šø Teeteeās Project: Children, Cameras, and Conservation
On the edge of the Kruger National Park, in the Limpopo region, Teetee is handing children a new kind of lens on their world. With a camera in their hands, they donāt just take picturesāthey learn to: - Recognise wildlife: birds, antelope, elephants, and the fragile ecosystems they depend on. - Value habitat: no forest, no hornbills; no river, no kingfishers. - Master tools: cameras, lenses, binoculars, and editing software become instruments of skill and pride. - Protect the wild: children who photograph todayās herds may be tomorrowās guardians, reporting threats like poaching. šÆ The Vision - Equip children with full photography kits, binoculars, and editing tools. - Train them in both photography and ecology, so every image is also a lesson in conservation. - Celebrate their work through local competitions, exhibitions, and online showcases. - Build a website where their photos can be sharedāand even soldāto support both the children and conservation efforts. š”ļø Guardrails - Community-first: equipment belongs to groups, not individuals, ensuring sustainability. - Ecology before aesthetics: no photo is worth disturbing an animal or its habitat. - Transparency: every donation is traceable to training, gear, or exhibitions. - Dignity in storytelling: children are celebrated as creators, not framed as victims. š Why it matters to The Wild Alliance Because this is more than a projectāitās a model for how creativity can become conservation, and how conservation can become community resilience. Limpopoās children arenāt just learning to take photos; theyāre learning to take ownership of their wild future. š” Invitation to the Alliance: How might we strengthen Teeteeās vision? Could we help refine the competitions, amplify the childrenās voices online, or design the kind of website that showcases their work without exploitation?