The Tikki Hywood Trust (THT), Zimbabwe, together with Werribee Open Range Zoo (Victoria) was awarded the ‘Best Education Program for 2008’ at Taronga Zoo Sydney on 14 March. The ARAZPA (Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria) awards celebrate excellence in the core areas of zoo and aquarium activity. The judging panel comprised zoo experts from New Zealand and Australia. Education programs are judged on their ability to promote awareness of conservation issues, show innovation, and measure success. This is the highest and best award that any zoo related program can win.

In 2006 the THT hoped to establish a conservation education program that would promote sustainable behaviours within local communities situated alongside THT animal release sites. In September 2006 Rachel Lowry from Werribee Open Range Zoo travelled to Zimbabwe to assess the feasibility of establishing an education program within Zimbabwe that could be linked to education programs run by the zoo. In February 2007 ‘Conservation Connections’ was launched when two educators, Rachel Lowry and Katie Pahlow, returned to Zimbabwe to establish the in-situ component of the three-tiered Conservation Connections program titled ‘Kusanganisa’. SAVE FOUNDATION paid for their flights and will again do so this year when the educators will return. There will be more updates about this program coming soon.