Written by Staff Reporters   

Wilderness Safaris has closed off its luxurious Desert Rhino Camp in the Palmwag concession area to accommodate a bunch of 48 non-paying children.

Maggie von Rhein, the head of business banking at Nedbank, with Sarah Omura, the project coordinator for Wilderness Safaris’ Children in the Wilderness programme.

The children are taking part in the Children in the Wilderness programme, an initiative of Wilderness Safari, which aims at exposing children from disadvantaged background to nature, combining environmental education, HIV/AIDS awareness sessions, first aid, nutrition and arts and crafts activities.

The Desert Rhino Camp lies north-west of Namibia between Etosha and the Skeleton Coast. The private one-million-acre camp is jointly owned by Wilderness Safaris and Save the Rhino Trust, a non-profit organisation that has been largely responsible for conserving the rare desert-adapted Black Rhino. The children are from Rundu, Tsumeb, Opuwo and Bergsig.

Wilderness Safaris conducts the programme in partnership with several private companies. Nedbank participated in this specific programme by donating N$35000.

The children have been in the camp since the first day of December and are expected to leave on 19 December.

During the 19 days, the children had been having fun activities designed to develop their self-esteem and confidence. Activities include lesson on nutrition and HIV/AIDS as well as the thrills of exploring the desert and discovering its inspiring wildlife.

The Save the Rhino Trust had ensured the growth of its population in north-west Namibia, and consequently, the area boasts the largest free-ranging concentration of these animals anywhere on the planet.

“For the majority of children, this will be the first time that they travel outside of their small communities and be able to experience this beautiful part of their own country with its abundant wildlife. With the professional help of Wilderness Safaris guides and Save the Rhino Trust trackers, the children will also, for the first time, get to learn about and safely observe the endangered Black Rhino, which they had only heard about in stories. We also give them the opportunity to become children again, to play games, sing songs and laugh from their bellies,” said Sarah Omura, project coordinator of the programme.