In the previous Bateleur, RISE reported on the partnership between Coaching Conservation, and the Southern African Wildlife College, supported by the Investec Rhino Lifeline. We looked at the impact of 2019 and the hopes of further promoting environmental awareness to inspire a generation of kids who care about themselves, others and the natural environment around them.
The first quarter of 2020 was met with much excitement, riding on the wave of impact achieved in 2019, and entering 2020 with even bigger plans of increasing this impact. We were seeking to double our impact by reaching a target of 1327 children, and extending the programme to maintain contact with the students who had taken part in the programme in 2019, while also incorporating a whole new cohort of grade 6 students. Our team hit the ground running, met with excitable and vibrant young learners ready to learn the spirit cheer “RESPECT YOURSELF, RESPECT EACH OTHER, RESPECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT!!”
At the same time another story was growing in our country and around the world, and that is the global pandemic caused by the Corona virus. Since the virus hit the shores of our country, we have since seen our government taking action to reduce or slow down the spread, we’ve seen the unintended but unavoidable impacts on various community’s livelihoods, the complete halt on local and international tourism, and people’s income streams impacted by the ongoing and growing presence of the virus. Given the currently crisis, and challenges schools came to a close, and our programme placed on hold until further notice.
With activities at schools on hold Coaching Conservation redirected its attention to how it could help to spread information and safe community action which can be taken to help in the fight. Coaching conservation produced what it calls a ‘Corona Survival Kit’ for the family. This kit includes graphic information that’s easy to understand on hygiene, social distancing, symptoms of the virus and some edutainment activities like crosswords and colouring to keep the young minds active during the lock down period.
For now, we halt the programme’s physical activities, and continue to explore realistic and accessible avenues by which we may be able to support learners, educators, and schools as they prepare to return to schools.
For further information on Investec Rhino Lifeline and Coaching Conservation, follow the links below:
- Investect: website
- Coaching for Conservation: website
- Coaching conservation: Facebook
- twitter: @C4C_Africa
