Africa’s Future Conservationists

by Wildlife ACT

 Somkhanda Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal  Environment  Education

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R 80,000
Funded to date
R 80,000
Goal

Wildlife ACT is raising funding to hold four-day long conservation education bush camps for grade 6 pupils from 3 primary schools adjacent to Somkhanda Game Reserve, a community owned reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. The project’s education methodology for children emphasizes total immersion; experiential, hands-on lessons that not only teach conservation concepts, but also attempt to form an emotional bond between children and nature that will lead to a stewardship attitude towards biodiversity conservation. This is an opportunity to inspire and empower the youth to lead solutions for both social and environmental challenges in the region.

The project will directly impact over 80 children, developing a strong conservation understanding and sense of environmental stewardship. All meals, transportation, lodging and activities are provided free of charge and are conducted in Zulu by trained educators from within the local community.

It is critical for the long-term success of conservation initiatives that we strengthen links between people living in communities and the adjacent game reserves, building a connection between people and nature. This will allow empathy and understanding to develop between these two spheres and importantly, highlight opportunities for interested individuals to engage formally with wildlife and conservation.

Somkhanda Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s first community-owned reserves, was established by the Emvokweni Community Trust. Wildlife ACT have been involved for a number of years to ensure success of the reserve. Through an intensive reintroduction programme, populations of key species have been reintroduced with the aim of attracting tourism investment and conserving endangered species. Ongoing priority species monitoring, and conservation education is carried out by Wildlife ACT.

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Project activity

Funded to date:

R 80,000

Funding goal: R 80,000
NGO: Wildlife ACT
Start: 1st June 2019
End: 30th September 2020
PBO: 930035591
NPO: 105-423-NPO
Field agent: Mark Gerrard
mark@wildlifeact.com
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