“UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not”. ~ Dr Seuss – The Lorax
Children in the Wilderness aims to inspire and empower our children to take responsibility for their future as well as our shared natural heritage.
Connecting with nature in the Daan Viljoen Nature Reserve.
Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP) – Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
In order for this to happen, they need to understand the intricacies of the environment in which they live and the importance of their role within it. Once they have this understanding it motivates them to care and encourages them to take positive steps to improve their environment.
Having fun creating a lion pride using paper from the recycling box 
Team building and problem solving on a sinking ship
CITW has developed an environmental and life skills education programme, including a curriculum that is run in the schools on a weekly basis. These Eco-Clubs are designed to be fun and practical, and are facilitated by the school teachers. It is vitally important that we develop our teachers into Eco-Mentors, ensuring that they are fully prepared, with the appropriate knowledge and skills for the task at hand.
Last week we spent three days of training with an awesome group of CITW Namibia Eco-Mentors in Windhoek. We covered a range of topics, ranging from the skills required and how to use the CITW curriculum in the most effective way, topography, climate change, the importance of endangered and threatened animals such as lions and elephants to a healthy ecosystem, and how we can work together to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, as well as some time interactive and practical bush time. Jack Chakanga (Wilderness Safaris Namibia Environmental officer) also spent time sharing his expertise with us.
Exploring – What great big eyes I have, said the hawk moth caterpillar.
This moth family uses fake eyes and stings as a defence mechanism.
Most importantly we had loads of fun exploring and sharing in the learning experience as well as building good team morale. The Eco-Mentors are excited and ready to implement the CITW curriculum in their Eco-Clubs and I look forward to seeing updates from the CITW Namibia Team. Thank you to Agnes Tjirare & Juliet Binda (CITW Namibia), Wilderness Safaris Namibia and Khomas Environmental Education Programme (KEEP) – Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
Problem-solving as a team – how best to show a 3D clay hill as a 2D topographic map
Report by Kirsty van der Want, CITW Programme Trainer
Cameras: Olympus OM-D E-M1 MARK II and Tough! TG5
