CITW BOTSWANA | WHERE ARE THEYNOW
NAME: ONKEME TAOLO
CITW SCHOOL: SHASHE PRIMARY SCHOOL
YEAR OF CITW CAMP: 2007
CAMP NAME: KAPOROTA CAMP
My name is Onkeme Taolo, a 29-year-old man born and raised in Maun, Botswana. I attended Shashe Primary School in Maun, where I became a member of the Environmental Education Club run under the Children in the Wilderness programme. The Eco-Club’s primary goal was to educate students about the importance of protecting the environment and encouraging young people to actively play their part in conservation.
As members of the Environmental Eco-Club, we participated in a variety of activities that helped us learn about environmental responsibility in practical ways. One of our regular activities involved collecting litter in and around the school grounds. We later used the paper we gathered to recycle and create sculptures. We were also responsible for planting and caring for trees and other plants within the school premises. These projects not only kept us informed but also served as meaningful extracurricular activities that deepened our understanding and knowledge of environmental conservation.
In 2007, I was privileged to be selected as one of the students to attend a Children in the Wilderness camp at Kaporota. The camp ran for a week and was filled with exciting and educational activities.
One of the most memorable highlights of the camp was the game drives. It was my first time experiencing such an environment and seeing many wild animals in their natural habitat. The entire experience was truly unforgettable and remains one of the best experiences of my life.
The camp had a profound impact on me and helped me understand the important role that the tourism sector plays in Botswana’s economy. During our time at camp, we communicated mainly in English because we were interacting with people from different backgrounds who spoke the language. This environment helped me improve my confidence and fluency in English, which later became very useful throughout my academic journey.
The knowledge and experiences I gained encouraged me to take an active role in environmental conservation and to share what I had learned with others. In doing so, I was able to contribute to spreading awareness about environmental protection within my community.
In 2024, I returned to the programme as an Eco-Mentor at Wilderness Vumbura North. Being around the campers made me reflect on my own past experiences, and I felt proud of myself for being able to pass on the knowledge and values I had learned years earlier to the younger generation.
Inspired by these experiences, I later enrolled at the University of Botswana, where I pursued a Bachelor of Social Sciences, majoring in Public Administration and Sociology. Recently, I further enhanced my professional development by completing a Certificate in New Manager’s Development Programme at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.
Today, I am proud to be working in Maun at Safari Destinations, where I serve as a Human Resources Manager. My journey from a young camper to a professional in the tourism industry reflects the lasting impact that environmental education and youth empowerment programmes can have on individuals and communities.
