INSTITUTIONAL NEWS
Global Leadership: Shaping the Future of Conservation
From Zimbabwe to Kenya, the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) has been at the forefront of international conservation dialogue this quarter.
Tusk Conservation Symposium:Â Representing the College in Victoria Falls, our CEO, Theresa Sowry, joined African leaders to tackle “The Next Chapter in African Conservation,” focusing on resilience and technology.
Business of Conservation Conference:Â Dr. Thabang Teffo and Dr. Kudakwashe Musengi represented us in Nairobi, where Dr. Teffo led a critical discussion on succession planning and capacity building in the wildlife economy.
Weathering the Storm: Operational Resilience
The start of 2026 tested our grit as the campus faced extraordinary environmental challenges.
The “Big Rain”: With 458mm of rainfall in just three weeks, our Facilities and Maintenance teams worked around the clock to repair eroded roads, fix Wi-Fi outages, and manage a New Year’s Eve borehole failure.
ICT Migration:Â Despite the weather, our ICT team successfully moved the computer lab to a new, fully functional home in the Daimler Classroom and upgraded our systems to Business Premium.
Campus Development: New Infrastructure & Compliance
We are growing! Significant upgrades are nearing completion to enhance our student experience and operational capacity.
State-of-the-Art Operations:
Thanks to Partners4Nature (P4N), a Peace Parks Foundation initiated Fund, the Hangar construction is in its final stages and will soon launch as a high-tech Operations Room.
Ranger Camp & Facilities:
New student accommodation at the Ranger Camp is almost ready, and we’ve successfully passed “pre-application” inspections from the Department of Water and Sanitation.
LEARNING & TEACHING
By Fortunate Mathonsi, Christopher Kafoteka & Dr. Kudakwashe Musengi
The Learning and Teaching Department, working in close collaboration with the Student Administration and Programme Support (SPS) team, has had a strong and dynamic start to 2026. This period has been marked by growing student numbers, increased regional diversity, and steady academic progress across programmes. From welcoming a new cohort to advancing key training initiatives, the year is already gaining meaningful momentum. Read the full article below for more insights into the department’s progress and impact.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE
How do we translate academic theory into tangible conservation action? In this issue, Wendy Collinson, Peter Hamming, and Ronan Carvill share their thoughts. Read on to discover the milestone launch of our new Applied Natural Resource Management Diploma, our integration of data-driven tools like GIS, and our expanding role in collaborative regional networks. Â
From Bible plagues to “lightning-shooting” myths, frogs have a tough reputation! But after a week with Dr. Jeanne Tarrant, our students are hooked. Dive into Ronan Carvill’s field feature on the high-tech (and very muddy) world of Passive Acoustic Monitoring and Anuran conservation.
PROTECTED AREA INTEGRITY: BEYOND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Over the past two months, our Protected Area Integrity: Beyond Law Enforcement team has been hard at work across every front—from advanced legislative training in the classroom, to fostering resilience and intergenerational mentorship on the ground through the Braveheart programme, coordinating high-stakes anti-poaching simulations, and providing critical aerial support during severe floods.
The K9 Unit also celebrated a major milestone, welcoming a new litter of 10 puppies and securing the next generation of top-performing working dogs.
COMMUNITY-LED CONSERVATION PRACTICES
A Community-First Approach to Landscape Security
If a landscape is insecure for its people, it is fundamentally insecure for its wildlife.
Bringing together 52 community representatives and key institutional partners, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 6 Governance Guidelines Development Workshop—held at the SAWC in February 2026—formed part of the broader GEF 6 Partnership Programme. It marked a critical step towards co-developing the Greater Kruger Community Governance Charter, contributing to one of the project’s key deliverables: Governance Guidelines designed to strengthen inclusive, community-centred approaches to landscape-level security, safety, and accountability.
NATURE BASED ECONOMY
The Nature-Based Economy thematic area continues to play a vital role in advancing responsible resource use, regenerative land practices, and wildlife economy development. In this issue, we reflect on a year marked by strong partnerships, innovative training, regional collaboration, and growing leadership influence – highlighting how the College is shaping sustainable livelihoods and conservation practice across Southern Africa and beyond.
LEADING AND MANAGING IN CONSERVATION
What does true leadership look like at the College? Discover how our Junior Leaders are actively strengthening our community from the ground up. From rolling out digital empowerment and wellness initiatives to boosting staff morale, read on to see how these junior staff are driving measurable impact and building a more connected, resilient campus.
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: KfW Stiftung
At the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC), long-term partnerships are central to expanding access to conservation education and strengthening capacity across the region. One such enduring partner is with foundation KfW Stiftung, which has supported the College, through the Peace Parks Foundation, since 2013.
KfW’s relationship with the College, however, dates back even further. As a founding supporter, KfW development bank played a pivotal role in the development of the SAWC, contributing significant funding towards its establishment in 1996. This early investment laid the foundation for what has become a leading conservation training institution on the continent. Over the years, this support has continued and evolved, including support for the SAWC’s Phase II infrastructure development and sustained programme funding.
At the heart of this partnership is a shared commitment to people-centred conservation. KfW Stiftung supports initiatives that protect biodiversity, preserve natural habitats and promote environmental stewardship, while recognising that lasting conservation outcomes depend on education and social development. This alignment with SAWC’s mission has translated into meaningful, long-term impact.
Funding for the training of wildlife managers began in 2008 through KfW and has been provided by the KfW Stiftung since 2013. Early agreements provided funding for the annual training of female protected area managers, helping to address critical skills gaps across the region. Today, this focus continues through targeted bursaries, ensuring that those working in some of the region’s most complex and strategically important landscapes have access to accredited training opportunities.
More recently, KfW Stiftung’s contribution has also played a key role in broadening access to the SAWC’s three-year Applied Diploma in Applied Natural Resource Management. Through this support, students continue to gain both the theoretical grounding and practical skills needed to manage protected areas effectively, while contributing to the long-term sustainability of biodiversity and natural resources.
The partnership has also demonstrated remarkable continuity. Through successive agreements and extensions, KfW Stiftung has reaffirmed its commitment to the College’s programmes, supporting not only individual students from Trans-frontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) but also the long-term development of conservation capacity across southern Africa. Importantly, this includes a continued emphasis on creating opportunities for women in conservation, where representation has historically been limited.
The continuity of this relationship, reflected in successive agreements and extensions over the years, speaks to its impact. Through values-driven collaboration and sustained investment that supports education, skills development and access to opportunity, the Foundation is contributing to stronger, more resilient conservation systems across Africa.
As we celebrate International Women’s Month, the story of one of the diploma students supported through this partnership offers a powerful reflection on resilience, growth and the transformative impact of education. In the piece below, third-year student Kealeboga Moshupa shares a deeply personal reflection inspired by the iconic African baobab tree — a symbol of endurance, patience and strength.
Her story reminds us that, much like the baobab, meaningful growth often takes place in challenging environments — and that when young women are given the opportunity to learn and lead, they can become powerful forces for change within their communities and the conservation sector.