In January 2020, a visit by Dr Jane Goodall marked the partnership between the Kilimanjaro Animal C.R.E.W.’s Bush School and her Roots and Shoots program.
We believe conservation initiatives have to go hand-in-hand with education and awareness programs to enable any real impact in the long run. Conservation of wildlife and habitat demands a holistic approach, requiring the use of a variety of tools, education programs being one of the most important ones. The Bush School was founded in 2012 and we strive to motivate the growing young generation to have a positive relationship with nature. The aim is for youth to become compassionate towards their environment and to encourage responsible and respectful behaviour towards nature. In our Bush School education program, children and youth are impressed by the opportunity of practical hands-on experience with animals and nature.
We employ two teachers to work with our environmental education programs. Mr. Meena, one of the two, a “Paul-Harris Fellow-Prize”-recipient, granted by the Rotary Club in honour of his constant engagement with promoting environmental stewardship amongst the youth. For years we have offered day programs for local schools that can visit our Centre and take part in conservation education. Issues taught and discussed include human-wildlife-conflict and the effects of deforestation. In close cooperation with schools in the local area we established a Conservation Club network. There has been a very positive response from schools, teachers and students. In 2020, an approx. 2,500 students visited our projects for half-day or full-day seminars.
The success of our Bush School was marked in January 2020, by Dame Jane Morris Goodall DBE (an internationally acclaimed primatologist, world-renowned for her research within the Gombe Stream National Park) visiting us and launching the collaboration with her Roots & Shoots organisation. Jane Goodall gave a lecture to the resident students, whilst Makoa’s resident sykes monkeys gathered all around in the trees and watched and listened curiously, particularly when Mrs Goodall demonstrated different calls made by chimpanzees.
