Blood Origins , a United States based non-profit promoting global wildlife conservation and ethical hunting practices, announced the successful initial funding of their Teacher Incentivization Program that will benefit teachers in Nata area.
This teacher incentivisation in Botswana will benefit five schools supported by Nata Conservation Trust (NCT,) a community-based organization who have a five-year Joint Venture Partnership with Tlou Safaris, a 100 percent owned citizen Botswana hunting company.
This Teacher Incentivization Program will support annual five schools in Nata, Manxotae, Maposa and Sepako which falls under auspices of NCT at a tune of P25, 000.00 ($ 1,821) annually.
The program supports the existing prize-giving ceremonies currently funded by NCT through hunting-generated revenues from local outfits. Blood Origins hopes to inspire and incentivize teachers currently working in the region’s rural and primary schools by funding awards for the best performing teachers at each school.
This past year, Blood Origins had the privilege of working with The Nata Conservation Trust (NCT) in Botswana to help local primary schools in the region expand upon their already good work. The NCT works with four villages: Nata, Maposa, Sepako, and Manxotae in implementing upliftment projects in each community through revenues generated from hunting in the concessions under their jurisdiction. Each village in the region has a primary school that benefits directly from hunting through work that the NCT does.
Currently and in years past, the NCT hosts a prize giving ceremony for all four schools to come together. The organization was responsible for covering all of the costs of the ceremony including paying for custom trophies and other out-of-pocket expenses.
“I knew we could do help support this program” said Robbie Kroger, Executive Director of Blood Origins. “I could see the work done by NCT, I could see the pride in the principal’s eyes, and I felt we could step up to be the missing piece of the puzzle to add to the great work that is already occurring here”.
Kroger alluded: “I asked the principal at the Nata primary school – what would be an appropriate stipend to go with the trophy for the best teacher” Kroger noted, “He looked at me quite sternly and said “P5000” would be a good start and I agreed on the spot”.
Kroger further explains: ‘’ But when the crew got back in the car, they felt we could even help more. That’s when we decided to raise a stipend for each best teacher in the school. We thought if we could raise a P5000 to be given to each primary school for the best teacher? Could we raise enough funding to do it for the next 2 years?
With the help of local hunting operations, Blood Origins was able to put together an incentive package for the region’s best teachers featuring a cash prize and trophy.
“There was never a doubt in my mind that hunters would step up,” said Kroger.
“This is a true community project that is benefiting the individuals of this community. If we develop the learners, we develop a very sound nation, these are our future leaders, and we execute correctly, this is the outcome” stated the Principal of the Nata Primary School.
With generous funding from the Sea Dragon Foundation, and the Wildlife Education Center at Legends Ranch, the project is now fully funded, we are all systems go for in 2024 and 2025 which will aim to further incentivize teachers to educate their kids as best as they possibly can be. This new incentivization program will provide a monetary stipend for the best teacher in each primary school under the care of The Nata Conservation Trust. We couldn’t be happier to see this project come to fruition and can’t wait to report back on the good these teachers are doing for their communities as educators of the next generation.