Educate African Children about the environment

At DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage we strive to make the students aware of the importance of protecting their wildlife and environment, through education.  By learning about our animals and interacting with them, we want our students to become ambassadors. We believe that they can become actors of change within their community. Thanks to YOU the children can make an impact.

Since the beginning of the year, we have worked with three different schools, Diputhi, Molomahlapi, and Maahlamele. For now, we had the opportunity of sharing wonderful experiences with 112 students, from which we also had a lot to learn from. Our volunteers every week give their best to make the young students understand the importance of environmental education as a solution to overcome nature related problems. 

Of all these students, 8 of them were very lucky to be at DAKTARI the week that Kutullo, a former student and now field guide, came to pay a visit. Kutullo took the volunteers and students on a bush walk where he happily shared a lot of knowledge about the bush.

In addition, 8 students of the week, (an award that we give at the end of the week, after we observe the improvement and commitment of the children during the five days), went on a game drive at Sausage Tree Safari Camp, in the Balule Game Reserve. They had wonderful sightings and had an amazing experience!

NEW INCORPORATION!

We have a new volunteer coordinator in the DAKTARI family, Petunia. She is replacing Lebo, after 5 years working with us, she has decided to continue her career outside the bush. 

Petunia will work closely with our students and volunteers, making sure that everyone is taken care of and doing what they should.

We are looking forward to sharing new experiences together!

NEW LESSON!

On another note, we have included a new lesson in our teaching program. The Dog Lesson.

In the villages where these children come from dogs are seen more as house guardians than pets. The families often don't feed them regularly, don´t provide shelter, and don't take them to the vet. 

For these reasons, during this lesson, our volunteers will teach the kids about the importance of providing a shelter and of giving food and water every day, and about how to identify common diseases, as well as who to call. We make an emphasis on the 5 animal freedoms:

• freedom of hunger, thirst, and malnutrition;
• freedom of discomfort and exposure;
• freedom of pain, injury, and disease;
• freedom from fear; 
• and freedom to express normal behavior. 

Our approach to this problem goes beyond the lesson, we serve as role models in our daily interactions with the six dogs we have. Everyone at DAKTARI, volunteers, and staff, makes sure they are taken care of and always take pleasure in giving them attention. 

DAKTARI each day has a mix of lessons, activities, and animal interactions. Compared to the normal classes in secondary school, at DAKTARI we keep class sizes small. We believe we make a greater impact by providing individual attention to each child. 

Thank you very much for your ongoing support! By working together, we can make the world a better place.

Best regards,

The DAKTARI family.