Community
Local Community Volunteers
Do You Want To Help Out In Our Local Community?
Join us as a volunteer partaking in after-school clubs either exploring wildlife and conservation issues, reading and speaking English, or playing sports at the schools.
We have two local primary schools that we currently support. Dundubala Primary has been running since the mid 1990’s, with considerable input from the community, it now boasts six classrooms for the seven grades. The desks are few and far between, but the hand-made posters are on the wall and the playground is a lesson in creativity.
Established in the mid-2000s, Mathonisa Primary originally inhabited a collection of burnt and semi-revived outbuildings of a farm. Again with substantial input from the community they have built classroom blocks and toilets.
The dedicated teachers at our local schools work tirelessly to provide education on very limited budgets. We assist wherever possible, whether through building projects, or providing food and transport for school events and fundraisers.
Introducing these children to wildlife and its vital role in our environment is essential in fostering a connection to the natural world, especially in areas like theirs where wildlife has been largely displaced to make way for livestock and agriculture.
For many of these children, wildlife is thought of as an infinite resource requiring no care and there is little connection between the impacts of human habitation and the loss of wildlife. By showing them these animals and sharing their stories, we help build recognition, appreciation, and understanding of the unique value of wildlife. This awareness is the first step in nurturing future conservationists and creating a lasting impact on our environment.
Guests wishing to bring something for the kids are encouraged to bring pens, pencils, crayons, chalk, writing books, learning aids such as flash cards, wall charts, maps. If you are limited on space in your luggage but still wish to contribute, a local stationary shop has a special program running whereby they take your donations and buy specifically for the teachers needs at the chosen school.
Often, it’s not the stationary that’s required but textbooks. The average textbook costs the same as a child’s tuition fee ($30) and many parents struggle to pay the tuition fee so are unlikely to buy any, let alone sufficient text books.
What US$500 Can Buy The School 
What US$200 Can Buy For The School
Educational Trips
Cawston offers a unique setting for school or university trips, providing hands-on learning experiences across a variety of subjects. Your students can explore aspects of botany, zoology, wildlife conservation, and holistic livestock farming. Dive into topics like beekeeping, elephant interaction and awareness, horse care and riding, basic survival skills, and even land management, including soil erosion and invasive plant control.