Japan to support education in human-wildlife conflict

The Japanese government has pledged to continue assisting grassroots areas experiencing human-wildlife conflict by constructing schools in order to curb excesses emanating from the continued exposure of schoolgoing children to dangerous animals.

Since independence in 1980, in some marginalised communities with excessive wildlife populations, children continue risking their lives as they are forced to walk long distances to their schools, passing through areas infested with dangerous wild animals.

Japanese ambassador to Zimbabwe Toshiyuki Iwado told NewsDay last week that his government was willing to consider serious requests by the Zimbabwean government, the affected communities together with interested non-governmental organisations (NGOs), for support in the construction of schools in areas where children continued to walk long distances while risking harm from wildlife.

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