- Coaching conservation inspires children conserve natural resources through sport
Wild Entrust in collaboration with the Ministry of Education’s North West Region recently held a workshop to sensitise teachers in the area Coaching Conservation (CC) program which educates children about natural conservation.
The initiative by Wild Entrust inspires children to conserve natural resources by using sport to engender self-respect and inspire a generation of kids who care – about themselves, each other and the natural world around them. The program target students from standard five to standard seven and aged between 10 and 12.
Speaking at the workshop, Wild Entrust Director Lesley McNutt said the workshop aimed at sensitising teachers about the program since they have a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding to deliver curriculum to all grade five to seven students in the North West district.
McNutt said they decided to engaged teachers to ensure a good partnership and an understanding of the collaboration. She further said that they are working with 91 schools in the North West Region and some in the central region and reaching 16 000 students.
McNutt said that their goal is to inspire children to care about themselves, each other and the environment around them something which she said takes a community, teachers, students and parents’ involvement. “We are just trying to ensure that everyone understands and working towards the same goals,” she stressed.
She added, “we have an enormous positive shift, significant changes in the way kids feel, their sense of responsibility towards themselves and wildlife. After the program, we want the kids do have much knowledge about the threats of wildlife.”
Meanwhile Tourism Information Officer from Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), Jame Boitumelo Pheto highlighted the vital connection between conservation and tourism saying that BTO encourages sustainable tourism as they work with students and the community at large. She added that they also work with students who are keen to gain knowledge in issues involving conservation.
Pheto said that they educate students on ecotourism, adding that they also teach them the importance of wildlife conservation that includes habitat protection and also about the endangered species to ensure that they are preserved.
She further indicated that they do raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and promoting sustainable practices to reduce human impact on wildlife and promote the co-existence of human and wildlife.
