Education South Africa Project #8007

Providing Outreach to Local Communities

by DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage

Summary

The outreach programme extends DAKTARI's impact to a wider population and actively engages with the surrounding communities. We spread environmental awareness by empowering schoolchildren to become environmental ambassadors and role models in their villages. We achieve this through our Wildlife Crime Campaign and Eco-Club projects. We also run several initiatives which stimulate community development and job empowerment directly such as community workshops and our internship programme.

$40,000
total goal

$18,534
remaining

193
donors

4
monthly donors

7
fundraisers

11
years

Challenge

The main problems: lack of funding for education; overcrowded classrooms; environmental issues not covered by the curriculum; few extra-curricular opportunities for advanced learners; limited career guidance and onward support systems after school; huge unemployment rate (over 40%); no effective waste disposal unit operating in the surrounding area; high incidences of poaching and animal abuse; and few aspirations to conserve wildlife and the environment. These are the issues DAKTARI addresses.

Solution

We solve these problems by providing outreach to local communities and schools. This mostly consists of hands-on teaching (smaller classes than the schools), running "Eco-Clubs" and "Wildlife Crime Campaigns" to educate and inspire local schoolchildren to value the environment. We also run career guidance and internship programmes to develop and inspire local post-matric unemployed youths. We are working on providing sustainable solutions to clean up the local environment and curb pollution.

Long-Term Impact

We're changing attitudes, helping people to find employment, and teaching people the skills required to have better futures. Our programme is already showing great results. The children who attend our projects have spread environmental awareness amongst their communities, including on issues such as poaching and climate change. Meanwhile, our internship and job hunting programmes are helping to develop and inspire the local unemployed youth. The local communities are positively transforming.