Zimbabwean Officials Train Children to Coexist with Dangerous Wildlife
2024-08-21
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1In Zimbabwe, increased wildlife activity near people has put children in rural areas at greater risk of animal attacks while walking to school.
2Officials and some parents hope a campaign to teach children how to identify danger could reduce risks.
3No deaths have been reported, but student Esther Bote and her friends remain careful.
4"We usually walk in groups to feel safer," said the fourteen-year-old.
5The five-kilometer walk to school includes travel through thick forest.
6Savé Valley Conservancy, a private group, and Zimbabwe's parks agency run the program for school-age children.
7It teaches them how to recognize danger signs and how to coexist with wildlife.
8Many students, like Esther, are now able to identify the footprints of animals and the sounds they make.
9They also know how to read the direction of the wind and when and where to seek shelter.
10Dingani Masuku of Savé Valley Conservancy said wildlife affects children more than other people.
11He said children walk to school and often do household jobs like getting water and firewood.
12Such activity means they are outside often.
13Masaku said, "That's why we are targeting schools so that they can know how animals behave, what to do with the animals."
14He added that the campaign is trying to teach children "a sense of ownership," so they "don't see the animal as an adversary, but they see it as something beneficial to the community, something which should be respected."
15Recently at Chiyambiro Secondary School, a young woman was teaching children about the dangers of wild animals.
16The 18-year-old recently left school to become part of a group of young woman rangers.
17"Don't approach an animal. If it's a lion, it's looking for food. That's why it's in the community. It is looking for cheap, easy prey, and you could be the easy prey."
18Some of the children said they travel up to 15 kilometers to get to school.
19They said they have to start walking to school before the sun rises when animals such as hyenas are still awake and active.
20An official from the national parks agency spoke to the children about why wildlife is important to the community.
21He said wildlife supports the country's tourism industry and leads to job creation, such as the new ranger positions.
22Alphonce Chimangaisu is the chair of the school development committee at the Chiyambiro Secondary School.
23He said parents hope the information campaign will make children safer.
24"Some parents have stopped their children from going to school because they don't know what might happen," he said.
25School officials in affected rural areas often must delay the start of the day's classes and end them early.
26The president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Obert Masaraure, said school officials are trying to let children walk to and from school during daylight hours.
27That is when wild animals are less likely to be around.
28"We have reports of learners who have completely withdrawn from school fearing for their lives," Masaraure said.
29He also noted that teachers who live far from schools are increasingly missing work.
30He said all these problems are making it more difficult for rural learners to get a "quality education."
31Tinashe Farawo is a Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority official.
32He said wild animals are going into communities for food and water because of dry weather conditions, also called drought.
33The official said the parks agency is pushing for animal behavior and conservation training at schools around the country.
34Farawo also said children teach their parents what they have learned.
35He said the agency has established environmental clubs at many schools to bring attention to the issue.
36The official noted that conflicts had gotten worse because of drought.
37He said the parks agency had received between 3,000 and 4,000 emergency calls from communities battling wildlife in three years.
38In 2018, there were only 900 calls.
39I'm Caty Weaver. And I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
1In Zimbabwe, increased wildlife activity near people has put children in rural areas at greater risk of animal attacks while walking to school. 2Officials and some parents hope a campaign to teach children how to identify danger could reduce risks. 3No deaths have been reported, but student Esther Bote and her friends remain careful. 4"We usually walk in groups to feel safer," said the fourteen-year-old. The five-kilometer walk to school includes travel through thick forest. 5Savé Valley Conservancy, a private group, and Zimbabwe's parks agency run the program for school-age children. It teaches them how to recognize danger signs and how to coexist with wildlife. 6Many students, like Esther, are now able to identify the footprints of animals and the sounds they make. They also know how to read the direction of the wind and when and where to seek shelter. 7Dingani Masuku of Savé Valley Conservancy said wildlife affects children more than other people. He said children walk to school and often do household jobs like getting water and firewood. Such activity means they are outside often. 8Masaku said, "That's why we are targeting schools so that they can know how animals behave, what to do with the animals." 9He added that the campaign is trying to teach children "a sense of ownership," so they "don't see the animal as an adversary, but they see it as something beneficial to the community, something which should be respected." 10Education efforts 11Recently at Chiyambiro Secondary School, a young woman was teaching children about the dangers of wild animals. The 18-year-old recently left school to become part of a group of young woman rangers. 12"Don't approach an animal. If it's a lion, it's looking for food. That's why it's in the community. It is looking for cheap, easy prey, and you could be the easy prey." 13Some of the children said they travel up to 15 kilometers to get to school. They said they have to start walking to school before the sun rises when animals such as hyenas are still awake and active. 14An official from the national parks agency spoke to the children about why wildlife is important to the community. He said wildlife supports the country's tourism industry and leads to job creation, such as the new ranger positions. 15Alphonce Chimangaisu is the chair of the school development committee at the Chiyambiro Secondary School. He said parents hope the information campaign will make children safer. 16"Some parents have stopped their children from going to school because they don't know what might happen," he said. 17School officials in affected rural areas often must delay the start of the day's classes and end them early. The president of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Obert Masaraure, said school officials are trying to let children walk to and from school during daylight hours. That is when wild animals are less likely to be around. 18"We have reports of learners who have completely withdrawn from school fearing for their lives," Masaraure said. He also noted that teachers who live far from schools are increasingly missing work. He said all these problems are making it more difficult for rural learners to get a "quality education." 19Tinashe Farawo is a Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority official. He said wild animals are going into communities for food and water because of dry weather conditions, also called drought. The official said the parks agency is pushing for animal behavior and conservation training at schools around the country. 20Farawo also said children teach their parents what they have learned. He said the agency has established environmental clubs at many schools to bring attention to the issue. 21The official noted that conflicts had gotten worse because of drought. He said the parks agency had received between 3,000 and 4,000 emergency calls from communities battling wildlife in three years. In 2018, there were only 900 calls. 22I'm Caty Weaver. And I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. 23Farai Mutsaka reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. 24________________________________________________ 25Words in This Story 26adversary -n. an enemy 27beneficial -adj. something that has a good effect or that provides something useful 28ranger -n. a person who helps to supervise a forest area 29approach -n. to move closer to something; to near 30cheap -adj. at a low cost; easy to get 31prey -n. an animal that is the object of a hunt 32We want to hear from you. 33Our comment policy is here.