Engaging young people in nature and conservation through photography
It has been an exciting and busy start to the year. Wild Shots Outreach has successfully delivered its first workshops in Namibia, together with our third visit to Botswana with Natural Selection. Three former students have qualified as FGASA field guides, and our first Bursary student has graduated from university. A three-year PhD research project investigating the impact of WSO has just been published.
WSO Namiia “Photography makes me feel alive. I can’t put into words the joy and excitement. Wild Shots Outreach made me realise I can have a dream, people like me.” Feedback from Ernst (22), at Kwessi Dunes Lodge. WSO was invited by Natural Selection to run our programmes with young jobseekers from three local communities in Namibia. They stayed in the lodges, gaining valuable insights into Namibia’s tourism industry and wildlife economy. Thank you to Canon EMEA Young People Programme and the Natural Selection Foundation for their support.
Impact of WSO subject of PhD Research Project
A three-year PhD research project assessing the impact of “Wild Shots Outreach - Conservation, Education and Capacity Building through Photography” has been published by Dr. Stephanie Klarmann of the University of Johannesburg. Stephanie presented her impressive findings at a packed public event in Hoedspruit, attended by more than 150 WSO students and members of the Maruleng community.
WSO’s First University Graduate
We are so proud of Wisani Ngwenya, graduating with an Honours Degree in filmmaking from AFDA Media College in Johannesburg. When Wisani joined a WSO programme whilst at high school, his talent shone, and he became the very first recipient of our Bursary Award. He has blazed the trail, with four more WSO Bursary students following in his footsteps at AFDA. Wisani is now completing work experience with one of Johannesburg’s top media agencies.
Outreach Statistics: To date we have delivered a total of 138 courses for 1161 young people from previously disadvantaged communities. We have WSO graduates working in lodges and for NGOs, studying in tertiary education, working as antipoaching rangers, and employed in the media industry.
A huge thank you to all our sponsors and supporters for making WSO’s work possible.
If you can help with financial support, donation of second-hand camera gear or laptops, or offers of work experience, please contact: Mike Kendrick / +27 (0)722 813 157 / mike@wildshotsoutreach.org
