Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
1of5
This project involves working with some of the most disadvantaged children in Botswana in a number of small day care centres and creches in Maun. Our volunteers make a difference in these children’s lives by helping to give them education, stimulation and important contact with adults as well as bringing different cultural perspectives to their early educational development.
Our volunteers also provide support and assistance to local Matswana teachers and care-givers working at these care centres. Through this project we are also working to support the efforts of the local communities and small NGOs to look after and educate orphaned and vulnerable children.
Economic responsibility:
We are committed to using locally owned and operated suppliers and we employ local people as field staff, guides and expedition leaders wherever possible. We ensure that our guides and expedition leaders are in full time employment and that staff are treated as equals.
By sending volunteers to work in and with local communities we contribute to the local economies. We encourage volunteers to raise money in conjunction with local communities to purchase essential good and services for the schools and neighbour hood care points.
We focus on visiting and working in national parks and reserves providing access revenue toward their management. Our aim is to support the existing established reserves and new parks through tourism and project work.
Social responsibility:
We aim to provide employment for local people by using local guides and locally owned and operated services. All our field staff are from the local communities where we are based and the organisation is run and staffed by local Swazi people.
Volunteers are given an induction into Swazi/African culture lifestyle and information on how to interpret local customs. They are taken to areas of cultural significance such as the cultural village, bushman paintings, national museum, and the Reed dance and Incwala.
Our projects directly involve the local communities and schools through skill sharing, training, and infrastructure and curriculum development. We have a children’s fund for donations to specific projects and school fees for underprivileged children.
Environment:
We carry out research endorsed by the National Biodiversity Program Implementation Committee including studies on bats, elephant, rhino and lion.
We spread awareness of the need for conserving wildlife through discussions, presentations, printed material and publications. We arrange presentations for our volunteers and our staff participate in conferences on specific research and biodiversity and conservation.
Biodegradable waste is composted, energy saving light globes, etc are used and we use environmentally friendly cleaning products. We use public transport where possible and provide bicycles for volunteers to use. We provide guidelines for volunteers' interactions with wildlife.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
