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Education Newsletter
The end of the year, and a pleasant round off to a good academic season…
In July, the Education Project organised a poster making competition for Chongololo Conservation Clubs throughout the Chitambo Chieftaincy. Clubs from local government and community schools were required to design a conservation poster for Kasanka’s Research Centre on any topic they desired. Options ranged from general conservation issues such as pollution and health, to more localised ones such as poaching and witchcraft. All entrants were required to sign up with the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Zambia, and as reward were given paper and stationery for the competition. By the cut off date on 5 October, we received fourteen posters, and were very impressed with the amount of effort that some clubs had gone to.
First Prize went to Chalilo Government School who designed a poster on various conservation problems relating to Kasanka. Their poster had the most initiative, and was ingenious enough to win them first place. Second prize went to Kafinda Government School, who came in at close second with a similar poster on general conservation. Third prize was to a local community school, and fourth prize to a government school on the boarder of Chitambo Chieftaincy.
Winning schools left with footballs and a collection of stationery that had been donated by visitors throughout the year, so all were very pleased.
SECOND PLACE POSTER BY KAFINDA CHONGOLOLO CLUB
COMPETITION WINNERS AT MULAUSHI RESEARCH CENTRE
Pupils from
both Holland and Zambia thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and
produced education material of a very high standard. Elout School
has just announced they would like to continue corresponding with us
here in Zambia, and would like to try and raise some Euros for
various improvements at the school. A great many thanks from the
Education Project to Kasanka’s ex-Community Relations Officer,
Cornelie van der Feen, ECOKIDS HOLLAND – ELOUT SCHOOL
ECOKIDS ZAMBIA – KAFINDA SHOOL
PRE-SCHOOL PUPILS AT
The Education Project has managed to sell 16 of the 20 t-shirts that were donated to us by the Scottish University students who came out in July to work with the Darwin Initiative. Plans are for this money to sponsor a student to Grade 8 in 2007, and we are in the process of selecting a suitable candidate. The Project would like to extend a very big thank you to the group who showed so much interest in education activities, and donated so many resources to the project.
On 11 and 12 November, the Darwin Initiative invited two groups of students from Kafinda Chongololo Club to Mulaushi Research Centre for a day of fun. The Education Project presented a lesson on the link between local communities, conservation and tourism to both groups, and it was interesting to see the difference in understanding between the two. The first group consisted mostly of students who had been club members for over a year, and they were able to grasp the concept with relative ease. The second group was made up of new Chongololos, and had to be taught basic conservation terminology instead of going ahead with the planned lesson. It is times like these that we realise just how important our role in spreading conservation knowledge is, and just how receptive young minds can be…
Park visits were held in late November for twelve local Chongololo Clubs, forty staff children and a group of elderly Zambians originally from the area. Groups were escorted around the park by volunteers Victoria Paterson and Frederick Cave, together with KTL scout Marley Katinta. As always, there was much excitement, and everyone had a great time learning more about Kasanka. The last school term of 2006 ended on 1 December, with numerous sponsored students coming back to the park for work experience during their school holidays; Gerald Chilwa, a general worker in Wasa Camp, Joseph Nkowani, in the vegetable garden at Mulaushi and Frank Malata, an assistant once again on the Darwin Initiative. Frank has just been selected as a Grade 12 prefect for next year, so we wish him well with his new role…
FRED AND MARLEY WITH KALUNGU CHONGOLOLO CLUB AT THE END OF AN EXCITING DAY
A great many thanks to all the sponsors who so generously donated their money to student sponsorships this year, as well as all the visitors to the park who made material donations over the course of the year. It is through you that we are able to continue giving to the community, so a big thank you to you all on behalf of the Trust.
Leigh Chaloner, Education Co-ordinator 31 December 2006
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On
7 November the prize giving ceremony was held at Mulaushi Research
Centre, with four winners being chosen out of all the entries. Ten
Chongololo Club members, together with a Chongololo Club patron from
each winning school were invited to attend the event. 
