For a group of learners who took part in the “Living with Wildlife” Debate and Public Speaking Competition earlier this year, August brought another opportunity to take their conservation learning beyond the classroom.
The competition, held in Phalaborwa in May, engaged 121 primary and high school learners from across the Namakgale and Lulekani circuits. Through research and public speaking, learners explored conservation challenges including environmental crime, bushmeat harvesting, snaring and the importance of protecting natural resources and biodiversity.
While the first and second place schools earned the opportunity to attend an immersive conservation experience at Koru Camp, the programme also included a lucky draw, giving additional learners the chance to visit Kruger National Park for a day of environmental education.
On 27 August, 15 participants, including learners from Babine Primary School and Nkateko Primary School, made the trip to Letaba inside Kruger National Park, where they were able to continue exploring some of the environmental and conservation themes introduced through the competition within the protected landscape itself.
The visit reflects an important part of the wider Living with Wildlife programme. Researching and speaking about conservation encourages learners to investigate environmental challenges, develop their own perspectives and build confidence in communicating their ideas. Opportunities to then enter a protected area help connect those discussions with the wildlife and landscapes at the centre of them.
For the youth living alongside the Greater Kruger, these experiences can also provide a different perspective on protected areas and the role that neighbouring communities play in their future.
The Living with Wildlife Debate and Public Speaking Competition forms part of GKEPF’s Prosper Programme and broader environmental education and awareness efforts, creating opportunities for young people to engage meaningfully with conservation while developing skills in critical thinking, communication and public speaking.
The wider programme has been delivered in partnership with Balule Outreach Trust, SANParks (Kruger National Park Socio-Economic Transformation team) and Selati Wilderness Foundation, with Balule Outreach Trust leading the project.
From the original competition in May, to the Koru Camp experience for the top placing schools and now the Letaba educational visit, the programme has created different opportunities for learners to explore conservation beyond the classroom and experience some of the landscapes they had spent time researching and discussing.
