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Dear Sponsors Well 2006 has proved to be a really busy year and some great new developments for Children in the Wilderness. Herewith a brief update of what has been keeping us out of mischief: |
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| CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS BOTSWANA Five years running and Children in the Wilderness has once again completed a great 2005/2006 session – a total of 96 children over a six-week period. The Children in the Wilderness manifesto states that the Children in the Wilderness Botswana programme opens up the minds of children, increases their self-esteem and educates them with additional life skills necessary to actualise their greatest potential. All of these activities are fundamental in their own right, but as part of the 'Bana Ba Naga' programme they are integral to the greater vision, which is centred on instilling a sense of love and respect for the environment. With this in mind Children in the Wilderness Botswana intends to develop a more intensive follow-up programme. This will incorporate the development of several Children in the Wilderness Clubs at the schools or day-care centres from which the children are recruited. Stemming from this would be the creation of an individualised education programme intended to cater to specific children who show a particular passion and aptitude for conservation and environmental issues. The aim is to invite these selected children to an additional, advanced environmental education week at our bush camp to participate in our Wildlife Steward Programme. Over and above this, Children in the Wilderness representatives visit the children in their villages a minimum of three times per annum. At the last follow up programme we conducted a fun and participatory activity based on the following: • Who Am I? • My Home, My River, My Wildlife Conservation • HIV and AIDS Awareness The Children in the Wilderness programme and its sponsors - both local and international - have acknowledged the ever-increasing severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic which continues to generate numerous requests by individuals and other organisations for Children in the Wilderness Botswana to take on more children. It is our aim to meet as many of these requests as we can. |
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| MORE GREAT NEWS FROM CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS, BOTSWANA : Children in the Wilderness Botswana has been awarded with the honour of being one of the top 12 finalists for the BBC World Challenge for 2006, in association with Shell, BBC World and Newsweek. The World Challenge is an annual competition which awards projects from around the world who have shown enterprise and innovation on a grass roots level. The BBC approached Children in the Wilderness Botswana to film our program in action and they are going to put together a six part series of advertorials on the 12 nominees. This is a great opportunity for Children in the Wilderness Botswana as we stand to win $20 000.00 . The programme will be shown on BBC World as well as on the internet for the whole year till next nominations. This programme has just operated at Kaparota Camp in the Okavango Delta. |
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FIRST 'CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS' TAKES PLACE ON NORTH ISLAND For a few days in June, North Island – one of Wilderness Safaris’ premier lodges – closed its doors to paying guests to give a group of 36 disadvantaged Seychellois children the time of their lives. It was the first ever Children in the Wilderness on North Island and hopefully the beginning of many more! North Island staff teamed up with The National Council for Children, an organisation on Mahe, to run the programme, the only project of its kind in the Seychelles. With 33% of the population under the age of 18, Seychelles has an urgent need to improve the quality of life of its children as well as to inspire them to care for their environment. The Children in the Wilderness programme was designed with these concerns in mind and included educating the children in marine and land-based environmental issues pertinent to Seychelles. It also aimed to educate the children on social, health, environmental and moral issues. It was three and a half days filled with laughter, the most incredible energy and endless learning for both children and adults involved. From the moment the children dug their feet into the sand at East Beach and were welcomed onto North Island, their lives changed. It is difficult to imagine the suffering that these children have had to endure, yet they threw themselves into everything with the single-minded happiness that only children can. The opening day was attended by the First Lady of the Seychelles, Nathalie Michel, who remarked, “North Island’s environmental philosophy and the National Council for Children’s ‘living values’ programmes come together today to give us all the opportunity to reflect a bit more on what we want for our children in Seychelles today, and what our children want from us.” Mrs. Michel, who participated in the first few games with the children, concluded, “I often think that it is a great experience to be able to teach something to a child, and even a greater experience to learn something from one!”
In the words of some of the children: “I thank you with love and happiness. Thank you for keeping me safe from danger and sharing your kindness with me. I am glad for me the friends I made on this island.”
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| STANLEY CHAUKE Stanley Chauke was one of the Makuleke children that we hosted on the Children in the Wilderness Camp at Pafuri last year. Stanley showed huge enthusiasm and potential on the programme. His talent for drawing and interest in bird watching and wildlife was exceptional. Unfortunately just after the camp Stanley's mother (his only parent) died from malaria. Stanley was left responsible for his younger siblings and one older sibling who was sick and near death (and subsequently died). We were concerned that the first thing that will happen is that there will be no funds for Stanley to complete his schooling. So Children in the Wilderness committed to pay for Stanley's school fees for the next three years until his formal schooling is complete. We are happy to advise that thanks to many kind sponsors, we have managed to raise enough money to pay for Stanley's schooling, school expenses and pocket money for the next year and will continue to fund it to the end of his school years. As this is an ongoing expense, if anyone is interesting in sponsoring Stanley please let me know . |
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| FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES TOUR DE ZAMBEZI - APRIL 2006 In April this year, Children in the Wilderness operated the first Tour de Zambezi cycle event -nicknamed "a not so easy ride-in-the-park". This was three days of cycling, covering approximately 440km. The cyclists started in the Victoria Falls and cycled to Chobe National Park, Botswana. Arriving at Kasane, the cyclists were welcomed by a jubilant group of singing children, who had previously attended the Children in the Wilderness programme in Botswana. From Chobe, the cyclists headed into Namibia crossing the Zambezi River. Then into Zambia and onto Livingstone, where they were applauded by the Simonga Village children. Flying flags they had cut out and coloured in and singing songs of welcome, it proved to be one of the most touching moments of the tour. At last the tour ended at one of trhe seven wonders of the world and a hertage site, the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls. |
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| TOUR DE KRUGER - JULY 2006 We have just finished the second Tour de Kruger. The tour travelled through amazing wilderness areas and provided all those who completed it with a huge sense of achievement As commented by one of the cyclists : " There was a wonderful camaraderie amongst everyone – and between the cyclists and the local people along the way. Hundreds of kids came out to wave at us, some rode alongside us on their old bikes – we truly felt that we were doing something worthwhile. The cycle tour began at the Giriyondo Border Post and ended at the Pafuri entrance gate to the Kruger National Park, 350km later. Part of the excitement of the Tour was the fact that this route is exclusive to this event and is therefore the only time that cyclists are able to ride through these parks, generally on small remote tracks in areas with great scenery and at times wildlife. The Land Rover Owners Club of Southern Africa had support vehicles following the riders en route, carrying bicycle spares, refreshments and medical kits. The last night was spent at Pafuri Camp, where the weary cyclists were treated to an emotional speech by Livingstone Makuleke, who described what it was like to return to his ancestral land, and a rousing Drum Café – at which the Pafuri Camp staff proved their proficiency at drumming! "
The cyclists managed to thwart high temperatures, aqueous cream lubricant, electrolyte deficiencies, sandy roads and elephant sightings to finish the tour! |
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| THE OKAVANGO CHALLENGE On the 22nd August 2006 a group of athletes will be begin an epic challenge to raise money and awareness for orphaned and underpriveledged children of Ngamiland. One athlete, Christo Potgieter, will be racing 400km by road from Shakawe to Maun & Simon Blackburn, canoeist, will be racing the same distance on a kayak through the Okavango Delta. Christo, although born & raised in South Africa, arrived in Ngamiland in 2000 and has fallen in the love with the wilds of Botswana. When he is not managing Mobile Safaris for Okavango Wilderness Safaris, he is running the dusty roads of Maun. A seasoned long distance runner, he has trained hard this year and completed the Comrades Marathon in June. Hardworking Christo (36) is passionate about Africa, and he strongly believes in helping the people as well as the wildlife of Botswana. Simon (39) the son of the late Anti-apartheid Activist, Molly Blackburn, has spent moreof his life on the water than off. Having lived in Botswana for 2,5 years he is soon to embark on the Africa Challenge - an ambitious publicity stunt which will see Simon and his brother kayaking the circumference of Africa to raise awareness for AIDS in Africa. This proud father of two children believes that Botswana can set an example to the rest of the wprld, and has chosen to begin his campaign here with the Okavango Children's Charity Challenge. A group of 7 top South African canoeists, led by Marc Germiquet (from Bushways Safaris) will be joining Simon on the river. The challenge will be a test for both parties; as hippo, crocodiles and ever-changing channels will slow the paddlers down and traffic, donkeys, wild animals and desert conditions will impede the runner. Who will make it home first? Daily satellite communication from both parties will be posted onto the web site to inform armchair enthusiasts of their progress. The finish will end in a celebration at Okavango River Lodge on the 27th August, where food, drinks and children’s entertainment will be on offer. All proceeds will go to three charities, namely Bana ba Metsi, Bana ba Letsatsi and Bana ba Naga. Any further enquiries, please contact Cheryl 71463154 |
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| LAKE OF STARS FESTIVAL SUPPORTS CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS MALAWI For the last 2 years, September in Malawi has seen over 1500 people come together for an international event like no other. The Lake of Stars Festival, set on the palm fringed shores of beautiful Lake Malawi at Chintheche Inn, combines the best of UK and African live acts and DJ’s for a three day music event. Previous headliners include Groove Armada's Andy Cato, Felix B from Basement Jaxx , DJ Yoda, Wambali and the incredible Black Missionaries (10 piece reggae group) . Andy Cato summed up the experience in a nutshell by saying; "You'll never see music cross as many boundaries and borders as this, and you'll never listen to music in a more special place" The 2006 festival takes place on 1st – 3rd September and has already attracted artists from all over southern Africa as well as from the UK and the US such as Phat Phil Cooper and Yewande. All proceeds from the festival will go to the Children in the Wilderness program in Malawi. For more information regarding the festival and the Children in the Wilderness program please check www.lakeofstarsfestival.co.uk and www.childreninthewilderness.com |
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| CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS CAMPS FOR 2006/7: We are in the process of preparing for our camps for the next season. The following is some indication of the camps that we will be operating over the next six months: Botswana will be hosting a total of 96 children in Dec 2006/Jan 2007. This will take place over 6 separate camps , each camp will operate a five night programme. Malawi will be hosting 4 camps in January 2007 for a total of 96 children. Each camp is 5 nights and 6 days. Namibia, will be hosting two camps in December 06 hosting a total of 48 children and then another two camps in June 2007 for another 48 children, i.e. a total of 96 children South Africa we are planning on hosting another Children in the Wilderness Camp at either Pafuri or Rocktail Bay Lodge for a total of 40 children In total we hope to host another 328 children and a total of 1640 children in camp nights this season. Over and above this each region will continue to host follow up programmes for the children throughout the year. |
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| STAFF TRAINING: Once again many of the Children in the Wilderness staff have just returned from an exchange programme with the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps in the USA. The Association's support has been ongoing and focuses predominantly on staff training. With their wealth of knowledge and experience their support has been fundamental in our programme operation. Well that's all our news for now. Thanks again for all you generosity and support. Thanks to you all the programme is growing from strength to strength. As quoted by Eleanor Roosevelt " We are all called upon to do small things with great love" |
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| Until the next newsletter
Kind regards HEATHER WILSON : heatherw@wilderness.co.za
About Children in the Wilderness The Children in the Wilderness programme is dedicated to helping children whose childhoods have been disrupted by life-threatening conditions such as illness, extreme poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Using environmental education, therapeutic recreation and good old-fashioned fun, Children in the Wilderness opens up the minds of children, increases their self-esteem, builds and strengthens their capacities to cope with life’s challenges and educates them with the life skills necessary to actualise their greatest potential – and in the process, creating passionate environmentalists. |
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| CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS AIMS TO CREATE A NETWORK OF LEARNING SANCTUARIES THAT UPLIFTS , CONSERVES AND CARES FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR PLANET · How can I help? Visit our web page today and see how you can make a difference or make a donation to Children in the Wilderness. |
