Children in the Wilderness Namibia has been operational since 2002. The camps take place in the breathtaking Namib Desert at Kulala Wilderness Camp or in the far north-wetern area, home to the endangered Black Rhino at the Rhino Desert Lodge. The goal of the programme is to restore as sense of hope, purpose and possibility of a brighter future to Namibia's vulnerable children.
Children in the Wiilderness camps are a life changing experience for all those involved. Part of the magic of camp is created by ensuring the emotional and pysical safety of each child during the five day interactive programme. Putting safety first, creating a culture of positive feedback, encouraging supportive relationship with other kids and staff and adding a healthy measure of laughter, all contribute to a powerful impact of the six day adventure.
The children benefit greatly from being in a safe and stimulating learning enviroment, that not only increases their self confidence and skils but also allows them to be creative, have fun and establish a sense of beloinging. The unique venues of the camps make some of the world's best enviromental "classrooms" and the interaction with local guides, conservationists and lodge management creates a fantastic opportunity for the children to develop new insights into the value of conservation and eco-tourism in this country. This will not only benefit the local ecomony but also contribute other sustainable development initiatives in the country in the future.
We also recognise the devastating effects that HIV/Aids is having on the Namibian people and the country as a whole. With the guidance of HIV/Aids counsellors and medics, we dedicate time in the week for workshops that aim to reduce the vulnerability of children to the disease and to teach the benefits of living healthy and positive lifestyles.
Arts and crafts, music, games and sports complete the programme, giving each child an opportunity to shine and to try something new. All the teachers and children who attend camps are inspired to take part in relevant community based projects and activities to ensure that the enthusiasm for and committment to the environment that has been nutured in the camp is not lost.
The follow up and outreach projects are designed to build on the children's learning in camp with each month focusing on a new area. In Namibia this process is extremely challenging because of huge distances between the groups. Each month after camp all the children receive a task based on one of the learning areas that we focus on in camp. The activity calendar includes Biodiversity and Endangered species, World Water Day, World Aids Day, Energy, Gender equality, Children’s rights and Self-awareness and resilience. The projects are easy to understand and do not involve too many materials – most of the schools that we deal with are severely limited in their resources. The teacher/volunteers who attend camp with the children are asked to write progress reports about the follow up projects These reports, in conjunction with the personal folders and annual site visits conducted by a Children in the Wilderness Namibin representative, help us to select children for follow up camps as well as a range of other incentives.
In June 2006 we hosted our first followup camp with 30 children (age 16 - 18 years), who were selected from over 100 past participants. The children all participated in one of the first 16 camps and were selected based on their age, socio -economic position and their own written motivation. The older group of children were purposefully chosen to participcate in this camp, as it specifically focused on job opportunities and preparation for some of the challenges that they may face when leaving school. In June 2007 we hosted a second follow up camp bringing another 24 children back to Kulala Wilderness Camp.
With realisation that space in the follow up camps may be limited, we are working on innovative ways to involve all the former campers. Along with the assistance of partner organristions, we are developing a range of incentives or interventions that will include contribution to school fees and uniforms, gap years and volunteer work, participation in hobbies and a mentorship programme.
The Children in the Wilderness Namibia programme has continued to attract a lot of media attention both locally and globally. We run one media day every five camps. During that day we create the opportunity for media and sponsors to attend the morning activities at one of the camps. Anyone that is able to attend is provided with a press statement, detailing tthe camps, the schools involved and a list of sponsors who have made it all possible. To date we have featured in every major Namibian newspaper as well as Air Namibia's Flamingo magazine, Sister Namibia, Travel News Namibia, Africa Geographic, national television news as well as a feature on a BBC documentary Wild in Africa.
We have just completed our December 2007 camps, the report of which can be found on the feedback page. We are also planning a camp for street children and homeless children in June 2008. We aim to secure co operation from local partner organisations to assist us with the reintergration of children into schools. We will host our third follow up camp with older youths to foucs on job opportunities and preparation in May 2008.
Children in the Wilderness Namibia is a registered Incorporation Association Not for Gain and managed by a board of seven directors who each bring their skills and diverse talents to the organisation. Madame Tangeni K Angula is the patron of the programme.
The Namibia team is directed by Sarah Omura. She is assisted during camps by the energetic, committed and passionate team members including Franco Morao (our youngest member of the team who started as a camp partiicpant -See the story on the Feedback page, Flexi Martins, Elasbe Bock, Corbiana Adams and Anna Ndjomab. All field-based activities also take place with the guidance of local Namibian guides and Wilderness Safaris lodge staff (especially those at Rhino Tented Camp and Kulala Tented Camp) who become important role models for the children.
Each team member plays an integral role in camp, helping to design the programme and to plan activities. In this true team effort, everyone has the opporunity to reflect on the programme's successes and challenges. All of this contributes to a well rounded programme that draws on the strengths of everyone involved.