Our College year always ends on a high note, with the graduation of our Natural Resource Management students, who will soon return to their respective parks across Africa. Their graduation ceremony is always a moving reminder of why we do what we do, especially when proud family members and friends honour the students’ achievements and the students themselves celebrate what they have learnt in the service of conservation.
We know that they will leave the College committed to upholding the highest standards in conservation management back in their respective parks.
As a SADC approved non-profit conservation training institution, this year was punctuated with new relationships and partnerships with donors, strategic partners and regional conservation training institutions. We also cemented older relationships whilst developing a new sustainability strategy, punctuated by funding received from the MAVA Foundation via Peace Parks Foundation in support of a sustainability fund.
A major highlight for 2019 was implementing the results of our re-visioning to ensure a truly shared vision and mission at all levels of the organisation. Our work this year has been geared towards ‘the new era’ of inclusive conservation. We are proud of our progress towards being the regional applied conservation learning institute of choice as we institutionalise a learning-by-doing methodology for improved conservation practice.
This final issue of The Bateleur News once again covers news from all four of our training departments namely Natural Resource Management, Community Development and Youth Access, Responsible Resource Use & Field Guiding and Protected Area Integrity/Field Ranger Training. We also share some news on our staff, on our applied learning unit and on our projects whilst highlighting some of our achievements in “Training beyond Boundaries”.
Then, in the spirit of holiday cheer and giving, a generous client of Jenna Clifford Design (JCD) has donated six silver and semi-precious tennis type bracelets, worth between R60, 000 – R70,000 in total to the Southern African Wildlife College, and one of them could be yours! Three of the bracelets will be given away in a raffle and one unique Malinois bracelet in a silent auction on Facebook, with a further two up for grabs next year!
This is our final fundraising push for the year, and to make it really count we’d ask you all to please share this campaign with your network. One hundred percent of all funds raised will go directly to the Southern African Wildlife College’s K9 unit – and you could own a one of a kind memento thanks to your generosity.
On that note, we wish you all a wonderful, restorative festive season. Please give a thought to the men and women working in conservation who won’t be taking a break. We look forward to keeping you updated on the College’s progress early in 2020.
Jeanné Poultney
Executive Manager – Marketing, Fundraising and Media Relations
Southern African Wildlife College
