A boy leans over a desk holding a pencil, drawing a lion from a photo

International Education: Ethiopia

Education in Ethiopia

Our education programme at Ensessa Kotteh (Born Free’s Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Education Centre) offers outreach activities to local schools and communities as well as centre-based learning for schools, environmental clubs and community members.

Environmental Clubs

Children working at wooden desks with Born Free logos on their t-shirts

Working with five local schools, this programme combines theoretical learning with practical activities, exploring our environment, habitats, biodiversity and animal welfare. It supports the National Curriculum, and enables students to develop a broad understanding of the natural world, its importance and the need for its protection.

Centre-based Learning

The Tree House Visitor and Education Centre at Ensessa Kotteh

The Tree House Visitor and Education Centre at Ensessa Kotteh © georgelogan.co.uk

Ensessa Kotteh is a working wildlife rescue centre. On an invitation only basis, we welcome small groups of students and members of the local and wider community to visit the centre, to learn about our work and Ethiopia’s unique and important natural heritage.

Community outreach

A man in Born Free Ethiopia shirt has his back to the camera, speaking to a large group of people sat outside

Through a series of workshops, we highlight our activities and the issues facing wildlife in Ethiopia to a range of audiences, including local police, defence force graduates, teachers, members of local government and community leaders.

In addition, since 2022 we have been working with the local community to identify overlapping issues that affect both people and wildlife. Through a survey conducted with 200 members of the local community we identified a number of initial areas of focus:

  • Veterinary outreach
  • Proper waste management
  • Human-wildlife conflict awareness and reduction.

Over the coming years we will focus our efforts on these three areas, along with existing tree planting initiatives, building strong relationships and partnerships for the benefit of the local wildlife.

Team: Lemessa Goshu, Education Programmes Leader; Ayano Urgecha, Education Officer