Supporting conservation education is one of the most effective ways to foster long-term coexistence between people and wildlife. We place particular emphasis on youth-focused initiatives that nurture respect for the natural world and empower the next generation of environmental stewards. By investing in education at a local level, we help build informed, resilient communities with the knowledge and confidence to protect the landscapes they call home.
THE PROJECTS WE SUPPORT INCLUDE:
Lessons in Conservation
Lessons in Conservation (LiC) is a youth-led organisation connecting young people with the natural world around them while building meaningful conservation awareness in rural communities across Africa. Through hands-on learning and real-world wildlife experiences, LiC equips participants with essential ecological knowledge and a strong sense of environmental responsibility. By training and supporting local ambassadors, the programme creates lasting impact that continues long after each project ends. To date, we have supported two LiC initiatives in Botswana, in Khwai and Moreomaoto, helping nurture the next generation of informed, locally rooted conservation stewards.
Coaching Conservation
Coaching Conservation (CC) is a conservation outreach programme for children that fosters self-respect, respect for others, and respect for wildlife and the environment. Using the characteristics of different species, conservation concepts are taught through fun, active games—from soccer and tag to ring toss—making learning accessible and memorable. By linking conservation to shared values through play, the programme helps children form a personal connection to the environment around them and understand their own role in protecting it. For visiting youth, it also sparks the beginning of a long-term relationship with Botswana and its wildlife.
Elephants for Africa (EFA) Conservation Education
Delivered in one of Botswana’s highest human–wildlife conflict zones, Elephants for Africa’s conservation education programme connects rural youth with the wildlife living alongside them. Working with communities near Meno a Kwena and the edge of Makgadikgadi National Park, EFA runs a monthly Environmental Club that combines classroom learning with guided excursions into the park. For many participants, this is their first meaningful exposure to the protected area on their doorstep. By fostering understanding, respect, and coexistence, the programme builds positive attitudes toward elephants and wildlife, laying the foundations for safer communities and future conservation leadership.
Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP)
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation’s Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP) works with urban primary schools in under-resourced areas, fostering a meaningful connection to nature and encouraging long-term environmental stewardship. Integrated into the national curriculum, the programme combines classroom learning with hands-on experiences in Namibia’s bush, helping young learners translate curiosity into conservation awareness and action. By grounding education in real-world experiences, KEEP inspires young minds to value and protect the natural environment beyond the classroom.
