By Mhlomuli Ncube
A €600,000 Isango Community Knowledge Hub has been commissioned in a joint initiative between Zimbabwe and France, aimed at supporting conservation programmes.
Located in the heart of Hwange National Park, the hub will serve as a centre for knowledge-driven conservation efforts, bringing together local communities, academics, civil society, and government agencies.
Officially opened to the public on Monday, the facility will facilitate research, training, and collaboration in wildlife conservation, benefiting both scholars and conservationists.
“This Hub will be important for all school children. We are now doing heritage-based education and it will provide an important platform to research and complete our school projects,” Hwange Junior Member of Parliament, Honourable Andile Thabo Chitungwa said.
To the French and Zimbabwean governments representatives, the initiative is testimony to the power of working together to drive development.
“I am reliably informed that local schools summing up to 15 primary and eight secondary schools with a target of 8 000 pupils will benefit from the project’s capacity-building initiatives. For our beloved Zimbabwe to industrialise, to benefit from our mineral and agricultural resources, and to grow our economy, education, technology and development is the foundation.
“Through strong and robust education, we can mould the thinkers, problem solvers and innovators who will steer the nation in developing new ideas, creating and using technology, and applying their knowledge to build our nation,” French Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Paul Betrand Baretes said.
“The Isango Project, supported by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects, epitomises the spirit of cooperation, knowledge sharing, and inclusive dialogue. At the heart of this initiative lies the belief that sustainable development can only be achieved through a genuine collaboration involving local communities, governmental agencies, research institutions, and civil society,” Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Richard Moyo said.
The Isango Project seeks to promote inclusive and adaptive environmental governance in Hwange National Park and the surrounding areas.
It has also supported student researchers at local institutions like the Lupane State University in its focus on coordinating efforts across stakeholders including local communities, councils and researchers emphasising on sustainability of Hwange’s socio-ecological systems.
