A partnership started five years ago between a safari operator and Wild Entrust continues to fulfil its objective of supporting conservation, education, and community empowerment in Habu village.
This comes as the partnership recently saw the two parties donating school bags, solar lights, mathematical instruments, and food items to Habu Primary School.
Giving an overview of the initiative, Wild Entrust Coaching Conservation Program Facilitator Patience Isaacs said that the partnership is founded under three pillars: Village Kids, Village Lights, and Village Greens.
Under the Village Kids pillar, Isaacs stated that Xigera releases its tour guides to facilitate game drives, taking Habu Primary School pupils into their concession to see wildlife and educating them on the importance of environmental conservation.
She explained that under the Village Lights initiative, Xigera annually funds school bags for all Standard 1 to 5 pupils and solar lights for Standard 5 students, while Standard 7s received mathematical instruments. Isaacs said that the project was introduced because Habu did not have electricity for a long time, and the intention was to enable children to get an extra hour of reading and studying after dark.
According to Isaacs, through the Village Greens, Xigera supports the project by providing funding for the procurement of shade nets and gardening tools for the community garden. She said that Xigera also provides compost manure from its lodge to the Habu garden, and the vegetables produced subsequently procured by the same lodge.
“We have been partnering for those many years and it has been really beneficial. It is appreciated in the community, and the school always looks forward to the support. Most of the time, we also give to the school based on the needs that they have identified, so each year is different,” she said.
Speaking during the handover of the donations, Xigera Safari Lodge Assistant Human Resources Manager Motshwantshi Bakhai said that the gifts are expected to remove immediate barriers to learning, ensuring that children from all backgrounds can fully engage in their education.
Bakhai stated that the donation marked Xigera’s commitment and responsibility to empower the communities in which the company operates. He noted that Xigera will keep finding helpful ways to support and improve the lives of the local people living in the surrounding areas.
In his remarks, Gumare Sub-Region Chief Education Officer Lordick Mokobi noted that through the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), education has been identified as one of the key priorities for economic development. He therefore cited that Xigera and Wild Entrust’s partnership is essential as it contributes directly to educational growth.
Mokobi appreciated Xigera and Wild Entrust for going beyond the normal school curriculum by teaching the students environmental education and human-wildlife coexistence. He encouraged the students to take their education seriously and use the donations wisely to enhance their learning.
Habu Primary School Head Lindah Kebafitlhetse appreciated Xigera and Wild Entrust’s continued commitment to supporting the school. She indicated that the partnership has had a positive impact on academics and urged the partners to continue supporting the institution.
