education remains the key in managing human wildlife conflict.
Colin Dawson with local communities around the Kruger National Park.
Let’s first touch on the topic of apartheid. Apartheid or “apartness” in the language of Afrikaans, was a system of legislation that upheld segregation against non-white citizens of South Africa. After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, its all-white government immediately began enforcing existing policies of racial segregation. Under apartheid, nonwhite South Africans—a majority of the population—were forced to live in separate areas from whites and use separate public facilities. Contact between the two groups was limited. Despite strong and consistent opposition to apartheid within and outside of South Africa, its laws remained in effect for the better part of 50 years. In 1991, the government of President F.W. de Klerk began to repeal most of the legislation that provided the basis for apartheid.
Essentially, the policy governed relations between South Africa’s white minority and nonwhite majority for much of the latter half of the 20th century, sanctioning racial segregation and political and economic discrimination against nonwhites. Although the legislation that formed the foundation of apartheid had been repealed by the early 1990s, the social and economic repercussions of the discriminatory policy persisted into the 21st century.
Causing high levels of poverty that have prevented many from ever stepping foot on the other side of the fence.
The Elephant Foundation is with The Koru Camp working with the Gogos (grannies) in the local communities. Imagine living your whole life next door to some of the most stunning wildlife areas on the planet but never having stepped foot inside. Never having seen an elephant, a rhino, a lion or giraffe, this is the case for these group of Gogos.
Educational Game drives
We work alongside local conservation organizations (Connected Planet Foundation, Transfrontier Africa, The black mambas) to help a group of local grannies and some Granddaughters immersed in the Greater Kruger surrounded by stunning wildlife and pristine wilderness. This week, we have done 2 educational game drives and the gogos have been getting environmental education lessons, plenty of games, nutritious plant-based food and more.
They have had some magical encounters with elephants, giraffes, zebra, warthog, and more and we hope will go back to their communities with a message of hope and connection to nature. The influence that they have in the village and the wider community is huge.
We are proud to make camps like this happen and we thank you for all your support in helping us make it happen. With this, we hope that the message of protecting wildlife will spread and help mitigate the ongoing human-wildlife conflict.