World Environment Day: Capture it for conservation in Hoedspruit

Wild Shots Outreach, the brain-child of UK born Mike Kendrick is going from strength to strength in the communities bordering the Kruger National Park, some of which fall on Hoedspruit’s doorstep.

The aim of the Outreach is to engage young people in wildlife and conservation through photography. In the Hoedspruit area, Wild Shots works with government schools and unemployed youth in villages such as Acornhoek, Cottondale, Ludlow and Sekororo. Upon identifying a government school to work with, Kendrick asks the Principal to select eight students, usually from Grade 10 or 11, to attend the programme. Usually asking for two students who have shown a big improvement, two who show good attendance, two who possess a particularly creative talent and two learners that generally are not achieving under the traditional curriculum.

The eight learners then partake in five workshops conducted by Kendrick. Each focusing on examples of best practice, aiming to enforce a sense of pride in the learners for South Africa and its wildlife. Mike also makes sure half the group are girls and half boys.

Read: HOEDSPRUIT: Queen of the bush

He uses photography as a tool to educate the learners about various environmental issues such as plastic pollution and poaching. Kendrick, an education specialist chose to start the Outreach programme as he was dismayed to realise that very few young people in the communities bordering the Park have ever had the opportunity to see their natural history heritage. How are we ever going to save Africa’s wildlife – if the conservationists of tomorrow have never seen their wildlife, and never experienced or connected with wild animals and wild places?

The programme combines all three of his passions; education, conservation and photography. He says that the photos produced by the learners are often remarkable and show a very different style to the expected ‘norm’ as the students have not been force-fed the ‘rules’ of wildlife photography. Should Kendrick identify learners with particularly high talents or those showing a real passion for photography, he often gives them cameras on long-term loan so that their enthusiasm and proficiency in the subject can grow.

The programme has shown huge success and some of the students have used the opportunity to go onto great things. One of the Wild Shots Outreach students, Ricky Tibane from Phendulani High School, had his photo printed with his story in GEOlino – a German environmental magazine. Additionally, a lodge being built in Skukuza aims to display some of the photographs taken by the students as a feature within the building. Another programme graduate, Queen Manyike, is currently enrolled under the Bushwise Guide Training programme and showing a great potential in the wildlife industry.

Kendrick informs the HOEDSPRUIT HERALD that his programme cannot take full credit for pushing this inspiring young woman, as incredible support received from Eco Children, her previous employer, has been instrumental in securing Queen’s future in the wildlife industry. However, with thanks to Canon SA, Wild Shots Outreach was able to supply Queen with a new DSLR camera so that she can document her experiences with Bushwise. Other previous students have set up their own companies, offering photographic services and event coverage in their local areas. For more information see www. wildshotsoutreach.org