Community Involvement

Community Outreach Programs and Education Programs

To safeguard wildlife and ecosystems, it is critical to involve local communities in the process of preservation and conservation. We have and continue to work with many of the villages surrounding Mkomazi National Park and Kora National Park to ensure a mutually beneficial working relationship and further the goal of wildlife and ecosystem preservation.

Support of the local villages comes in many forms but is primarily focused on children and education. The Mkomazi Project constructed and upgraded elementary and secondary schools and exposed local children to sustainable practices and the importance of environmental conservation and ecosystem preservation through the Rafiki wa Faru environmental education program.

Our long-term commitment ensures that local communities benefit from the presence of the Mkomazi and Kora National Parks and look upon wild animals as a non-consumptive resource. To that end, the trusts have contributed funds to many important projects that support local communities. Regular meetings are held with the local village leaders and school boards to maintain positive relations.

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Environmental Education Program

Rafiki wa Faru, (Friends of the Rhino) is the environmental education program in Mkomazi National Park that gives local schoolchildren experiences and activities focusing on environmental education. Over 900 students per year come to meet Elisaria, the Mkomazi rhino trackers, the TANAPA rangers and officers who explain their work and how it benefits to both the environment and ultimately the students and their families.

They learn about protection of endangered wildlife, specifically the black rhino and African wild dog, as well as about the conservation of Mkomazi National Park. Programs such as this help create a new mindset for the future. They also help encourage students to become part of the solution by becoming park rangers and conservationists.