Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

by Christine Le Roux, Education Manager

Our education program is in full swing again and jam packed…which is just how we like it!!!

Schools

We were happy to welcome a new school this month (Diaz Primary from PE) they love our program so much that after their first visit they made another 5!!! We really like it when new schools come to our centre and learn about the consequences of keeping wildlife in captivity and also get the chance to experience the abundant wildlife on Shamwari.

Global Friends

I have been working hard at planning the library. This month I spent a lot of time working out budgets and getting quotes, one thing I can say for sure it is not going to be cheap! But with the help of generous sponsors and some fundraising it can be made possible. I also had a very productive meeting with the principal who is just as excited about the project as I am!

Eco Schools

We held a very successful local award ceremony on 24/02/2011 at the Julie Ward Centre. Each school did a presentation on their involvement in the project since 2009, they showcased all their projects, benefits of the program and challenges faced. All teachers involved in the program, principals, and chairmen of the Eco-clubs attended as well as various supporters and partners such as World Wide Experience, Shamwari Conservation and Hospitality representatives, WESSA PE, Paterson Clinic, Department of Education officials from both local districts, Addo NP and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

Schools were given their Eco-schools awards and our local rotating trophies. Hendrik Kanise Combined School got the trophies for Best Practice Eco-School and Most Active Eco-Club and Kaya Khulu Primary won the award for Most Progress Shown. Everyone was very impressed with all the great work our schools are doing and I was very proud of all of them. We hope to make this an annual event.

I was invited to attend an Environmental Education Conference in Cape St. Francis that was hosted by two International Eco-schools (these are schools that have been in the program for 5 years).

The school (St. Francis College) is a quaint little farm school that is really a dream school. The farm animals roam in and around the playground (sometimes attending lessons with them in class) and as far as you can see are open green spaces. The event was really interesting, there were various talks on how schools near green spaces perform better, local botany, frogs and how to propagate seeds of indigenous trees.

Afterwards the local schools and PE schools received their awards.  When the event was done we took the PE teachers to see the beautiful harbour of Cape St. Francis which they really enjoyed. The WESSA team invited me to join their team building function along the Krom River near where the event was held which I really enjoyed. They have really made me feel part of their team and have supported me tremendously with all my education projects!!!