Our team boasts extensive collective experience in the development of individuals and teams of all ages, and share a common passion for people, ecology, marine life and the great outdoors.

Debbie Fermor, co-owner and managing member of Ingwe Forest Adventures was born in Cape Town September 1968 and educated at Wynberg Girls. In 1996 she relocated to Plettenberg Bay with her husband and two sons born in 1988 and 1994 respectively to open a family owned restaurant. She is an accomplished entrepreneur boasting extensive experience in the development of youth, primarily in the discipline of environmental life skills and involvement in marine mammal education. Her career includes sales and marketing in the tourism industry, management in the catering industry, co-ordination of development projects for previously disadvantaged individuals incorporating nature, arts, crafts and similar creative elements into the experience through various organisations, to teaching horse riding and running camps. Founding member of The Southern Crags Conservancy, which is part of the Eden to Addo Corridor, and since a child having a great love of the outdoors, looked at ways to conserve our natural environment which led to an outdoor adventure career providing activities for both the youth and adult market. Her unwavering belief in the potential of people to face and overcome challenging obstacles has culminated in her taking on the challenge of developing Ingwe into a venue renowned for adventures that produce real learning results for both youths and adults. Her involvement in the process thus extends beyond design of learning processes and facilitation, to the management of Ingwe as a venue and the overall co-ordination of Ingwe events.

William Edwards, co-owner of Ingwe Forest Adventures and the owner of the farm where Ingwe is situated was born in Queenstown March 1964 and educated at Selborne & Marist Brothers colleges. He became the youngest open South African champion at the age of 15 by winning the Hobie 14 championships in East London in a fleet of 78 competitors. He has also represented South Africa on 15 occasions, achieving a second place at the Dubai Hobie 16 world championships and was nominated for Eastern Province “knight of the year”. He established a productive fruit farm in The Crags along with a timber processing plant and furniture factory. William has been active and instrumental in the Plettenberg Bay real estate market and is the co-principal of Choice Garden Route Property Group, with his wife Lucinda, who is also his team mate in their international sailing career. He has written and qualified in the board examination in real estate and has also established a real estate development company that is active in the Eastern and Western Cape. William was commended for his management of the IEC monitors in the Plettenberg Bay regions of the 1994 elections, particularly for his mediating skills due to his fluency in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa.

Lucinda Edwards, co-owner of Ingwe Forest Adventures was born in Dublin March 1966 and came to South Africa in 1976. She matriculated from Hershel in Cape Town as a prefect, captain of the school netball team and member of the first hockey team. Qualified with a B.Comm degree from the University of Cape Town, majoring in Accounting and Economics while also playing hockey for UCT. After working in the financial world in London returned to South Africa and married William in 1989. She worked for a few years in the accounting field and then wrote the board exam and qualified in real estate to establish Farmers Choice Estate Agents with William which has grown over the years to Choice Garden Route Property Group. She is very involved with the selling of real estate in the Plettenberg Bay area specialising in the sale of agricultural and development properties. Lucinda sails competitively with William, their best international result being second at the Dubai World Hobie 16 championships. During 2006 and 2007, William, Lucinda and their two children, a son born in 1993 and a daughter born in 1996 travelled up the east coast of Africa on a yacht they built up in their backyard over a number of years.

Although not active in the day to day running of Ingwe, William and Lucinda give knowledge, enthusiasm, guidance and dedication to Ingwe.

Tsitsikamma Eco Guides, locals from the Kurland Village and surrounding area established an eco-guiding business through assistance and training from the Nature’s Valley Trust and SANparks. Apart from First Aid and basic computer skills, they have also completed a course with Birdlife South Africa as part of a programme to establish birding tourism routes along the Garden Route. Further knowledge has been acquired through various established outdoor companies and community members that have shared their knowledge to further their training. These self motivated people have taken the initiative to develop and further their own knowledge and understanding of the natural environment. Their passion for the environment and commitment to environmental education makes them ideal to assist us with our youth programmes. The Eco guides are an integral part of the Ingwe team.

Ingwe offers in-house training to selected individuals for positions as junior facilitators and camp leaders, once they have completed their training they have on opportunity to be employed by Ingwe on a part-time basis to assist with programmes they are best suited to.

Volunteers & students worldwide often assist in all aspects of running Ingwe and its programmes and are accepted through Willing Workers in South Africa www.wwisa.co.za

Ntobeko Ketshengana, has been with Ingwe since May 2004 when we first began renovating to open in December. He started as a casual labourer and was employed permanently in November 2004. He has worked his way up the ranks and takes care of just about all of our maintenance and gardening needs. He has shown an interest in becoming involved in the educational programmes and as an initial part of his training has completed a Fair Trade in SA sustainable tourism workshop. He is currently assisting on the various programmes and will be doing a First Aid course soon. He has an excellent sense of humour, innate kindness and works well with youth. His home language is Xhosa and he is an integral part of our programmes especially for Xhosa speaking children.

Doreen Plaatjies, mother of 3 and sole breadwinner in her family began as a cleaner at Ingwe in 2006 and is now efficiently runs housekeeping and the kitchen. Her easy going manner and great love of children has made her the ideal person to run our kitchen and keep our facilities in good order, not to mention her fabulous cooking! Doreen has lived in this area all of her life and has a great interest in natural medicines. She speaks 3 languages, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and easily gets along with people from all walks of life. Doreen’s sister Katy assists her for larger groups and these two sisters always get positive comments from our groups.

Dumisani Mayedwa, has been employed since 2005 by the owners of the farm, who are also partners of Ingwe, William and Lucinda Edwards. Dumisani is a relative of Mpangele family who has worked with the Edwards family since 1956.
Dumisani has a great interest in birds and since having been given his own set binoculars, is learning fast. He is also responsible for the fence patrol and maintenance, anti-poaching and mammal count. His dream is to become the resident Field & wildlife guide at Ingwe. He has also completed a Fair Trade in SA sustainable tourism workshop and wants to study further. He assists on our programmes on a part time basis mainly on the hikes and orienteering programmes. His home language is Xhosa and he speaks impeccable English.

Boet William & Mncedi Mpangele are employed by the farm where Ingwe is situated and help us out with regards to large building projects or maintenance work that needs doing. These men have been with the Edwards family since they were young. They are part of the family, hence William being called Boet (brother) William as he grew up with William Edwards. These men can fix just about anything and even though they are not officially part of the team, they certainly are part of our extended family!