SPF Program Overview

Programs are summarized below. Click on a heading to get more detail.

  • Radio and Social Media
  • Media Training
  • Community Seminars
  • School Education Programs
  • Wildlife Ambassadors
  • Youth Empowerment
  • Partnerships

Radio Programming 

Objective: Reach all local communities around the Serengeti with messages that (a) promote awareness and advocacy of conservation, and (b) provide practical information that can benefit local people in their lives.

  • SPF has developed programming for over a year in Loliondo, a Maasai area next to the Serengeti. These programs occur twice-weekly.
  • Rural radio programs provide live discussions and conservation news, as well as children’s conservation programming, such as using local folktales to teach conservation lessons.
  • An online community network (Facebook) in Kiswahili also advances awareness and advocacy and promote participation in SPF programs.
  • This is an ongoing program component that crosses all other work, and should be sustained and expanded over time as both a Community Saturation and Cross-community Program

Budget:

Monthly costs are $500. This includes: program development, participant stipends, and airtime of $350.

Evaluation:  Estimate the reach that radio broadcasts have in total listeners. Note phone-in calls. Measure web comments on each radio station site. Conduct informal surveys in each community before and after broadcasts.

Media Training – Radio & Print Journalism

Objective: Increase the output and quality of Tanzanian radio and print media related to conservation, especially community conservation.

  • SPF has a history of successful journalism workshops, some with field trips to national parks. Four such workshops have been held, with more than 60 journalists so far.
  • Radio reaches local communities. Print reaches opinion leaders and government in urban areas.
  • Tactics
    • Educate Tanzanian media professionals on conservation concepts and urgent conservation issues.
    • Provide field experience in national parks and reserves.
    • Stimulate quality print and radio coverage through awards and grants for investigative journalism.
    • Develop of conservation desks within media companies.
  • This program needs continued support for distance communications with the journalist team, and for periodic brief journalist’s meetings when urgent updates and action are needed.

Budget:  Continuous contact by SPF staff, at a rate of approximately $100 per month.

Periodic seminars for up to 20 journalists.  The cost per day of seminars is $3,000. This includes transport for journalists from across Tanzania, venues, speakers, meals, transportation, and overnight accommodations for multi-day seminars (recommended).

Evaluation:  Measure new programs and articles produced, taking note of article length and quality. Evaluate social media sites of news and radio to assess engagement and online comments.

Community Seminars

Objectives: (a) increase awareness of the importance of education and action in the local community, and (b) develop leaders in each local Serengeti-adjacent community who can and will speak with their communities in support of local conservation.

  1. These include: Community Council meetings (for government policy advocacy), local community elder meetings, and full men’s and women’s community meetings.
  2. These will address conservation issues, raise awareness of community needs, and open doors to education and action initiatives at the local level.
  • The current program approach integrates these meetings into all other local SPF activities, and this integrated approach will continue.

Budget:

Because community seminars are an integrated part of all other SPF programs, taking place only when other programs are taking place, there is little cost for implementing these meetings.  Small expenses may include a small meal or sodas for participants, and stipend for government leaders to spend time organizing the activity. Approximately $200 per meeting.

Evaluation:  Survey attitudes before and after seminars.

Conservation Education: Serengeti Teachers Education Program (STEP)

Goals: The short-term goal is to bring conservation education to communities around the Serengeti. The long-term goal: SPF will work with government education officials to incorporate this into secondary school curricula in the country.

The long-term goal is to have this conservation curriculum in every single public school in Tanzania.

  • STEP provides conservation curriculum, classroom resources, and training to science teachers from primary through secondary school.
  • Programs have been field tested and evaluated, and they have been introduced in Loliondo schools with success.
  • The current program works with up to ten schools per launch, with a three-day training and field experience event, with follow-up of up to 5 days in schools for coaching and support.
  • Fortunately, one of SPF’s key advisors was in a position to lead the revision of these new curricula, and was able to ensure as full inclusion of conservation education as possible into the new primary science curriculum.
  • Because SPF’s primary advisor has existing MOEVT and TIE connections, this direct provision of materials to government is quite possible. However, it must be noted that government would then need to allocate funds to move these resources out into schools, which requires an understanding of the value of the materials and political will to make it happen. SPF is currently planning to pursue both avenues of STEP expansion.

Budget: The current cost for STEP implementation is approximately $2000 per school for participation in a three-day training seminar and field trip, funds for supplies in classrooms, and follow-up coaching and monitoring.

Evaluation:  Number of schools with this program, both around the Serengeti and nationally. Conduct pre- and post-program tests to measure learning.

Wildlife Ambassadors

Objective: This program will be used to (a) develop a network of university students who can be used in outreach in their own universities and in local communities and schools (b) identify leadership potential and train for further professional work.

  1. This program engages Tanzanian university students who have an interest in conservation and community program implementation.  They bring various areas of specialty, but all are eager to learn more about conservation issues, teach in their own communities, and support the education and action efforts of SPF.
  2. This is the newest of SPF’s programs and needs to be evaluated over time to test its effectiveness and learn what works best.
  • A possible outcome of this program is to create a team to serve as SPF outreach staff in communities around the Serengeti who will engage in SPF education and action programs.

Budget:

Currently this program includes periodic seminars for ambassadors.  The cost for these seminars is similar to journalism seminars, $3,000 per day.  Additional budget is needed to support local implementation by Ambassadors after the seminars. This will include hiring them as temporary staff, at a rate of $50 per day, and any materials and transport needed to conduct local activities.

Evaluation:  Keep totals of number of Wildlife Ambassadors involved along with the number who are actively involved on outreach in their schools and local communities. Estimate the number of people who are actively reached by them.

Youth Empowerment Activities

Objectives:  Involve young people in specific community conservation activities in order to build (a) knowledge and desire to act in support of conservation, (b) a cadre of future conservation leaders in local communities.

  • Examples:
    • Young children’s Trash for Trees program in which children trade in non-biodegradable waste for seedlings, read children’s books about conservation topics, and participate in community education programs.
  • Conservation Youth Projects for adolescents, such as tree nurseries, village clean-up, participation in national events, and mentoring and education for young children.
  • Incorporate these activities into our formal education program (STEP) and community saturation approach.
  • Use our partnership with Mali Hai Clubs, located in schools around the country, to introduce and expand these activities.
  • Use these education and action programs in the Wildlife Ambassadors Program.

Budget:

Costs are minimal because these youth empowerment programs are an integral piece of a community saturation model, costs are limited. Cost for Trash for Trees include purchasing of tree seedlings (approximately 100 seedlings per visit @ $2 per seedling) Costs for the Conservation Literacy Program include SPF staff labor ($50 per day per staff member). Adolescent programs are funded per school, with a donation of $500 per school, including coaching and mentoring support.

Evaluation:  Conduct pre- and post- program anecdotal surveys to measure learning. Monitor to determine lasting interest.

Partnership Building

Objectives:

  • Explore synergies and build partnerships with other NGO’s and government programs on common interests and activities. Partnerships are project-based, meaning they engage actively when specific projects are taking place that have a common relevance.
  • Act as a conduit for other organizations in reaching out to local populations, providing radio and other media coverage for their programs. Examples: climate change adaptation, community conservation banks.

Existing partners

  • Mali Hai Clubs: School conservation clubs located throughout the country, organized by the government, supported now by a private NGO. They can be a conduit for our school programs.
  • Ramat (Community Radio): A UNESCO-funded rural Massai radio program NGO located in Loliondo, adjacent to the Serengeti.
  • Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA): The national parks service, a government agency, with whom we plan our STEP and journalism programs.
  • Tanzania Journalists for Conservation: A registered Tanzanian association founded and funded by SPF, now functioning independently.
  • Media Council of Tanzania: An association of all media producers in Tanzania.

New Partnerships

In the coming five years, SPF will look for potential partnerships with the following organizations in order to find areas of common interest and activity:

  • African Network for Animal Welfare: A Kenya nonprofit that is active in education and outreach.
  • East African Wildlife Society: One of the premier NGO’s in Kenya with a long history of advocacy.
  • Oikos: A local NGO that addresses conservation of natural resources and environment.
  • Ngorongoro Conservation Authority (NCAA), started by government and now functioning as a semi-autonomous agency.
  • Tour Guide Society: A Tanzanian guide association. Guides are most frequently in the field and have information about conservation and tourism. They also have the best access to visitors and can communicate important conservation messaging.
  • Masai Mara Wildlife Conservancy (MMWCA): an organization of Maasai Conservancies in the Greater Mara in Kenya, working on many of the same issues as SPF.
  • Frankfurt Zoological Society: FZS is the leading NGO operating in the Serengeti National Park and has many areas of common interest and activity. We want to help them in their programs.