Riding for Conservation and Education, a joint initiative between the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and ZimParks has donated 90 bicycles in a bid to enhance the safety of students commuting through wildlife corridors to reach schools in the Hwange-Matetsi-Zambezi area. This collaborative effort between the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and ZimParks seeks to alleviate poverty while nurturing positive attitudes towards wildlife.
Dr. Fulton Mangwanya, ZimParks Director General, underscored the importance of community engagement in conservation efforts. “Based on our experience, conservation efforts work better when local communities are actively engaged and when their expectations and desires are not ignored. Through this intervention, we hope to create a peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife and, most importantly, make a lasting impact in the lives of these children who will become future conservation champions,” said Dr. Mangwanya
IFAW Landscape Conservation Director, Phillip Kuvawoga highlighted the pivotal role of education in breaking the poverty cycle and fostering positive attitudes towards wildlife. “Education plays a pivotal role in breaking the poverty cycle and in fostering positive attitudes towards wildlife. Children are the wildlife heroes of the future. By investing in their education now we hope to create a better future for communities and the wildlife that live amongst them, one ride at a time,” said Kuvawonga
In addition to the bicycle donation, IFAW and ZimParks provided 500 textbooks to 10 schools in the Hwange and Tsholotsho Districts, approximately 1,600 students stand to benefit from this initiative, which also aims to improve the textbook-to-student ratio. The Environmental Stewardship Programme (ESP), launched in 2019, supports 21 primary schools in the buffer communities of Hwange, Lupane, and Tsholotsho districts.
The collaborative effort between IFAW and ZimParks aims to instil conservation and sustainable practices, values, and principles in children aged 8 – 15 years.
