SANParks and the Good Work Foundation (GWF) have signed a landmark agreement aimed at expanding access to digital education, conservation training and job opportunities for young people living near South Africa’s national parks.
Under the memorandum of understanding, the two organisations plan to establish new GWF digital learning campuses adjacent to key national parks across the country.
GWF currently operates five campuses in Mpumalanga, including a central campus in Hazyview and four satellite campuses near the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, as well as one in Philippolis in the Free State. These campuses provide digital education for school children and skills-based training for job seekers.
The partnership will be piloted at the Hazyview campus, which will serve as a gateway hub to the Kruger National Park. The initiative will expand digital and conservation skills training while creating employment opportunities for local youth. Additional campuses are also planned for the Greater Kruger area.
Beyond Mpumalanga, GWF campuses will be established near Addo Elephant National Park (Eastern Cape), Golden Gate Highlands National Park (Free State) and the Augrabies Falls and Namaqua national parks (Northern Cape).
“GWF’s mission is to connect young South Africans with the skills they need to access opportunities for careers in South Africa’s rural spaces,” said Kate Groch, CEO of GWF. The collaboration supports SANParks’ 2040 vision to create “mega living landscapes” that combine conservation with sustainable, people-centred development, she added.
“We have more than a decade of proof of the effectiveness of our digital education model. We’ve been wanting to scale our operations by identifying more local economies we can tap into in rural spaces. So we started to talk with SANParks about being their education partner and supporting them in achieving their 2040 vision while aligning with our own 2030 strategy,” Groch said.
Many children living near parks have never seen iconic species such as lions or elephants in the wild – something this initiative aims to change. The partnership will also enable GWF students to access internships and work placements at SANParks facilities.
