Dear
Friends and Donors:
On behalf of the human and wildlife populations of the Lake Tanganyika Region of western Tanzania who are benefiting from the work of GOSESO, I am pleased that you can be with us to learn more about our exciting vision of bridging human prosperity and wildlife conservation in Kigoma Region, Tanzania, East Africa.
Since the idea for GOSESO was conceived in 2005, we have walked a long journey together to achieve the success we enjoy today. It was my early life experiences growing up in a small village outside Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, that fueled my interest in community-based conservation. I was no more than five years old when my village hired a group of hunters to kill the 'enemy' baboons. Many of my friends were jubilant to see dead wild animals, but I never felt that way. What I saw were heads of baboons that bore remarkable similarities to humans. Their dark eyes had the color of my own.
In time, my vision has grown to a view of conservation that not only focuses on wildlife but one that includes a holistic framework designed to foster a sustainable future for humans as well. GOSESO is setting a worldwide example that ensures that local people benefit from the land and the local resources through participation in environmental decision-making.
In past years, funding from generous supporters like you has allowed the following accomplishments: (a) Early phases of GOSESO development and capacity-building, including a feasibility study as well as partnership building in Tanzania and abroad; (b) Creation of our unique, indigenous-based curriculum for GOSESO Tanzania; (c) Significant progress on land compensation within Kitobe Forest, yet more work remains - including restoring the forest to serve as the educational, research, and administrative campus of GOSESO; (d) Incorporation of GOSESO in Tanzania as a non-governmental Trust Deed, and in the United States of America as a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization; and (e) Increased capacity and quality of our academic and outreach programs.
This past year, 2010, has been especially productive for GOSESO. We progressed significantly on our campus infrastructure, completing seven new permanent classroom buildings and outdoor learning centers in our expansive Kitobe Forest. The school is now operational, with 20 students pursuing their diplomas. On a more personal level, I earned my Ph.D. degree at Utah State University, USA in human dimensions of natural resource management and resilient livelihoods focusing on the households of Kigoma Region. We remain focused on building one of the finest residential schools in Tanzania and Africa at large.
In the future, we plan to continue our steady growth, implementing carefully considered programs designed to be environmentally and economically sustainable, while also instilling these values in students. We have already initiated a number of economically significant and environmentally sensitive demonstration projects, and led critical educational, economic, and conservational programs for youth and adults. In all of our programs, we aim to attract, apply, and channel resources, financial and human, to support environmental preservation by providing economic hope to the people of the region. In demonstrating responsible and sustainable use of resources, we are becoming a model of environmental conservation and poverty mitigation for Tanzania, the balance of Africa, and indeed, worldwide.
We also continue to refine and implement our business plan. We have given ourselves two years to transition GOSESO to a self-sustaining institution that generates 80% of its operational funds from services and products offered in Tanzania, mainly through student tuition, agriculture, conservation, research grants, a study-abroad program, and tourism.
Implementing the GOSESO vision will require a great deal of work, about which I am enthusiastic, and continued investment and support from generous and committed supporters like you. The availability of adequate operational funds will allow us to increase student enrollment to 100 students in 2011 and 200 students in 2012. By 2015, we plan to expand school operations to accommodate up to 500 students, all learning how to contribute to the region's future prosperity and ecological sustainability as they pursue their diplomas and advanced degrees. I am excited to report ever increasing student demand and community interest in the GOSESO programs and vision, in Tanzania and beyond.
Your continued support is vital especially at this early stage of project development. It is your support that will help us build our capacity to mobilize domestic support within Tanzania. We feel strongly that our achievements so far have been the result of collective efforts of our supporters. No one person can support the GOSESO vision alone. The vision will only be realized through our number, structure, and scale. A famous Swahili phrase says: "Little by little we will fill the cup." I thank you in advance for your time and consideration in helping to fill this cup.
I encourage you to visit the project website, http://www.goseso.org . Feel free to contact us to learn more about how to get involved.
Devotedly,
___________
Yared Fubusa, Ph.D.
Founder and Executive Director
The Gombe School of Environment & Society
Website: http://www.goseso.org, E-mail: yared@goseso.org
Cell Phone: +435 764 3092 (U.S.A.)
+255 764 574 761 (Tanzania)