AfriCat North Environment Educational Centre
WWW.AFRICAT.ORG
Environmental Education & Awareness
‘Youth of all ages are encouraged to become involved in this programme, where active participation enables them to learn more about lions in general, their role within the natural ecosystem and the problems facing lions due to loss of ideal habitat, disease and drought.. Issues such as Human-Wildlife Conflict and improved livestock protection methods encourage problem-solving within the farming communities’.
1998 – 2000 start of the Environmental Education outreach programme; the first ‘Lion Awareness Week’ held in Swakopmund and the AfriCat North (Afri-Leo) Club was established at Namib High School, Swakopmund. Groups of students visit the AfriCat North Project and ‘Adopt-a-Lion’ as well as fund-raising & awareness for the EE Programme.
2000 – donation by SIDA (Swedish Local Environment Fund, in collaboration with NNF), which built the classroom at the EE Centre;
A generous donation from a private donor, furnished the classroom.
A fully furnished teacher’s cottage as well as a camp-site for visiting students, (including ablution block, rustic kitchen & mess area), were completed in 2004.
Events such as the ‘Walk for Lions 2003’, a 160 km Trek across Damaraland, where 10 participants braved the elements and rugged terrain to raise funds for AfriCat North (Afri-Leo).
The ‘Walk for Lions 2008’, which included a 3-day Trek on communal farmland meeting farmers and Traditional Leaders as well as physical work assisting the MET and farmers repair a section of the Etosha fence, gave the 24 Swiss and Namibian Students detailed insight into the complexities of Human-Wildlife Conflict and AfriCat North’s mitigation programmes; the event continued within the Etosha National Park, where students camped ‘wild’ and gained first-hand experience of lion immobilisation and FIV-testing (Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus).
