Jacob David has been working with RCP since November 2015. working as a research assistant.

I am a Nyakyusa by tribe, was born in 1987 in Rungwe –Tukuyu, in the Mbeya region in Tanzania. I am the first born in the family of five children. I started standard one at Butola primary school in 1997–2003, then I joined secondary education in 2004–2007 at Lufilyo secondary school. Also, I joined advanced level education 2008–2010 at Rungwe High school. In 2010 I joined the University of Dodoma, where I get first degree pursuing B.A Geography and Environmental studies up to 2013.

Most of my time I used to serve the community, immediately after finishing my advanced level education; started volunteering in secondary schools where I was teaching geography and English subjects. Also, I worked in Kyela District and Busokelo council under the department of Natural resource and Environment as a volunteer in 2013–2014.

I am very happy to work with RCP because I am using my knowledge which I got from the school to help the community and conserving environmental resources which are very important to the present and future generation. For instance, conserving lion will help the future generation to see them instead of getting stories in books or from elders like in other areas in the world.

When I was young, my grandfather used to tell me stories about different animals like hyaena and lion which were in their area when they were young, but nowadays they’ve disappeared due to human activities. He encouraged me to conserve the nature so that the future generation can see them. He woke us up at night when he heard the voices of jackals and hyaena that we couldn’t see during the day. He stopped us from hunting impalas and hare because he knew that they will disappear like other carnivores. From there I grew to like conservation activities.

Also, I like working with community because I get time to share indigenous knowledge and teaching them on the importance of conserving the nature. I like to do research on community issues because research helps to address and study different community problems.

I would like to advise the government and donors to invest more into conservation because most of the wild animals are disappearing due to human activities. Therefore, more education should be provided to the people on the important of conserving wildlife.