Project name: The Gombe School of Environment and Society (GOSESO), www.goseso.org
Vision: To use an indigenous, grassroots approach to foster a new generation of Africans inspired by environmental stewardship, community self-reliance, and economic sustainability.
Mission: To bridge human and wildlife prosperity through education for rural Africans with a focus on self-reliance, economic and cultural vitality, human and wildlife health, and peace education.
Location: The heart of Kitobe Forest, a fertile and mountainous rift valley within walking distance to the world-renowned Gombe Stream National Park and Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania. Our proximity to these special places provides a unique opportunity for students and faculty to be involved in biodiversity research, conservation, and education.
Project leadership: GOSESO is an indigenous-led educational institution established in order to respond to evolving local demands in natural resources by recognizing the needs of indigenous people. The creation of GOSESO was preceded by extensive research that investigated a wide range of livelihood factors without limiting the analysis to natural resources.
School within Walls: A private educational institution with environmentally low-impact residential facilities.
School without Walls: An outreach program that provides public conservation education by tackling environmental and social issues facing communities to generate support for conservation and build vibrant human societies.
Professional Development: Seminars and workshops educating and encouraging local teachers to incorporate human and ecological sustainability into their curriculum.
Student Body: Senior high school and college-age students with an average class size of 20 - comprised of equal numbers of men and women. Total student body of 200.
Student Enrollment: Gifted students are drawn from Tanzania and other neighboring countries. Priority is given to applicants who have demonstrated a deep concern for local ecosystems and human communities.
Study Abroad Program: Fosters cross-cultural understanding and transnational dialogue about environmental and community relations in partnership with Utah State University and the Teton Science Schools in the USA.
Scholarships: Full funding is provided for all local students in need of financial assistance.
Faculty: Experienced international faculty with outstanding credentials.
Curriculum: Our grass-roots, indegenous-based curriculum incorporates environmental literacy throughout all subject areas, as well as establishing environmental science and leadership as independent subjects.
Funding: Contributions from generous donors, student tuition, support from the people of Tanzania, wildlife and cultural tourism programs, a study-abroad program, and other sustainable agriculture- and economic-incubator programs in Tanzania.