We are delighted to announce that after an extensive recruitment process we have appointed Morulaganyi Reuben Kokole (Reuben) as TCT's Community Liaison Officer. 

Reuben holds a Master of Science degree in Nature Conservation from the University of South Africa, a B-Tech degree from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, and a National Diploma in Nature Conservation from Tshwane University of Technology. He has extensive experience in various conservation-related matters such as community outreach, human-wildlife conflict interventions, and research. Reuben has a proven track record in community engagement and project implementation, as demonstrated by his previous work in the community conservation field. 

We asked Reuben to introduce himself:-

"I was born and raised in the village of Molepolole, Botswana and I first fell in love with nature when I was still at Secondary School during our environment club visit to Khutse Game Reserve. During that time, I started to dream of being like the men and women who drove us around and showed us various animal species while also imparting some fascinating knowledge about the behaviour of various wildlife species. Their awareness of biodiversity piqued my curiosity and influenced me to pursue a career in conservation studies. When I completed secondary school, I didn't hesitate to go after my National diploma in Conservation and I later pursued a B-Tech. 

After that, I was permanently employed for approximately 16 years as a Community Conservation Coordinator in Botswana, working with various community groups and organisations to support local biodiversity conservation. My passion for conservation only became stronger, so I eventually enrolled in an MSc program in conservation at the University of South Africa. I started working as a Community Liaison Officer at TCT in January 2024. 

In order to maintain and develop my conservation skills, I often volunteer in conservation projects during my free time. Being a family man, I also enjoy spending the weekends with my spouse and two young children"

We welcome Reuben to the team, and with his arrival as a permanent resource on the ground are looking forward to further developing our community engagement programme.