A Special Holiday Message from Coe, Victory & The Nsefu Wildlife Team!
Coe & Victory with Team!
Dear beloved Nsefu Wildlife friends, we wanted to wish you the Merriest Christmas and Happiest New Year! Thank you for making 2019 the most successful year ever in our fight against extinction in Zambia. My cofounder Victory Wallace and I wanted to share some major highlights of the year in this final newsletter of 2019.
We are so proud to announce that Nsefu Wildlife, in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Department, have REDUCED poaching almost 70% in the past 20 months in our game management area! This statistic is staggering considering we are still a young foundation. By engaging the community in its future, by educating the children and adults about conservation, by empowering the locals with economic opportunities, and by enforcing wildlife laws with our ranger team…our multi-pronged approach is truly working. Our motto is, “Extinction? Not on our watch” and that is how we approach each day.
Zambian people protest animal transfer.
A MAJOR achievement this year was the government’s decision to stop the sale/transport of wildlife out of the National Parks in Zambia for relocation to private reserves (aka hunting reserves). This massive government decision was directly linked to our work and relationship with Senior Chief Nsefu who took a stand against the removal of animals from his sector without his authority when he received information on the impending withdrawal. NWCF works closely with the Chief and helped him in writing the President about the inherent problems with this relocation program and its lack of foresight. The group involved with this particular removal of animals was TURNED AWAY by the local community when they attempted to remove wildlife from South Luangwa National Park. The community rallied to protect their wildlife! The Chief and the community were on national news and in all the newspapers! Because of this story, the Minister halted the practice of wildlife being sold to private reserves effective immediately! Your foundation Nsefu Wildlife worked side by side with His Royal Highness Chief Nsefu and to help secure a MAJOR victory for wildlife in Zambia!
Coe and Team with Chabwera Students.
Another MAJOR highlight includes our announcement of the first Secondary School in the Nsefu Sector to be built in 2020 thanks to the wonderful Park Lane Foundation. Our Nsefu Team - Zambia did an excellent job researching and enlightening the Park Lane Team about the needs of the Nsefu School District and the desperate need for a Secondary school. For children to continue their education, they have to leave the area or go to a boarding school which is financially prohibitive for the local community. So many children are never able to continue past the 7th grade and now they have a chance to continue up to college levels! We also explained how NWCF installed conservation clubs in the other schools to get conservation education in front of the children. By teaching children throughout their school years about conservation helps develop leaders for the future. Having a Secondary School commitment made the whole community CHEER!! We are deeply grateful to our friends at Park Lane. Your humble foundation is achieving way more than it really should be for its size.
Your support is helping us reach beyond our means and expectations and we are grateful for your belief in our important work. May you and yours have a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Healthy New Year! Love, Coe, Victory, and the entire TEAM NSEFU.
