Providing Outreach to Local Communities

Our Outreach Program is aimed at reaching local communities beyond our walls. By extending our impact to a wider population, we actively engage with the surrounding community. Our focus is still empowering the children to become role models in their village while raising environmental awareness.

ECO-CLUB

In March 2024, we finished the Eco-Club lessons in Nareng High School. We cannot be more proud of the 44 students enrolled in the program. From the start of the classes, they have always been very welcoming, as well as shown great interest and commitment towards the lessons. 

We are happy with the results of these two groups, and we would like to share that success with you. 

Here is some data measuring their improvement: 

• Their learning increase about environmental education was 53%. 
• 90% of the students think that Eco-Club is an important part of their education.
• 53% of the students share their acquired environmental knowledge at home with their families, friends, and village members. 

After ending with the school, Ronja, our Outreach Manager, took all the students to the Hoedspruit Reptile Centre. Numerous tales of horror circulate in the villages regarding snakes. These   creatures   frequently   resort   to   biting   villagers   in   self-defense   when   approached aggressively, as people attempt to capture them rather than allowing them the opportunity to escape -a behavior that aligns with their natural instincts.

The aim of this excursion was to make the children understand that snakes are not evil and should be respected, as every other animal. The students asked many questions to the professionals, seeming really interested to learn more about these reptiles. Most of the kids were brave enough to touch some snakes while smiling for a picture! Even one of them was brave enough to get a Ball Python around her neck! We are very happy with the positive result of the visit, which was sponsored by the Hoedspruit Reptile Centre!.

Now we have started the 6-week long program in Maahlamele High School, where at the moment 23 students are enrolled. We have great expectations for these children, as they show great interest in wildlife and environmental conservation during their lessons!

The DAKTARI family would like to thank you for your ongoing support. Thanks to YOU we can share our passion for wildlife and stress the importance of taking care of the environment. Our intention is to help these students develop a sense of collective responsibility about our future and the future of our planet.