Chipembele is a conservation education non-profit organisation working at grass-roots level in the communities living close to South Luangwa National Park. They have been operating an innovative and dynamic conservation education programme since 1998. Their aim is to inspire and encourage young people to be active conservationists and in doing so empower them to make the necessary changes for sustaining livelihoods, conserving wildlife and protecting the natural environment long into the future. The programmes focus primarily on the 17 local government schools closest to the Park. This is the catchment area most affected by issues such as poaching, human-wildlife conflict, deforestation and other environmental problems associated with rapid, unplanned human development in a wildlife-rich area.