All proceeds raised for the cycle tour will benefit Children in the Wilderness

Children in the Wilderness

The extraordinary initiative that is Children in the Wilderness was born around the campfire in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. In August 2001, American actor and celebrity Paul Newman and his family travelled to southern Africa for the first time. While on his two-week safari with Wilderness Safaris, Paul Newman described the children's programmes his organisation, the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, had successfully run for nearly 20 years in the USA and Europe.

The spark was ignited to create similar programmes in Africa but with a number of adaptations to suit African conditions. It was decided that the respective visions of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps and Wilderness Safaris could be combined and blended to create a sustainable and effective health, life skills and environmental children's programme for Africa. Wheels were quickly put into motion - and in December of the same year the Children in the Wilderness programme was officially launched and the first groups of children were hosted. Wilderness Safaris closed Vumbura, one of its safari camps in Botswana's Okavango Delta, to paying guests and invited groups of school children and orphans from local communities who lived in villages bordering the Okavango Delta to participate in the weeklong camps. Trained councillors were flown in from the USA to assist in running these initial camps, aided by senior Wilderness Safaris guides and staff. In that first year over the course of five weeks, 150 children were hosted in a programme that successfully combined the missions and expertise of both Wilderness Safaris and the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps in delivering a wonder-filled and inspiring experience.

Now going into its seventh year of operation, this initiative continues to run highly successful programmes in Wilderness Safaris camps in Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa and the Seychelles. This year Zambia ran its first Children in the Wilderness Camp and we are very hopeful that next year the programme will extend to include Zimbabwe. Once this happens, the Children in the Wilderness programme will be formally operational in the seven southern African countries in which Wilderness Safaris operates.

One of the biggest measures of success has been to motivate the children to continue with their schooling. In Africa, the percentage of children who leave school at an early age is very high. However, after participating in a Children in the Wilderness camp, a large proportion of these children have immediately enrolled back into their schools.  We also hope that by spending time in such a unique environment , we will instil a passion and commitment for the environment and possibly inspire the next generation of wildlife rangers, conservationists and guides. 

The outcome of the programme is therefore a win-win for all. The children are inspired to strive to achieve there greatest potential; their enthusiasm and new ideas are shared with their families and communities - and critically threatened environments are conserved

Since inception of the programme we have hosted a total of 2263 children and 10643 children-in-camp nights throughout southern Africa, resulting in each child having had his or her life materially and positively changed for the better.

Visit Our Website : http://www.childreninthewilderness.com