SIMIYU: It’s a jungle out there in Meatu District, Simiyu Region, and no one knows it better than the students who just received over 120m/-(around 46,000 US dollars) from the Fredkin Conservation Fund (FCF) for their education.
Yes, you read that right – there’s a six-figure sum going towards helping students make the leap from dodging goats and truancy to conquering algebra and ambitions.
FCF, through its local conservation company Mwiba Holdings Ltd, decided that helping students stay in school was as crucial as conserving the region’s wildlife. After all, it’s hard to become a good conservation ambassador if you drop out of school to herd cattle.
FCF’s Community Development Project Manager, Sylvester Bwasama, dished out the details with a certain flair, noting that FCF has committed 23,000 US dollars for scholarships in both 2023 and 2024.
“We’re sponsoring students from secondary school to university – and most of these bright sparks come from families with tighter budgets than a lioness on a calorie-restricted diet,” he quipped.
“But they’re performing brilliantly, and we’re committed to getting them all the way to university. One day, they’ll be able to teach others about why trees are friends, not firewood!”
In addition to the generous scholarships, FCF decided that knowledge is a powerful tool, but sometimes, a little street smarts (or “savanna smarts” in this case) goes a long way. So, they threw in Life Skills training for over 1,000 secondary school students.
The curriculum is practical and direct: how to steer clear of child marriages, avoid early pregnancies, keep up with reproductive health, dive into entrepreneurship, and, naturally, become allies in conservation. In other words, how to keep both their grades and their heads held high in a world that sometimes expects them to do otherwise.
But it’s not just about telling students to stay in school. Trainers Abubakar Mutoka and Pascal Steven, in what can only be described as Life Coaching meets Wildlife 101, encouraged students to set goals and steer clear of distractions.
“This is where you start preparing for the future – so stay focused on the books and not the boda-boda boys,” Mutoka advised, prompting an appreciative chuckle from students. And with a wink and a nudge, Steven echoed the sentiment: “Young ladies, beware of those who might lead you astray – not everyone with a motorcycle has your best interests at heart!”
Lameck Stanslaus, FCF’s Environmental Officer, wrapped up with a powerful message that seemed to resonate like the roar of a lion across the plains. “Look around, Meatu is filled with enough schools, nice classrooms, and thriving ecosystems thanks to conservation efforts. So, students, be proud – and maybe give the poaching industry a hard pass,” he said, eliciting nods of agreement.
With the life skills training still in full swing, Meatu’s future looks as bright as a Serengeti sunrise. And if these students take Bwasama’s advice to heart, they might just become the next generation of conservationists, protecting the land, wildlife, and classrooms for years to come.
