Malibeni High School has won E30,000 after emerging first in the Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation (RES) Schools Anti-Poaching Competition. The competition, held at Bhalekane under the theme 'Protecting Wildlife Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow', brought together five high schools to promote wildlife conservation, environmental awareness, and cooperation between neighboring communities and conservation authorities. The participating schools were Madlangempisi, Malibeni, Madzanga, Sikhunyane, and Mavula high schools.
The initiative sought to encourage learners to understand the importance of protecting wildlife and natural habitats, particularly because some of the participating schools are situated near game reserves where poaching activities have been reported. Delivering a speech on behalf of RES Managing Director Nick Jackson, Group Public Affairs Manager Ishmond Fakudze said the competition provided learners with an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of conservation through creativity and knowledge.
Fakudze explained that wildlife and livestock protection were closely linked to education, community development, and good neighborly relations. He further highlighted the scale of the challenge by revealing that RES recovered 3,360 snares on its farm last year. During the same period, 158 game animals died, two cattle were killed through snaring, and eight poachers were arrested.
The competition was designed to equip young people with knowledge that they could share with their peers, families, and communities, thereby extending conservation awareness beyond the classroom. Through poetry, artwork, presentations, and quizzes, learners were encouraged to become conservation ambassadors and promote the protection of wildlife and natural habitats.
Madlangempisi High School finished second and received E20,000, while Madzanga High School took third place and walked away with E10,000. Speaking on behalf of teachers, Madzanga High School Principal Sphasha Dlamini said schools had been deliberately selected because learners lived near game reserves and could encounter poaching activities while traveling to and from school.
Representing the Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA), Zandisile Howe highlighted the legal framework governing environmental protection in Eswatini. Howe said the Eswatini Environment Management Act of 2002 provided a foundation for protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources for both present and future generations.
Fakudze emphasized that conservation efforts could not succeed through the work of one organization alone, noting that partnerships between the private sector, government institutions, traditional leadership, schools, and communities were essential. He thanked Big Game Parks, particularly Hlane Game Reserve, the Eswatini National Trust Commission through Mlawula Game Reserve, the EEA, the Royal Eswatini Police Service, and the Ministry of Education and Training for supporting the initiative.
Key points
- Malibeni High School won E30,000 for emerging first in the RES Schools Anti-Poaching Competition.
- The competition aimed to promote wildlife conservation and environmental awareness among learners.
- RES recovered 3,360 snares on its farm last year, highlighting the scale of the poaching challenge.
