Education as a Foundation for Wildlife Conservation: Training for 72 Teachers in the Okavango

What does a handmade “Crocodile TV” have to do with wildlife conservation? More than you might think.

Wildlife conservation does not begin only where rangers monitor wildlife, protect habitats or prevent conflicts. It begins much earlier: with education, with perspectives and with people who pass knowledge on to the next generation. From 29 July to 2 August 2026, 72 volunteer teachers from different communities in the Okavango District took part in a five-day training course in Xakao. 41 of them work in playgroups supported by SAVE Wildlife Conservation Fund.

Five days of learning, experimenting and sharing.

During the training, participants explored different areas of their daily educational work. These included lesson planning, child development, learning through play, communication, health and nutrition, child protection, and working with parents. The focus was not only on theoretical knowledge. The teachers developed their own methods and materials that they can use directly in their work with the children.

What a “Crocodile TV” has to do with wildlife conservation.

One of these ideas was a handmade “Crocodile TV”. The participants developed it as a creative way to share knowledge about crocodiles, their habitats and the importance of wildlife conservation. A simple, locally made teaching tool becomes a starting point for conversations, stories and learning together. No complicated technology is needed.

It takes people who can communicate knowledge in a way that children can understand, share with others and connect to their own environment.

Conservation starts with the next generation

Especially in a region like the Okavango, people and wildlife live in close proximity. Long-term conservation therefore depends not only on protecting individual species. It is equally important to share knowledge about wildlife, habitats and coexistence within local communities.

Volunteer teachers play an important role in this: What they learn today reaches the children in their communities tomorrow – and, through the children, their families.

The training therefore strengthens more than just the educational work in the playgroups.

It creates opportunities to integrate nature and wildlife conservation into children’s everyday lives from an early age.

41 teachers from SAVE-supported playgroups

Of the 72 participants, 41 work in playgroups supported by SAVE. These playgroups provide early childhood education in communities across the Okavango, giving children the opportunity to learn, play and discover their environment together. Training courses like this help teachers develop their work and apply new methods directly in their groups.

Because successful wildlife conservation requires more than protected areas and well-trained rangers. It needs people who understand why their environment is worth protecting – and who pass this knowledge on.

Living conservation together.

By supporting our education projects, you help us share knowledge where the next generation is growing up: right in the communities of the Okavango.