School Safaris Programme
The School Safari Project was formed in 2018 to bring environmental education to local communities, giving the youth of Bushbuckridge the opportunity to become part of the neighbouring reserves.
We partnered with the Good Work Foundation (GWF) and Sabi Sand Pfunanani Trust (SSPT) to bring pupils from the local primary and high schools on a game drive, giving the learners an opportunity to explore and experience the game reserve to learn about animals, plants and habitats which relates to and supports their curriculum.
2022 sees the launch of School Safaris at Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve, educating Masuwe Primary School learners and connecting Woodlands community to its conservation neighbours.
PROGRESS: On the 5th of April 2022 after two years, we were very excited to relaunch this project in partnership with Sabi Sands Pfunanani Trust (SSPT). More Sabi Sand Reserve lodges have come on board, which means that more children will have an opportunity to join the programme. School Safaris now occur every Wednesday and Friday, rotating between the lodges.
The School Safaris Programme is critical to community, conservation and reserve relations going forward, and we intend to launch the school-learner drives in the new year. The 2022 year’s programme kicked off with the 4 Woodlands Village Heads participating on a game drive to introduce the concept of conservation to them. It was the very first time the elders were given this opportunity and included in this way, and it was also the first time they had seen black rhinos! Needless to say, the experience was welcomed by community leaders.
More Community Foundation Zimbabwe continues to work with the community, its leadership, and the school on human widlife conflict mitigation. While there has been improvement in terms of a better survival rate of crops due to the installation of the elephant fence, there have still been incidences where elephants have gotten into the communities’ space.