Wilson comes from a small family in Traditional Authority (TA) Liwonde on the eastern side of Liwonde National Park. Wilson’s parents and grandparents lived in the area which is currently Liwonde National Park for many years, and after they were relocated to create space for the national park, they settled right outside the park. As such, Wilson’s parents sometimes used to poach the resources they needed from the park. It has always been Wilson’s fear that if he had missed joining the CITW programme some 12 years ago, he would have ended up becoming a poacher himself one day.
From his first Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Environmental Educational Camp, held at Central African Wilderness Safaris (CAWS) Mvuu Camp, Wilson has been testifying about the positive changes in his understanding of, and attitude towards, the Park and its wildlife. Coming from an economically challenged family, CITW sponsored his education. Wilson is a member of the CITW planning committee for our youth events. He also contributes to CITW-organised policy dialogues at community and national levels.
All of us at CITW could not be happier for Wilson and his achievements so far. We are extremely proud that the programme has contributed to his success, and the process of positive change and empowerment that this young man has gone through. We are expecting even more from Wilson, particularly given his advanced education in physics. He can contribute effectively towards solving environmental issues that may need his scientific approach.
Julius comes from a small family in TA Malanda, Chintheche Nkhata Bay District. Julius’s family lives just a few metres from Lake Malawi along the northern shore. His parents and grandparents have used the lake and the natural forests around their community as sources of food and income for many years. With the pressure of a growing population and increasing desire for socio-economic development, the lake and all the fishes in it, as well as the beautiful natural forests, are degrading at an alarming rate. The Chintheche community needs people who understand the importance of conservation, and who are prepared to act to achieve sustainable outcomes. Julius, together with his CITW-nurtured fellow youths, are a promising generation, prepared to turn things around for the better.
We are very happy to celebrate Julius’s graduation as he adds power to the CITW think-tank, and to the overall programme, with his advanced analytical knowledge and skills in chemistry. The impact of looking at environmental issues through his scientific lens has received more muscle-power indeed. We are proud and grateful for the role CITW has played in Julius’s academic development and becoming a nature lover.
With the graduation from the University of Malawi of these two CITW youths, we now have 150 CITW college graduates! Some of them are in education – teachers; some in media – journalists; some are in conservation – forestry, national parks and tourism; and some are in health care and the medical field – nurses and clinicians.
How CITW Malawi works
Step 1: Eco-Club (Primary School 11 – 15 years)
It begins with the Eco-Club programme: this year CITW Malawi has registered 450 continuing and 150 new Eco-Club members, making a total of 600 members from 15 Eco-Clubs at partner primary schools. The school and the Eco-Club year start in September and end in August when the schools close.
Step 2: YES Club (former Eco-Club members who have advanced to secondary school and beyond)
Eco-Club members who graduate from primary school and go on to secondary school join the YES Club (Youth Environmental Stewardship) programme. The YES Programme has two main groups: those who have been to secondary school together with those who are still there. The other group of YES members are those who have pursued their education beyond secondary school. Currently there are over 280 active YES Club members in total.
The children in secondary schools form a community-based front which, apart from learning and practicing environmental and leadership skills, mostly interacts with local leaders on issues concerning the environment, conservation, culture, leadership and socio-economic development. They also work closely with Eco-Club members on community projects.
CITW organises platforms and events that bring these YES youths face-to-face with their local leaders. These are intentional events that help the youth to learn from their local leaders; also, to appreciate the good job the leaders are doing, and equally, to question the leaders about matters which seem to be wrong in the eyes of the youths themselves.
Step 3: Advanced YES Programme (university and college graduates)
From within the YES Programme comes another advanced group of those young people who have excelled in their tertiary education and have graduated in various professional fields. This group of youth, apart from their annual conferences, visit their respective communities, and join YES Club meetings and activities at local community level. Mostly, however, they initiate and interact with policy-makers in a number of dialogues at national level.
At this level, there are now over 150 members. Their strong social forum keeps them connected and updated, to discuss issues and plan actions. Their annual conferences are tools that bring them together in larger groups. During these annual gatherings they cover a lot of environmental and conservation issues; local leadership positives and negatives; and also plan for community awareness events and projects that CITW supports. These graduates provide excellent motivation and role models for Eco-Club members as well as the general population of children in their local communities. They are unique in that they are graduates who have a greater understanding of environmental and natural-resource conservation – not to mention a heartfelt passion for sustainable conservation. This makes them stand out among the youth, even at national level.
Meet a few of our CITW leaders
The graduates find jobs and practice their professionalism in serving their nation, their communities, and their villages while contributing greatly in supporting their families financially. Apart from engaging with their fellow CITW youth in various forums, these youth take the opportunity to look at a number of policies in their respective workplaces and critically advocate for policy reviews. Their general passion is to see all the policies in their professional fields aligned, in order to support the achievement of sustainable conservation of natural resources in their communities and at national level.
At this level, there are 120 youth who are employed in their professional fields, and can support the leadership, while eventually working themselves into actual leadership. Another aspect to the leadership is realised at community level, where those youth who have not had advanced education, go and settle in their various communities, and can interact with their fellow youth and local leaders in a number of conservation and development programmes.
CITW youth who have excelled in their fields of study and have found employment
Achieving this milestone of 150 successful graduates is a cause for great celebration at CITW, along with our immense gratitude for all our partners, sponsors, stakeholders and local communities, without whom none of our successes would be possible. Naturally, we are continuously seeking more support, more partnerships, and more funding, so that we can reach out and touch even more children’s lives. Our vision is to broaden the frontline of achieving a better future for these children with more education, more training, and their further development into champions of conservation – to become leaders who will effectively actualise the desired sustainable conservation.
Celebration highlights compiled by Symon Chibaka, CITW Programme Co-ordinator, Malawi – March 22, 2024
