At Cawston Wildlife Estate we are highly dedicated to giving back to our local communities in whatever way we can. Below are outlined some of our community outreach involvements and incentives and ways by which your trip and stay with us can help to aid these rural communities:
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
HOW CAWSTON WILDLIFE ESTATE GIVES BACK
SCHOOLS
We have two local primary schools. Dundubala Primary running since the mid 1990’s, now boasts four classrooms for the seven grades. The desks are few and far between, but the hand-made posters are on the wall and the playground is a lesson in creativity.
Established in the last decade, Mathonisa Primary originally inhabited a collection of burnt and semi-revived outbuildings of an old farm. In the past five years the community have built classroom blocks and toilets.
Both schools have dedicated teachers who run their schools on limited budget. We help wherever we can whether it be assisting in building works, food for school events and fundraisers and transport. Our students on attachment often undertake outreach sessions with the kids and tell them a bit about wildlife and its individual uniqueness and importance in our environment.
In October 2014 an experienced facilitator kindly donated his time and ran a two day children’s’ camp for 10 -12 year olds. On this camp they were taught things about the wildlife around them, showed animals that some of them had never seen. This may sound strange, but in the lands around the villages, no wildlife live as they have been removed to make way for livestock. The value of wildlife are not seen when they do not make the Villages direct money. Showing the children animals such as giraffe and impala help them to be able to identify and start to appreciate the natural wildlife.
Clients wishing to bring something for the kids are encouraged to bring pens, pencils, crayons, chalk, writing books, learning aids such as flash cards, wall charts, maps.
REDWOOD CLINIC
Redwood Clinic, our closest at 8km away provides basic care to our community numbering upwards of 1000. In its seven years of operation it has provided an essential service through its three bed maternity ward; first aid care; HIV and commonly associated disease testing, counselling and medication. It is staffed by three hard working nurses, two of whom live on site.
Cawston Wildlife Estate provides assistance where we can, whether it be mowing their yard, contributing food to village care workshops or contributing to security costs.
Redwood clinic completely and utterly burnt down on 10th November 2014 as a result of a large veld (bush) fire. The local community themselves have worked hard to clean up and re-build. Four years on and the building is back in operation as a clinic. Medication and consumables is always required however and shortages often experienced.
