Written by Sboniso Ryan PhakathiÂ
Between September and December 2025, the Community-Led Conservation Practices thematic area continued to strengthen the connection between conservation outcomes and community wellbeing. Through reflective learning programmes, youth development initiatives, and livelihood-linked conservation projects, the Southern African Wildlife College reinforced its commitment to inclusive, ethical, and people-centred conservation across the Greater Kruger landscape and beyond.Â
Another highlight during this period was the invitation extended by the Regenerative Society Foundation, introduced to the College by Michele Sofisti from Nzatu and a co-opted member of the College’s Sustainability Fund Committee. The invitation included the College’s participation in a panel discussion on ”Conservation of the Natural Capital and Integrating Indigenous Knowledge” during the Regeneration 20/30 Forum in Milan, Italy, hosted by the Foundation. Designed to bring together companies, representatives of academia, civil society and institutions, the Forum aims to stimulate ongoing open dialogue and profound cultural change in society and the economy, demonstrating the impact and value of regeneration.Â
Reflective Learning and Education SupportÂ
Building on the strong results achieved in 2024 – where 93% of learners showed measurable improvement in English and Mathematics – the You Can Maths programme continued to demonstrate its value as a targeted, digital learning intervention. Delivered in partnership with Ant de Boer Consulting and funded by Ntiyiso Consulting, the programme has generated tangible benefits for learners, educators, local schools, and the broader Manyeleti school circuit.Â
Facilitated by the SAWC’s Community Liaison Officer, the RISE Unit Leader, and Goodwill Seepane, the programme supports high school learners by identifying individual learning gaps and offering tailored pathways to strengthen foundational skills in Mathematics and English. The learner app encourages independent study while building essential digital literacy, a critical competency for future learning and employment.Â
In 2025, 45 learners from Mahlale High School were supported through expanded access, including twice-weekly sessions and increased computer availability. Early indicators showed promising progress, reinforcing findings from the 2024 cohort. While final school results are still awaited, a key insight emerging this year is the programme’s powerful contribution to digital confidence among rural learners – positioning it as a catalyst for both improved academic outcomes and youth empowerment. Looking ahead, the unit aims to strengthen collaboration with the Good Work Foundation and the Department of Basic Education to scale impact beyond Grade 8.Â
Coaching Conservation: Youth, Skills and Regional Reach
The partnership with Coaching Conservation continued to gain momentum during this period, particularly through the delivery of the Rapid Awareness Programmes. These short, immersive, overnight bush-based experiences are designed to introduce young learners to conservation concepts through storytelling, play, and direct engagement with nature. During the reporting period, the programme reached 292 primary school learners from four schools within the Mnisi area. Delivered with support from Friends of African Wildlife and the Tusk Trust PACE programme, the sessions nurtured early environmental awareness, strengthened relationships with local schools, and fostered a foundation for long-term conservation thinking among young learners.Â
GEF 6 Partnership Programme: Livelihoods, Governance and CoordinationÂ
The Global Environment Facility 6 Partnership Programme remained a cornerstone of community-led conservation during the reporting period. The programme seeks to reduce illegal wildlife trade while strengthening community governance and livelihood opportunities across three clusters surrounding the Greater Kruger protected area network.Â
Across the Northern Cluster, progress included the completion of procurement for rain-harvesting infrastructure at Nkotswi Crèche, while engagement with key partners such as the Makuleke Contractual National Park continued. Â
In the Central Cluster, budget reductions necessitated a sharper focus, with agroecology training successfully delivered to Benji Co-operative Crop Farmers. Waste economy and environmental education initiatives in Swikoxeni and Utah remained aligned with nature-positive outcomes and are scheduled to resume procurement in early 2026.Â
Within the Southern Cluster, the Timele Cleaning and Greening Project advanced with the delivery of key equipment, while ongoing discussions addressed infrastructure and operational challenges. Engagement with traditional healers continued, with procurement underway for a containerised office and responsible resource-use training planned for early 2026.Â
Programme coordination was further strengthened through multi-stakeholder meetings and a strategic review held in September, which helped realign priorities, address capacity constraints, and refocus efforts toward the final 12 months of implementation. A renewed emphasis on bottom-up development of governance guidelines emerged as a critical lesson, ensuring that community voices lead the process, with practitioners and implementing partners supporting at later stages.Â
Youth Pathways through the Global Conservation Corps
The SAWC also deepened its partnership with the Global Conservation Corps (GCC) through the Future Rangers High School Programme. Approximately 129 learners from Dayimani, Mahlale, and Sokisi high schools participated in conservation exposure activities, including campus visits, game drives, and career guidance sessions. Learner progress continues to be tracked through GCC’s Vumba Digital Learning Platform.Â
In July, the RISE Unit further supported this partnership by hosting 11 Grade 12 learners from Mahlale High School for a week-long job-shadowing experience across SAWC departments. This immersive exposure provided valuable insight into conservation career pathways and was widely regarded by both learners and staff as transformative. Below are messages recently shared by GCC from the Future Rangers, reflecting the value of the job-shadowing initiative.Â