Created in partnership between Tusk and Siren Conservation Education, the Pan African Conservation Education project (PACE) is all about sharing simple ideas to make big changes. It sprang from a design for a low-technology water pump that was installed by Tusk in northern Kenya. When we passed on this idea to other projects they embraced it enthusiastically. We realised that sharing practical, sustainable solutions to everyday environmental problems could help countless communities improve their living standards whilst reducing their impact on wildlife. The PACE initiative applies this principle to a range of issues for use across Africa.
The standard PACE Pack consists of 32 short films, 80 action sheets, a glossy information book, an educators’ guide and a colourful poster. The content is grouped under seven topics – Living with wildlife, Water, Soil, Forests, Energy, Living by the Ocean and Urban Living. Since launching in 2006 a total of 8,000 packs have been produced and distributed to over 30 African countries. We estimate that PACE materials have reached more than 500,000 people. An evaluation in 2016 showed that it has a real impact on behaviour, especially in areas like human wildlife conflict and efficient fuel use.
Tusk has nurtured the PACE project from a rough concept to a far-reaching project with increasing demand from practitioners. Requests for packs come in constantly from wildlife guard trainers, conservation projects, education authorities and individual teachers. We will keep working to meet this demand, and plan to expand the programme with a small grants scheme for initiating PACE-related activities like tree nurseries, composting toilets and crop raiding prevention.
For more information and to download the PACE materials visit the PACE website and follow the PACE Facebook page.
For further information, especially for organisations and schools wishing to join PACE, please email PACE@tusk.org.