Art for Gorillas

Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Oct 21 2009 | By: Julie

2009’s conservation classes are wrapping up. January 2010, we’ll begin with a new group of children and their classroom teachers. But until then, the AoC team and I are determinedly revving up for one last effort to bring home what we have taught and involved our students, their teachers, their fellow classmates, and their families in - at our forthcoming Parents as Partners Open Houses.

In retrospect, I wish we had started with a parents open house in addition to finishing our year with another. I see all too clearly a lack of communication between parent and child, an absence of responsibility and compassion, a complacency and waiting for the next hand out. It was suggested more than once to us that parents would be more likely to attend the open house which begins at 9:00 am if we were to serve beer… I responded with something like there is NOT a chance in …., but we will offer fruit juice!

Change does begin with an individual and it does take time, but in a place like Rwanda with its relatively recent draconian history and the human population so high and such little land space, I feel we must do all we can to get our messages about health and conservation to our students and their families.

Each student writes his or her name on the invitation seen above - with the invitation in both English and Kinyarwanda - and takes it home.

Below, our invitation to park officials, district leaders, teachers, and more.

Eric and Innocent are working on their five minute speeches they will present to parents and invited guests which will stress the need to work together, as a team, if we want to make real change.

Wish us luck!

Tags: , children, communication, conservation, education, health, mountain gorillas