Coaching for Conservation
This project's parent organization is Botswana Predator Conservation Trust
It operates in South Africa
It uses Football (Soccer)
Entered the Sport for the Environment Award
More about Coaching for Conservation
Coaching for Conservation (C4C) is a project of the twenty year old Botswana Predator Conservation Trust. Years of anthropological investigation into attitudes of people toward wildlife revealed that citizens:
a) Were unaware of the declining status of African large carnivores
b) Felt little responsibility toward protecting them
c) Had arguably more important priorities due to the HIV/Aids endemic and shortening human life expectancies.
C4C strives to meaningfully engage local citizens in wildlife conservation by addressing the reality that before we can talk about the future, you have to choose to have one! Our goal is to conserve Botswana’s natural resources by using sport to engender self respect and inspire a generation of kids who care.
Our unique Animal Coach Model builds respect for animals by linking professional coaches, environmental educators and animal mentors in every lesson to deliver the key messages: Respect yourself, Respect Each Other and Respect your Environment. For example, the leopard provides lessons of territoriality to the field and learning to play your position to support the team, while respecting each other’s space. Organized sport generates the enthusiasm for Botswana’s youth to become better soccer players, better team mates, healthier individuals, and more responsible conservation-minded citizens.