Lessons in Conservation
Lessons in Conservation is a South African non-profit founded in 2018 that delivers a 6-lesson conservation syllabus and wildlife excursions to children in rural African communities across 11 countries, funded by donations, grants, and a safari sub-brand revenue-share.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersWhite River, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lessons in Conservation does
Lessons in Conservation (LiC) is a South African-registered Non-Profit Company founded in 2018 that delivers conservation education programs to children in rural African communities. The organization's core product is a proprietary 6-lesson syllabus — four lessons covering broad ecological principles adapted with area-specific examples, plus two regionally-tailored lessons addressing local conservation issues — complemented by wildlife excursions to game reserves and bush walks. LiC also identifies and sponsors outstanding students for accredited FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa) game ranger training, with bursary recipients contractually required to return and teach future cohorts, creating a self-reinforcing conservation talent pipeline. The organization operates through nine university partnership teams across five core countries (South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, Eswatini), with field operations confirmed in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, reaching 12,000+ children through 110+ partner schools and community organizations across 11 African countries.
The business model is donation-driven with no products or services sold. LiC accepts charitable contributions via an online "Partners in Action" portal, EFT transfers, and international donation mechanisms, and holds 501(c)(3) status for US tax-deductible giving. Revenue is supplemented by a 3% revenue-share from the affiliated Actually Africa luxury safari sub-brand, corporate sponsorships (Ruggedwear, Mopani Pharmacy), and institutional grants including from the UNDP Small Grants Programme. The organization also runs a volunteer engagement program (FLiC — Friends of LiC) and leverages an extensive social media presence across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for awareness and donor cultivation. Leadership comprises Founder & CEO Dean Carlisle, Director Paul Cassells, Director Les Carlisle (28-year &Beyond veteran), and Francois Malherbe, with a 49-person team and headquarters in White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Lessons in Conservation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lessons in Conservation
- Legal name
- Lessons in Conservation
- Website
- https://lessonsinconservation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Lessons in Conservation is a South African non-profit founded in 2018 that delivers a 6-lesson conservation syllabus and wildlife excursions to children in rural African communities across 11 countries, funded by donations, grants, and a safari sub-brand revenue-share.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lessons in Conservation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Conservation Education
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB), Conservation, Research & Volunteer Experiences (THAJAIAJ)
Keywords
Where Lessons in Conservation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- White River
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lessons in Conservation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: As a registered non-profit organization (NPC) and 501(c)(3) entity, LiC relies on charitable donations from individuals, companies, and supporters. Donations are accepted via online portal (Partners in Action), EFT transfers to South African bank account, and international options.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Lessons in Conservation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lessons in Conservation delivers a structured 6-lesson conservation education syllabus to children in rural African communities, with the first four lessons covering broad conservation and ecology principles and the final two lessons adapted to local conservation issues. The programme is complemented by wildlife excursions (game drives and bush walks) and identification of outstanding students who are sponsored for FGASA-accredited field guide training, creating a sustainable feedback loop where graduates return to teach future generations.
Product overview
Lessons in Conservation is a registered NPC (non-profit company) founded in 2018 that provides conservation education programmes for children in rural African communities. The organisation operates a core programme consisting of a 6-lesson conservation syllabus complemented by wildlife excursions to reserves. Additionally, it identifies outstanding students for FGASA training to become qualified game rangers, creating a sustainable feedback loop. The portfolio also includes FLiC (Friends of LiC), a volunteer programme, and Actually Africa, a luxury safari brand that donates 3% of revenue to support the mission.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Actually Africa: A luxury safari company founded with a vision to ensure Lessons in Conservation can continue to inspire the next generation of conservationists. 3% of their revenue is donated directly to Lessons in Conservation.
- FLiC (Friends of LiC)
Products and services
- Conservation Education Syllabus A 6-lesson educational syllabus teaching children basic ecological principles and conservation importance. The first 4 lessons cover broad conservation and ecology topics adapted with area-specific examples, while the final 2 lessons vary by region to address local conservation issues. Includes physical specimens, games, and interactive activities. Delivered to children in rural African communities through volunteer teams.
- Wildlife Excursions Educational field trips to wildlife reserves including game drives and bush walks that follow in-classroom learnings, enabling children to develop firsthand connections with nature and deeper understanding of conservation through experience.
- FGASA Training Programme Funding and support for outstanding students identified through the programmes to attend accredited FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa) training courses, enabling them to become qualified game rangers with a requirement to return and teach future generations.
- FLiC (Friends of LiC) A volunteer programme allowing like-minded individuals to join the conservation cause and make an impact on the future of the African continent through hands-on involvement in delivering education and field programmes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 12,000+ children educated across 11 African countries
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Lessons in Conservation
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Lessons in Conservation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Lessons in Conservation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- RMI GroupmajorPartnership in Eswatini for rural development projects. RMI provides expertise in designing and implementing rural development projects. Their highly interactive teaching approach reinforced main points of LiC lessons.
- FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa)corePartnership to expand LiC's syllabus and provide FGASA training to passionate individuals identified through LiC programs. Bursary recipients must return to LiC to teach new generations, creating a sustainable conservation cycle.
- Actually AfricacoreActually Africa was founded with a vision to ensure Lessons in Conservation can continue to inspire the next generation of conservationists long into the future. 3% of their revenue is donated directly to Lessons in Conservation. This is a sustainable funding partnership that supports LiC's ongoing operations.
- &BeyondcoreLes Carlisle has been part of the &Beyond team for more than 28 years, providing invaluable conservation management. LiC draws knowledge from him on critical community relationships which LiC is essentially built on. A conservation legend in Africa, Asia and South America.
- Savannah Research CentreminorPartner in Eswatini that demonstrated employment opportunities in conservation to students during field excursions.
- Chawalo SafarismajorHosted LiC teams in Mozambique (Zumbo area) providing accommodation, boat trips on the Zambezi, and local expertise. Russell and Julie Lovemore of Chawalo gifted schools with fruit trees.
- Aberfoyle LodgemajorHosted LiC team in Zimbabwe's Honde-Valley, providing warm welcome and organized birding walk opportunity with local guide Morgan Saineti.
- Blackbean ProductionsminorDocumentary 'The Edge of Existence' describing human-wildlife conflict on the Western corridor of Serengeti National Park. LiC references this documentary in their education content.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lessons in Conservation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Singita: Conservation-driven luxury safari brand with community and education programs in southern Africa. Comparable to LiC and &Beyond as a high-end safari model that channels tourism revenue into conservation education.
- &Beyond: Luxury safari and conservation operator with deep community relationships in southern and East Africa. Comparable as the parent/strategic anchor relationship and conservation-led safari model that funds LiC-adjacent work.
- Wilderness Safaris: Conservation-focused safari operator with community partnerships in southern Africa. Comparable as a conservation-anchored tourism business with associated community/education funding, similar in spirit to LiC's Actually Africa model.
- WWF South Africa: Large conservation NGO with school-based environmental education programs across South Africa. Comparable to LiC in conservation education focus and target audience, but at much greater institutional scale.
Direct peers
- African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation NGO running community-based conservation and education programs across multiple African countries. Highly comparable to LiC in mission, geography, and target communities.
- EcoTraining: Provider of FGASA-accredited field guide and conservation training in southern Africa. Directly comparable to LiC's FGASA bursary programme as a talent pipeline for the conservation industry.
- African Conservation Experience: Places volunteers in conservation projects across southern and East Africa. Comparable to LiC's FLiC volunteer program and conservation-education focus, though operating primarily in adult volunteer placements rather than school-age curriculum.
- Peace Parks Foundation: Conservation NGO focused on transfrontier conservation areas in southern Africa with community education and livelihoods components. Comparable in operating geography, community-led GTM, and conservation education focus.
- Bushwise Field Guide Academy: Accredited FGASA training provider producing qualified game rangers. Comparable to LiC's FGASA bursary programme as a downstream channel for identified outstanding students.
- Conservation Lower Zambezi: Field-based conservation NGO in Zambia running community education and wildlife programs. Comparable to LiC in community-led conservation education model and operating footprint in rural Africa.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lessons in Conservation social profiles
Digital presenceLessons in Conservation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lessons in Conservation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Lessons in Conservation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lessons in Conservation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lessons in Conservation
What does Lessons in Conservation do?
Lessons in Conservation delivers a structured 6-lesson conservation education syllabus to children in rural African communities, with the first four lessons covering broad conservation and ecology principles and the final two lessons adapted to local conservation issues. The programme is complemented by wildlife excursions (game drives and bush walks) and identification of outstanding students who are sponsored for FGASA-accredited field guide training, creating a sustainable feedback loop where graduates return to teach future generations.
Is Lessons in Conservation a public or private company?
Lessons in Conservation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Lessons in Conservation founded?
Lessons in Conservation was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lessons in Conservation based?
Lessons in Conservation is headquartered in White River, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Lessons in Conservation make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations.
Who are Lessons in Conservation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Singita, &Beyond, Wilderness Safaris and WWF South Africa. Direct peers are African Wildlife Foundation, EcoTraining, African Conservation Experience, Peace Parks Foundation, Bushwise Field Guide Academy and Conservation Lower Zambezi.
Does Lessons in Conservation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lessons in Conservation.
What industry is Lessons in Conservation in?
Lessons in Conservation's product category is Conservation Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAD, Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation), with a secondary code of THAAAOAA, Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning). Its NAICS code is 61162 and its SIC code is 8200.