Lion Spoor with ruler at 15cm for scale
West and Central Africa
Neba
Estherbel Bih
Village Crop Protection Team
East and South Africa
Elizabeth
Mintoi
Methodology
Livelihood Improved
Capacity Building for Governance Improvement
Building STEM Foundations for Digital Literacy

The Arribada Club teaches students fundamentals of IT technology, computer programming, and design engineering throughout the curriculum. It also teaches scientific concepts behind many conservation technologies, such as how GPS systems work. 

Key enabling factors include access to basic digital tools, such as laptops, and training resources tailored to students with no prior STEM experience. Local educators, trained and mentored by the Arribada team, are central to delivering consistent and locally relevant instruction.

Training educators is essential—not only in technical skills, but in how to translate them into engaging, age-appropriate lessons. We've learned that providing consistent mentorship to teachers leads to better outcomes. Hands-on materials (e.g., laptops, micro:bits, GPS loggers) must be maintained locally, which requires basic IT support systems. Starting with simple, high-impact activities helps build confidence in both students and teachers.

Unlocking future impact: Funding and professional development

For many conservationists, including our participants, the knowledge to effectively use conservation technology is not enough without the funding to access the tools. Recognizing this barrier, we provide each participant with USD$500 in seed funding to support the implementation of their conservation solutions. Participants are required to propose and carry out projects, which have ranged from building predator-proof bomas and underwater camera traps to developing AI tools, mobile apps, and community-driven citizen science initiatives. Each participant is required to report on their project’s progress over the following year, fostering accountability and impact tracking.

To ensure long-term sustainability, we also deliver training in grant writing, proposal development, and funder engagement to equip participants with the skills needed to secure sustained future funding. Ongoing mentorship and support also continue beyond the initial training. Our team, along with a growing alumni network, provides guidance on grant applications, reference letters, and professional development opportunities. Many of the projects and collaborations initiated during the program have led to graduate study, published research, and conference presentations, reinforcing participants’ continued growth as conservation leaders. 

  • Support from donors who fund seed grants
  • Ongoing dedication and investment of trainers and mentors
  • Students are required to submit two updates and a financial report for their grant. Ensuring follow-up on these submissions requires dedicated effort and engagement from the core team 
  • Students have reported that being able to list the seed funding received through our program on their CVs has helped them secure additional funding opportunities in the future.
Focusing on hands-on engagement

Our technical training emphasizes experiential learning by giving participants direct, practical experience with conservation technologies. Whenever possible, students are encouraged to set up and deploy tools themselves in safe, low-pressure environments, creating space to experiment, make mistakes, and learn by doing. For instance, students may choose camera trap locations based on the classroom training module, then evaluate the effectiveness of their decisions by analyzing the resulting data. This process helps bridge theory and practice while building confidence in problem-solving and tool use.

In cases where participants cannot operate the tools directly, trainers and field practitioners from host institutions provide live demonstrations, such as tracking wildlife using GPS or operating drones, ensuring students still gain exposure to how these technologies function in real-world conservation settings.

  • Access to technology tools at host institution for practical use 
  • Opportunities for students to trial and test tools themselves
  • Experience instructors to provide guidance and support 
  • When paired with supporting background information, we have found these hands-on experiences to be more impactful than traditional lectures or merely observing technology in use 
  • Providing opportunities to engage with the entire lifecycle of a technology (e.g., from set up and deployment to data collection and analysis) better prepares students for using these technologies in their own projects
Strengthening early career potential

We select participants who are at the beginning stages of their careers, such as those who have completed their bachelor’s degrees and are entering the NGO or conservation workforce or embarking on higher education.The goal is to identify participants whose careers would benefit the most from the type and amount of training, funding, mentorship, and support we provide. Over the past two years, we’ve recruited at least one participant from a non-academic background who nevertheless possesses extensive on-the-ground experience. These individuals have thrived in the program, highlighting an opportunity to further cater to this audience in future iterations.

  • Strong networks with local academic institutions and regional NGOs help us attract a large pool of qualified applicants (~200 applications per year)
  • Tailored educational materials that align with the needs of early-career participants
  • Community of same-stage participants form strong and enduring connections 
  • Initially, we included participants at various career stages, but we found that older, more experienced individuals have different needs and require a distinct program tailored to their experience level
  • Our entry-level training materials were less useful for women with more experience in the field
Developing core adaptable training materials

To build technical capacity across diverse conservation contexts, we have created a modular portfolio of standardized training materials that teach foundational competencies in conservation technology. These materials are organized into themed modules, such as wildlife monitoring, wildlife protection, and human-wildlife conflict, and are designed to be flexible and adaptable based on regional needs.

In collaboration with local host institutions and regionally recruited trainers, we tailor the curriculum to align with local ecological conditions, institutional priorities, regulatory frameworks, and learning styles. For example, because drone use is permitted in Kenya but restricted in Tanzania, modules are adjusted accordingly to ensure all content is actionable within the participant's home context. This approach ensures the training is both locally relevant and practically applicable, maximizing its long-term impact.

Examples of our core training portfolio include:

  • Wildlife monitoring: Camera traps, biologgers, acoustic sensors, GPS tracking
  • Wildlife protection: SMART, EarthRanger, infrared cameras, radios, K9 units, drones
  • Human-wildlife conflict mitigation: Electric fencing, networked sensors, deterrent systems
  • Cross-cutting tools: GIS and remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and introductory coding and electronics
  • Core materials are developed by world leading conservation technology experts 
  • Multiple years of programming have allowed us to refine and improve our training materials
  • Annual participant feedback helps guide refinement of content and development of new topics 
  • Host institutions and local partners provide valuable input on the most relevant training needs
  • Educational systems vary significantly, even across countries in the same region. For example, certain types of trainings or activities - such as active learning approaches - may be more difficult for students from countries where education is centered on rote memorization. Understanding local learning preferences and adapting teaching methods accordingly can support deeper engagement. 
  • Certain technologies or methodologies, such as drones or cloud-based data storage, may be prohibited or prohibitively expensive in some regions. Partnering with local conservation technology experts ensures that we focus on accessible, actionable technologies for our participants.
  • Asking local trainers develop their own materials often exceeds their time and capacity 
  • Using standardized materials ensures consistency and reduces variability in the type and depth of content delivered. 
Identifying impactful mentors, trainers, and allies

Our standardized training curriculum is delivered by female experts (academics, practitioners, and government professionals) working in conservation and conservation technology within the local region. These women serve not only as instructors, but also mentors and collaborators. By centering local female role models, we help participants envision pathways for their own careers while strengthening their ties to regional research and conservation communities. We strive to foster an inclusive environment for honest dialogue around challenges of being a woman in conservation technology and encourage lasting mentorship relationships beyond the formal training period.

However, the gender gap we seek to address can make it difficult to identify and recruit female trainers in certain technical fields. In response, we have defined three distinct roles to broaden the support system for participants:

  • Mentors: Local female role models who lead sessions and provide ongoing mentorship.
  • Allies: Male trainers and facilitators who actively support our commitment to gender equity and inclusive training spaces.
  • Trainers: Members of the international organizing team who provide additional instruction and logistical support.

Together, these individuals play a critical role in delivering content, fostering participant growth, and modeling diverse forms of leadership across the conservation technology landscape.

  • Keen interest from female leaders to foster the next generation of conservationists, including willingness to engage honestly in vulnerable conversations and provide career advice
  • Growing interest from allies to support development of women in their field and organizations
  • Funding to support attendance and honorarium for high-quality mentors and allies  
  • We have established a code of conduct and set clear expectations up-front on how mentors and allies should engage with students during and after the program 
  • Mentors and allies with a background in training as well as expertise in conservation tech are preferred 
  • Wherever possible, we seek a combination of mid-career and established mentors, who can speak to participants about different stages of the conservation career journey 
  • Male allies need to be carefully selected to create a supportive, safe environment 
  • We maintain and cultivate female-only spaces at the workshop where male allies and trainers are not allowed