Our team goes back to school

Three members of our senior management team recently embarked on endeavors of continuing education – Luke Maamai (Masters in Conservation Biology: University of Kent), Pauline Kamau (MBA for Conservation Leaders: African Leadership University), and Salisha Chandra (Masters in Conservation Leadership: University of Cambridge) – and they now have several months of school under their belts. Each of these experiences is bringing new breadth, depth, and perspectives to the Lion Guardians team. Furthermore, as the remainder of the team fills in to keep the organization running smoothly, they too are learning skills and gaining new proficiencies! We checked in with Luke, Salisha, and Pauline to find out how they are faring and what the highlights of their experiences have been so far.

Luke: “My time at the University of Kent has been fabulous. Members of our class represent twenty-four nations and many different working backgrounds, but are all dedicated to biodiversity conservation and community alleviation. GIS mapping and statistics are among the modules that I have enjoyed most. I will be carrying out a research project on why cultural changes threaten the survival of lions on community land, using a case study of the Maasai people in southern Kenya. I look forward to using the skills and knowledge after my degree to improve community tolerance towards wildlife and motivate our Guardians to strongly believe in conservation for the future benefit of communities.”

Pauline: “I recently had my first intensive for my MBA at ALU School of Business, in Kigali, Rwanda last month. It was a week-long learning experience full of classroom discussions, group activities and outdoor activities. ALU MBA is tailor-made for the African context; it involves a lot of networking and 30% of the course is focused on leadership development. I got to meet, learn, and collaborate with my cohort from diverse backgrounds – 42 of us represent 15 different nationalities in Africa. The experience was very transforming, my cohort was amazing, and exploring the beautiful city of Kigali was a plus!”

Salisha: “It’s been intense from the get-go, but the Lent term at Cambridge promises to be insane. Since October, we have completed 3 of the 6 taught modules on the course, submitted two final assignments and have 3 more modules and 4 assignments to finish this term. And while my brain has been expanding with all this knowledge, so has my heart. Our cohort of 21 students has bonded completely and it feels like I have made friends for life from all over the world. This experience has been all I thought it would be and more.”

We are so proud of all of our team members for continuing to seek out opportunities to increase their skills, embrace challenging experiences, and broaden their horizons. We look forward to keeping you updated on their endeavors!