilderness Warrior, Lengthen Your Stride, THIRST Things First and an extension of our Culture Conscious Conservation programmes established in 1999 - inspired by Sir Laurens van der Post - unique ‘indabas’ ( meetings ) that celebrate cultural diversity, identify common purpose and values, and search for responsible development solutions.

In 1983, Swiss psychiatrist C.A. Meier delivered a fascinating paper at the 3rd World Wilderness Congress in Inverness, Scotland. "Wilderness and the Search for the Soul of Modern Man" addressed not only the tragedy of our vanishing natural wilderness and the need to preserve it, but also the necessity of preserving man's 'inner wilderness'. "A Testament to the Wilderness" consists of Meier's original address and thoughtful and provocative responses by nine concerned writers from around the world. Download a copy

Business as usual is over. We are in the midst of a Responsibility Revolution. Daily, we are subjected to story after story of duplicity, broken promises and breached contracts. The resultant lack of trust and confidence between people, organisations and leadership is demanding unprecedented change in management and leadership.

Are We There Yet ? is the inevitable question every parent dreads when they pack their bags and set off on a long road trip with the kids. Those pesky little passengers test one’s leadership, management, and entertainment skills to the limit. The analogy drawn, is - those who have chosen to embark on a journey towards sustainability, realise that, we are not there yet! We have a long way to go and many alternative routes will get us there. Leading, managing and ‘entertaining’ the countless numbers of passengers and back seat drivers along the way requires: shared vision and values, an understanding of time and distance, ‘big picture’ maps, regular comfort breaks and ‘sanity stops’ - to stretch, explore and take stock - to rest and refuel in order to ensure the trip is as enjoyable as the destination. Read more

It is time to lengthen our stride and walk our talk on people, planet and prosperity. We urgently need, to: Get REAL Responsible and Environmentally Aware Leadership ©.  When it comes to engaging employees in responsible development and sustainability, inspiring and embedding Responsible and Environmentally Aware Leadership in individuals, companies and communities - our programmes, conducted in wilderness areas are beyond compare.

“The alarm bell keeps ringing and we keep hitting the snooze button. It’s time to wake up and Get REAL” ~ Gary Waterworth Owen

“Life - is not about getting to the top of the ‘mountain’ - it’s about making it through the ‘desert’ and discovering our perfect ‘oasis’ ”. ~ Gary Waterworth Owen

Even if we make it to the top - we still need water !

Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Gen.Norman Schwartzkopf, Warren Bennis, Pope John Paul II and Gary Waterworth Owen are just 6 of the 56 authors in this best seller, making a strong and diversified case for a Responsibility Revolution.

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