On 16th June, Investec Asset Management supported a special celebration of the Coaching for Conservation football camp in Maun, Botswana. The event brought together some 250 children to participate in a showcase of its flagship programme, an annual week-long football camp welcoming over 600 children as participants in July. This special preview event, which aimed to celebrate the annual International Day of the African Child, was attended by a number of high profile VIP guests of Tusk Trust, along with coaches and mentors from the world of international sport.

As part of its activities around the World Cup in Africa, Investec Asset Management’s support of this innovative programme is in conjunction with its broader support of Tusk Trust and its sponsorship of the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust.

Coaching for Conservation is the primary social development programme of the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust. The Programme uses an innovative football programme and sports curriculum to educate primary school children about the challenge of protecting wildlife and its habitat. Football is used as a mechanism to change children’s fundamental values about health, respect for themselves and respect for their environment.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Hendrik du Toit, CEO of Investec Asset Management, said: “As a global investment manager with African roots, we believe in investing in the future of the continent, its children and its environment. It is our privilege to be supporting Tusk and the Coaching for Conservation initiative which has garnered such strong support from its patrons.

“The message of a changing Africa is slowly reaching the developed world. As the World Cup focuses the eyes of the world on Africa, this initiative has spotlighted how investment in the continent’s community, its people and its environment can all play their role in securing a positive and lasting legacy.”

Lesley Boggs, Director of Coaching for Conservation, BPCT, said: "We are extremely grateful to Tusk for their ongoing support and thrilled that Investec Asset Management is providing such invaluable sponsorship for our football camps this year. The link between sport, health and wildlife conservation is not always obvious, so we are delighted to be embraced by Investec’s innovative thinkers who clearly share our vision of a sustainable future for wildlife and wildlife habitats in Botswana and throughout Africa. We look forward to building on this dynamic partnership to further our collective goals of changing the way we approach conservation.

www.tusk.org

www.bpctrust.org