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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela Lapalala Wilderness School (LWS) is an outdoor environmental education centre situated deep in the Waterberg Mountains of South Africa. Run by a small and dedicated team of professionals from the region, the school’s grass-root approach to raising environmental awareness has earned the school a well-deserved reputation as an innovative educational institution of excellence.
THE SCHOOL Each year LWS receives thousands of students mainly from the Limpopo Province but also from others parts of South Africa for week-long courses at the reserve. In 2011 alone, 3000 primary and secondary students attended the school of which half came from community schools (disadvantaged governmental schools for whom all is paid by LWS) and the other half from fee-paying private schools. To ensure impact, LWS caters for a maximum of 60 students at any one time, delivering highly personal, interactive field and classroom lessons throughout the week.
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The courses at LWS are individually designed and relevant to the specific schools’ environmental issues. Main focus areas are: • Environmental awareness. Africa’s extraordinary biodiversity and most importantly the link between sustainable use of natural resources and improved quality of life. • Self-reliance. Local solutions to local challenges. • Community Conservation. In Southern Africa, environmental conservation no longer stops at the boundaries of national parks. To succeed in preserving the region’s natural resources for generations to come means giving biodiversity an economic value in working partnership with the local communities. LWS moves beyond school grounds to reach even more children as well as teachers who are hungry to learn. The extensive outreach program involves Teacher Training courses, Eco-Schools certification Programme, and the new and very promising Youth Development Programme. The latter identifies and nurtures selected groups of students each year whom are subsequently given in-depth environmental tutoring throughout the schooling years and finally offered third level environmental education. This is a highly dedicated and hands-on approach to the moulding of Africa’s future conservation leaders.
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS LWS exists thanks to financial support from individuals and private companies. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise money for education and its required long-term vision, as climatic changes and population growth increases the demands for shortterm funding. Yet, it is precisely because of these critical issues that environmental education is more urgently needed than ever. To this background Lapalala Wilderness School Norway Fund (LWS NorwayFund) was created in 2011.
“Conservation and poverty alleviation are inextricably linked. Green campaigns of passion and idealism alone will not halt the loss of Africa’s biodiversity, for they have no relevance to those who live in poverty. “ Dr John Hanks, Chairman LWS
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LWS NORWAY FUND The purpose of LWS NorwayFund has two facets. The first is to raise longterm funding on behalf of Lapalala Wilderness School (LWS) in order for the latter to achieve its mission: “To promote an appreciation and respect for the extraordinary diversity of Africa’s natural world, to develop and encourage a passion and commitment to conserve nature and ecological processes, where possible identifying and nurturing the conservation champions of the future.” The second leg of the mission is to raise awareness in Norway of environmental conservation in Southern Africa.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES Build partnership LWS NorwayFund actively engages with its corporate partners to jointly contribute to LWS’ work to achieve its goals. A dynamic, collaborative relationship existing between the Fund and its partners lies at the core of the Fund’s fundraising approach, ensuring transparency and strong, long-lasting partnerships. Measure results LWS’s environmental guidance and impact on South Africa’s young generation can only come to fruition when working hand in hand with corporate visionaries sharing its belief in the vital importance of nurturing Africa’s future environmental leaders. In view of this, measuring results is a fundamental necessity to LWS and LWS NorwayFund and are as such carefully compiled annually and shared with its corporate partners.
“The conservationist’s most important task, if we are to save the earth, is to educate. “ Peter Scott, founder chairman of the World Wildlife Federation
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THE PARTNERSHIP LWS NorwayFund wishes to engage in a dynamic relationship with Norwegian companies and individuals on a long-term basis. LWS NorwayFund acts as an intermediary, and as an organisation made up solely of volunteers retains 10% of received funding to cover administrative costs whilst the remainder goes directly to LWS.
THE TEAM Elizabeth Lange Folgen (Chair): Originally from Arendal, Norway, Elizabeth has lived and worked abroad for the last 20 years before returning home in 2010. Running her own businesses in Ireland for many years, she also studied environmental sciences and spent a year in South Africa as a Norway Peace Corps exchange student, working at a Pan-African environmental NGO. She is currently managing a company in Aust-Agder. Dr John Hanks: John has been a leading figure in Southern Africa’s conservation work for over 40 years. He is currently working as an independent consultant and sits on several Boards, including Lapalala Wilderness School where he acts as Chairman. Nicolas Wilmot: Originally from Zimbabwe, he has been a member of the Top Management Group of Gard, one of the world’s leading marine insurers for over ten years involved with customers relations and organisational development as well as more strictly legal matters. He and his family have run a small farm south of Bergen since 1976. Rob Barnes: Rich Media & Communications Specialist with GRID-Arendal Norway (a United Nations Environment Programme collaborating centre). Rob has been working in the field of Environmental Communications and Outreach for over 10 years. Originally from England, Rob has spent much time working with youth in areas such as awareness building and environmental networking, both in Africa and in Norway.
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PARTNERSHIP LEVELS Partnerships are divided into three levels, and each level requires a 3-year commitment to allow LWS a long-term strategic plan. The support can be directed at current earmarked activities at the school or go towards the school’s core funding.
RHINO - Leading par tner Annual donation: NOK 100,000 LEOPARD - Bonus par tner Annual donation: NOK 50,000 Earmarked donations for the first two levels : Please see attached leaflets for detailed information on each of the following earmarked activities 1. Community Schools attendance at LWS. 2. Youth Development Programme. 3. Teacher Training Workshop. GIRAFFE - Grass-root par tner Annual donation: NOK 25,000 Earmarked donations: Please see attached Needs list, a regularly updated list of specific requirements to ensure a high standard of education at the school.
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BENEFITS LWS NorwayFund wishes to give something of value back to partnering companies, and offers therefore relevant In-house staff engagement talks focusing on current, ‘straight from the field’ conservation issues from Southern African. Rhino partner benefits are tailor-made and may include such talks on a yearly basis, as well as Lapalala Wilderness School and reserve visits and the use of LWS NorwayFund logo. Leopard and Giraffe partners are offered one staff engagement Talk and are welcome to use the LWS NorwayFund logo. Also, regular updates and e-mail alerts from the school, as well as annual progrsss reports and measured results on targeted funding are shared with all corporate partners.
MASHUDU MAKHOKHA Mashudu began as a Senior Environmental Educator at LWS three years ago, and currently holds the position as Course Coordinator. Mashudu comes from a disadvantaged rural community in the Limpopo province. He knew from early on that he wanted to work in conservation. With little encouragement or guidance available, personal determination fuelled by the wisdom of others (a member of the church saw his passion and, as Mashudu says, ‘he carried me though college after my mother died’) got him to where he is today. Probably more clearly than most, Mashudu sees the vital role that Lapalala plays in recognising and guiding young Africans towards environmental leadership. He reminds us that there is much history and culture which also need to be dealt with and is adamant that LWS must encourage self-reliance and show the children how they can as well as why they need to conserve their natural heritage for future generations. Mashudu and his colleagues, all from the Limpopo region, are rare role models to the thousands of children who come to the school each year and as such are the cornerstones of the LWS’ mission.
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Elizabeth Folgen Mobile: Fax: Skype:
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+47 902 265 05 +47 947 605 05 elizabeth.folgen
elizabeth@lwsnorway.no www.lwsnorway.no
Org #: 995307898
Nicolas Wilmot Mobile:
+47 992 840 11
nic.wilmot@lwsnorway.no www.lwsnorway.no
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Robert Barnes Tel Norway: +47 951 258 28 Tel UK: +44 (0) 208 816 7302 +47 9476 3051 Fax: robbarnes_uk Skype:
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rob.barnes@lwsnorway.no www.lwsnorway.no
Org #: 995307898
org. number 995307898