Children in the Wilderness Botswana (CITW) will be running two children’s annual eco-camps this year – at Wilderness Jacana & Wilderness Vumbura Plains, both in the Okavango Delta.
In preparation for these camps, on the 24th of August 2024 CITW conducted an Eco-Mentor refresher course for the current Eco-Mentors – to remind them of what is expected of them in camp, and also to induct new Eco-Mentors.
Split over two groups across the two Wilderness camps, we are planning to host 80 children, 10 teachers (who will be accompanying them), 20 Eco-Mentors, and 5 participants from our regional offices (Chobe, North-West & Gaborone Ministry of Basic Education). Fifteen Eco-Mentors attended the workshop.
Adding to the safety and wellbeing of our children and mentors, CITW Botswana has included a medical doctor among their new Eco-Mentors, supporting our existing nurse (and former camper) who has been assisting the children and Eco-Mentors in camp whenever a need arose. Another former camper, now a social worker, has joined the list of Eco-Mentors to assist the counsellor who has been an Eco-Mentor for quite some time now.
The workshop started with a brief presentation about CITW before the programme unfolded. Ms Maduo Mbambi, who works at Youth Impact in Maun, was the main guest speaker for the day.
With the help of our CITW Curriculum, topics and activities that will be covered in camp were presented, and Eco-Mentors were tasked with preparing teaching aids for the two camps. At the end of the programme, Maduo taught the Eco-Mentors new games to be played with the children on camp.
The anticipation for the annual camp is already huge, and everyone is looking forward to this tremendous programme. With the success of the refresher, the team is confident that this year’s annual camps will be big, and full of fun and even more learning. The flight to our annual camps has already taken off and is in the safe hands of our trusted captains, the Eco-Mentors!
Children in the Wilderness Botswana is a family that works with different stakeholders who have children and the environment at heart. And so saying that, we direct our appreciation to Youth Impact Maun, and Women against Rape Maun, for also having a hand in our Eco-Mentor refresher course, the Ministry of Basic Education (North-West Region) for making sure that all the teachers who were requested to attend this refresher were released on time to travel to Maun, and lastly our mother company Wilderness Botswana, for providing us with a place to conduct the refresher, namely the company’s Management Residential Plot.
Compiled by Kelebogile “Kelly” Baitshoki – CITW Assistant Administrator, Botswana
