Education on the Edge of Wilderness
Tanzania
AKP Project Since 1999
Category:
AKP provides education and support for the next generation of conservationists—children
Overview
Communities bordering national parks are greatly impacted by wildlife such as lions and leopards, which are prone to taking domestic livestock, and by elephants, which raid farmers’ fields. It is essential that these communities maintain their commitment to living with wildlife if the megafauna of Africa is to survive. AKP is committed to ensuring the tourism industry contributes to improved lives and livelihoods in these communities living on the edge of wilderness.
In Tanzania we work in partnership with communities close to Sanctuary Swala Camp in Tarangire National Park to improve the educational environment for children attending Gijedabung and Mwikantsi Primary Schools. We have provided new classrooms and teachers’ housing, textbooks, educational materials and solar power. We have also supported school lunch programs.
In 2016, AKP launched a new literacy program at these schools in partnership with Worldreader. The new program, which utilizes digital e-readers, provides the children with access to dozens of textbooks and literature in both English and their native language to improve reading comprehension and inspire a passion for learning.
Visit this Project
While a guest at Sanctuary Swala, take a tour of the schools led by student representatives who are happy to provide insight into the educational setting and are eager to practice their English with you. They and their teachers recognize both their co-existence with wildlife and their increasing interdependence with the tourism industry, subjects that often provoke interesting discussions with A&K guests.
A&K can include a visit to Tarangire National Park on a Tailor Made Journey to Tanzania. Contact our offices in Australia, the UK or the USA for assistance in creating an itinerary just for you.
