Imbewu
Experiencing the spirit of the wilderness is a powerful agent for introspection and change. Harnessing this power is a key component of our educational strategy as we look to the future of South Africa. One of our newer social programs is Imbewu, a Zulu and Xhosa word meaning “seed.” Through it we strengthen environmental understanding as part of an empowerment process.
Participants come from South Africa’s under-served communities for this entry-level program in parks and reserves. Imbewu’s teachers are rural, retired black game rangers we call the “wise men.” The proof and power of “the story” as an educational tool can clearly be seen in the faces of the youth as they listen to the old game rangers. These carefully selected “wise men” of the bush are key to the success of Imbewu, and use vivid impressions of animals, age-old stories, game ranger skills, and community-based knowledge to restore self confidence, instill cultural pride, and impart conservation information. The seed is planted. Imbewu is growing.
-Andrew Muir
WILD is very proud to be a close working partner (with our sister organizations The Wilderness Foundation and The Wilderness Leadership School, and our colleagues in the National Parks Board) in one of the most exciting and productive environmental education initiatives in Africa.
This political transformation period in South Africa is a crucial time. If the country seeks to transcend its history, to bring new quality of life to all its people, it must define the seeds of positive experiences which feed the talent & leadership of its youth and teachers.
A partnership project with:
IMBEWU ASSISTS TRANSFORMATION
Since its inception in 1996, Imbewu has motivated over 4,500 black youth and teachers to rediscover their heritage during four-day programs in the parks.
It centers original black game rangers, now retired in communities alongside the parks, as key teachers in the program.
It motivates over 10,000 black youth and teachers to rediscover their heritage during four day programs in the parks.
It develops new skills among Imbewu participants as well as younger game rangers presently employed within the parks.
Each generation serves as trustees for succeeding generations. Crucial to Imbewu’s success are the older ‘wise men’ of the bush – the original wildlife caretakers -dedicated to sharing their knowledge.
THE ROLE OF IMBEWU ‘WISE MEN’
Careful selection and training of retired black game rangers, who excelled in their field, affirms a circle of Imbewu leaders, who:
* Are talented teachers, able to instill vivid impressions of animal behavior and human experience.
* Are community-based, sharing skills and knowledge familiar and relevant to community life.
* Restore confidence in traditional cultural wisdom alongside western conservation views.
* Influence and motivate current black field rangers (who look after safety aspects on trail).
* Emerge as existing black role models in conservation, deserving of recognition.
* Drawn from disadvantaged communities – particularly those adjoining parks or enclosed by violence-smothered townships – 2,000 youth and teachers (in a 4:21 ratio) are targeted for each Imbewu camp, during a three year period.
* Born neighbors to the parks, the sons and daughters of ordinary people affected by park declarations in the past, will – via this sponsored program – be able to explore and communicate their benefits.
TARGETED PARKS
Imbewu has grown and now covers all the major Bio Regions of South Africa. This program is now able to take historically disadvantaged youth from all the major urban centres of SA on these courses. The reserves are:
Namaqua National Park (Northern Cape)
Addo Elephant National Park (Eastern Cape)
Tsitsikamma National Park (Western Cape)
Kruger National Park (North West; Mpumulanga)
Umfolozi Game Reserve (Kwa-Zulu Game Reserve)
IMBEWU AIMS TO:
Co-ordinate a youth empowerment program of national scope.
Provide a quality of experience which restores self-identity and natural heritage links.
Kindle an environmental consciousness.
Cultivate black role models.
Root conservation in an African context.
Add value to existing education structures.
Benefit rural communities adjoining national parks and local townships within a 300km radius.
Imbewu is an entry point experience of Africa’s wild areas in the heart of its national parks, and a catalyst to develop the vision of young black leaders in an environment which stirs healing and seeds new skills.
