Scholarships

One of the ways we work with communities to create positive attitudes towards wildlife and conservation, and link wildlife presence to direct community benefits, is through our Scholarship programme. This programme was established in the Ruaha landscape in southern Tanzania in 2013 to support secondary and tertiary education for the highest-qualified pastoralist children, with the added focus of increasing girls education as well as opportunities for children from the underrepresented Barabaig tribe.

The programme offers comprehensive support for the scholars through provision of tuition fees, accommodation, books, uniform, shopping and transport to school during their four years of secondary education. Since we began the programme, over 80 students have received scholarships as a direct benefit of conservation, and have attained an education their families otherwise couldn't have afforded. The impact of this programme on pastoralist women is especially important because most families consider marriage to be more important than attending school.

Even if families can afford education for their children they will prioritise sending the boys to school over the girls. By giving pastoralist children a chance to continue their education, we give them a chance to improve their own lives and their future children’s lives. Giving children the opportunity of getting further education gives them alternatives to a life dependent on livestock grazing, which will reduce their vulnerability to carnivore attacks as well as economic hardships.

In order to select the appropriate students, Lion Landscapes has developed a specific Simba Scholarship exam, based on the national school curriculum as well as unique questions, some of which are in English. Our goal is for half of each year’s scholarships to be awarded to girls and half to boys, so we can help increase female education. We also want to increase education amongst the Barabaig as they are under-represented.

We also supports successful Simba Scholars through tertiary education with Carnivore Scholarships. The Carnivore scholars either go to College or, if their grades were really good, can continue to the Advanced secondary level that opens the way for university.

In 2023 we had our first ever Carnivore Scholar selected for University and we are now introducing the Mazingira Scholarship for post school, University-level education for suitable candidates who do not have any means of private funding or sponsorship.

"I am among the few lucky children from the Barabaig tribe to go to school with full support from my parents. Out of my nine siblings, I am the only one who has gone to school. My father struggled to find me school fees when I joind secondary school. I thank Lion Landscapes for heloing my father by paying for my school fees and now I am assured of completing my secondary education. In school I like reading, playing football and want to be a doctor in the future"

Edward Mandela, Simba Scholar