WHY CHILDREN IN BOTSWANA GO TO WILDERNESS CAMPS

The future of our planet lies in the hands of the younger generation. This is where the Junior Ranger Program in Botswana comes in: children and young people learn how to protect and preserve their environment through direct contact with nature. Since 2016, the Knyphausen Foundation has been organizing environmental education projects in cooperation with local organizations that not only impart knowledge but also awaken enthusiasm and responsibility for nature.

The Junior Ranger program started in April 2017 with 36 children and now has more than 250 participants from fourteen local schools and an orphanage. “The aim is to teach children and young people who have had little contact with the local flora and fauna about environmental protection and biodiversity,” explains Theda Countess Knyphausen, head of the program. The participants are proud to call themselves “Junior Rangers” and enjoy taking part in the various educational activities.

EDUCATION WITH HEAD, HEART AND HAND

A special highlight are the multi-day “Kids to the bush” camps that regularly take place in the Moremi Game Reserve. Here, 20 to 30 junior rangers spend two to three days in the Botswana bush together with trainers, teachers and professional safari guides. The children learn how to observe animals, read tracks and move safely in the bush. “This is where biodiversity and animal conservation come alive for the kids,” says Theda.

Most of the educational work is led by young volunteers from the region. To strengthen their skills and in recognition of their commitment, the Knyphausen Foundation regularly funds “Train the Trainer” courses and workshops to accompany the project. A permanently employed project manager from the partner organization Re Jala Peo (English: “Plant a seed”) coordinates the work of the trainers and volunteers.

ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND NATURE OFFERS PROSPECTS

In a region like Maun, where many children grow up as orphans due to the high HIV rate and come from socially disadvantaged families, educational opportunities such as the Junior Ranger program are extremely important. “Most of the children had never had the opportunity to see animals in the wild or experience the impressive nature of Botswana before taking part,” says Theda. Through the program, they developed a deeper understanding of the value of their environment.

The long-term goal is to raise the standard of education in the region and create career prospects in the field of environmental protection. “Education creates sustainable change,” Theda and the Knyphausen Foundation team are convinced. The program is largely financed by private donations. In order to reach even more children and young people in the future, the Knyphausen Foundation is planning to collaborate with other schools in Maun.

The Junior Ranger program impressively demonstrates how young people can become agents of change. Through education, practical experience and direct contact with nature, they develop an awareness of their environment and the motivation to protect it. The work of the Knyphausen Foundation proves that it is possible to make the world a better place in the long term - if we invest in children's education and take responsibility together.

Find out more about the Junior Ranger program here: https://www.knyphausen-stiftung.org/projects/junior-ranger-botswana