Nonprofit Offers Luxurious Safaris With Purpose
Even though it’s been nearly 15 years since Stacy James helped launch the nonprofit Dazzle Africa, her eyes still light up when she talks about it.
She gets excited as she describes how she came to set foot for the first time on the magical, resource-rich, economically challenged continent of Africa.
Born in Iowa, which is home to hundreds of animal species that dwell across its forests, prairies and aquatic habitats, wildlife is in James’ DNA.
“My father had a professional guiding company in Canada,” she says, “and I spent a good portion of my younger years with my family amidst nature and diverse wildlife.
“In my dreams, my love affair with elephants started long ago. Think Karen Blixen [Danish author who wrote “Out of Africa“] and Kenya in the 1900s,” she continues.
“I was in my late 30s when my mom sent me a video of elephants walking through the lobby of the famous Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia, where every November the matriarch leads her family onto the grounds in search of wild mangos.”
A few years later, that video had a major impact on James’ life.
“I was booking musical acts in Las Vegas, [Nevada,] when the recession hit. I began questioning what I was passionate about and wanted to do next,” James explains. “Suddenly I declared, ‘I’m going to Africa.’ I knew it would change my life forever, and it has.”
In 2011, James and five other women booked a flight to Zambia.
“We set off on an adventure, and we ended up falling in love with the children, the animals and the community in the South Luangwa Valley, one of Africa’s last frontiers that is teeming with wildlife.
“Peter Zulu, the village chief and our favorite guide over the years—who has since passed away—was the keeper of traditions and rituals,” says James. “He mesmerized us with his wealth of knowledge, which he shared in a rhythmic cadence that is warm and inviting, like the Zambian people.”
On the plane ride home from Johannesburg to New York, the six women decided to start a nonprofit they named Dazzle Africa.
“Dazzle is the name of a group of zebras, and each zebra’s stripes are as unique as we human beings are,” says James, the CEO of the nonprofit.
Dazzle Africa’s mission is to make a difference in Zambia through its conservation, clean water and education efforts. The nonprofit offers luxury safaris that treat guests to extreme care and attention while providing an amazing adventure, all to benefit the country’s struggling humans and endangered animals.
“If we don’t look after the community, there will be no wildlife,” James declares. “Our safari program is part of our unique approach—providing trips of a lifetime—while connecting generous supporters with opportunities to support an incredible community and ecosystem.
“A Dazzle safari is a great way to be pampered and make a difference,” says James. “The cost ranges from $10,000 to $22,000 for eight to 12 nights.”
Dazzle Africa has developed strong relationships and meaningful partnerships with the local people as well as the local nonprofits in the Luangwa Valley. These include Conservation South Luangwa, the Lionscape Coalition, the Zambian Carnivore Program and Project Luangwa.
"Zambia needs clean water," James insists. "A lot of our guests come for a safari, and after seeing the work we do, they sponsor a borehole for $7,500 that provides a village with clean water for 20 years."
Dazzle Africa's support has helped CSL and ZCP's critical aerial program. Utilizing helicopters and small aircraft, teams monitor wildlife movements, assist anti-poaching patrols, track collared lions, and respond quickly to emergencies that otherwise would take hours or days.
In 2024, CSL logged more than 100 hours of helicopter patrols and over 160 hours of aerial surveillance.
These flights supported thousands of snare checks on the ground. They also helped conservation teams rescue more than a dozen carnivores caught in illegal traps. Those animals would almost certainly have died without rapid intervention.
Since its inception, Dazzle Africa has invested $3.3 million in local conservation and community initiatives, providing 28,000 people with access to clean water.
Additionally, it's sponsored 46 students in their pursuit of higher education. One of these students was Nomsa Kamanga, who, for much of her life, believed conservation was a man's world.
Her belief was not because she lacked passion for wildlife or the natural world, but because leadership roles in science and conservation often felt out of reach for young women in her community. The barriers weren't always spoken, but they were deeply felt.
That changed when Kamanga joined the Women in Wildlife program through the ZCP.
The initiative pairs young women with experienced female mentors who offer leadership training, academic guidance and personal support. The program creates pathways for women to step confidently into conservation careers.
For Kamanga, the experience was transformative.
"Being part of the Women in Wildlife program gave me a voice I never thought I'd have," she shared.
Through workshops, mentorship and hands-on learning, Kamanga began to see herself not just as a participant, but as a future leader. Where self-doubt once stood, self-assurance took its place.
She learned to speak publicly, advocate for herself, and encourage other girls who felt their dreams slipping away.
Today, Kamanga is on track to complete her undergraduate degree at Catawba College in North Carolina. She continues to mentor younger students, sharing a message she once needed to hear herself.
Dazzle Africa also supports the Luangwa Valley economy by introducing their safari guests to Mulberry Mongoose, a local company that makes beautiful metal jewelry from animal snares, along with beads and feathers.
Reflecting on the dire situation created by poachers in the area, James says, "We are so small compared to the magnificent elephants and other wildlife, but they can't stand up to poison arrows, AK-47s or even snare wire."
James had no idea back in 2011 that her trip to Africa would become a mission, her passion, her life work. Helping others, both humans and animals, is the most rewarding thing she could ever have dreamed of doing.
"We must do more than love them," she proclaims. "As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, 'You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.'"
