R9.59 million boost to training wildlife managers

South Africa’s National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NDLTF) yesterday informed the Southern African Wildlife College in Kruger National Park of its grant allocation of R9.59 million to the College to train South African students.

This is the largest single monetary donation the College has received since inception in 1997. Students from across the African continent are trained at the College in the essential skills of managing parks and conservation areas. The College’s training programmes are having a real effect on conservation as graduate students continue to take up more senior positions in many of Southern Africa’s most prominent wildlife areas.

Sershan Naidoo, Divisional Manager: Beneficiary and Player Relations and Media Liaison at the National Lotteries Board, was very positive about the level of support the NLDTF will be giving the College and the reasons for that support. ‘The NLDTF supports skills development and training and recognises the vital importance these are playing in protecting the environment for the future generations of South Africa.’
‘The grant of R9.59 million to the Southern African Wildlife College has been made possible only by the participation of South Africans in the National Lottery. The National Lotteries Board would like to thank all National Lottery participants for helping to make the dreams of many South Africans come true. Since inception of the lottery more than R8 billion has been allocated to NGO’s across South Africa.’

Theresa Sowry, Executive Manager of Training at the College, was thrilled about the donation and deeply thankful for such a huge cash injection at this time. She said: ‘Thanks to South Africa’s National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, the Southern African Wildlife College will be able to continue playing an important role in conservation by building capacity in conservation agencies through training in natural resource management.’