How does education facilitate conservation?

Awareness of the importance of conservation and general education has a crucial role in safeguarding wildlife and opening people up to different socio-economic opportunities. Without education, there is no hope for true community engagement in wildlife conservation – education must start in the classroom and with the right resources. Livelihoods in these communities are often burdened by erratic and difficult environmental circumstances, human-wildlife conflicts, hunger and lack of important resources. Education is therefore not always a priority…and yet it plays such an important role in conserving wildlife and providing socio-economic opportunities.

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How does healthcare facilitate conservation?

In isolated and rural wildlife area, people have very limited access to healthcare. Dental and eye care are often overlooked; women cooking over open flames and in the smoke, community members working outdoors with eyes unprotected from the blazing sun, lack of access to dental aid can all be problematic.

 

Providing much needed dental and eye care to the rural villagers living along the boundary is essential to their wellbeing, in turn this is fundamental if they are expected to take care not only of themselves, but also of the wildlife they live with. Health is a fundamental part of wellbeing and wellbeing is essential to community-based conservation. Supporting local healthcare programmes plays a big part in facilitating conservation initiatives.