Dian Fossey was smiling down from the heavens today on Nyange School as the Art of Conservation team introduced the AoC kids to Fossey’s important work to save mountain gorillas & her efforts to work with local communities to end poaching of gorillas & other wildlife. AoC teachers led the kids in a discussion about poaching & what to do should they come across people mistreating animals.
AoC volunteer Ellen Strachota – binoculars & notebook in hand – mimics Dian Fossey’s field work for AoC kids to draw.
To reinforce today’s lesson, AoC kids drew & used water colors to paint pictures of other forest animals considered “vulnerable”, including the tree hyrax & black-fronted duiker.
AoC artist, Eusebe, gently assists students with their artistic expressions.
One of the coolest things about AoC is their holistic approach to working with schools. In addition to their health & conservation enrichment program, AoC gifted the rain catchment systems at Nyange & Rushubi schools, providing supply of fresh water for the schools & communities for hand washing stations & cleaning. The water can be boiled for good drinking water.
Ni ah’ubutaha [“so long” in Kinyarwandan].
Great pictures!! Ellen looking forward to hearing all about your experiences.
Vonnie