One week to go

Very exciting times at Camps International as we say hello to hundreds of excited school groups heading out on their expeditions across the globe. We have school groups traveling to Borneo, Cambodia, Kenya and Tanzania. On JUly 3rd the first groups travel and will be heading off to take part in reforestation projects, Community work and wildlife conservation. As an added bonus some will come back having climbed some of Africa's highest peaks including Mt Kenya and Meru or having gained their PADI open water certificate. Good luck to you all.

Gap Year photographs from Camp Kenya with Camps International

From the Field

Leila Berney is a three month gap student from Australia who has been with us for a few weeks now. We met when she just arrived and could see straight away that her passion is the lens. I am sure you will all share my sentiments that these are really special…

World Environment Day

Muhaka Islamic Primary School

Community Toilets

Team Toilet!

See more of Leila’s collection HERE. 

Mantanani Island Marine Awareness camp Gap Year and Shools

Mantanani Island Marine Awareness Learning Centre

June 17th, 2011 by Rory

Since we started out on Mantanani a few years ago, we have been looking to build an iconic symbol cum learning centre cum adventure playground as a hub for our growing Marine Awareness Programme.  Our ultimate aim is for the community of Mantanani to take over the stewardship of their own marine environment, the surrounding lagoon, reef  and its once rich marine life.  And these things dont happen over night!  So, slowly, very gradually, we are starting to raise awareness of the importance of caring for the environment and the issues that it faces every day.  We felt the children were a good place to start and we originally hit on a brain wave one warm evening sat on the veranda of the chief’s house – an iconic hub which would be a fun place to be, play, hang out and ultimately learn.  And so the seed was sown and it has grown, evolved, been cut back, sprouted again until now we have something very special.  

Our good friends at Arkitrek, who have been behind a lot of our designs for our camps and associated projects, pulled together a small team of budding architects to design and build our Learning Centre.  The trip was co-run between Camps International and Arkitrek, with us providing the infrastructure and logistical framework, and Arkitrek running the camp itself and all the technical aspects of the project.

You can read all about the exploits of the Arkitrek team that designed and built the Learning Centre on the following blog entries by Richard who is a local writer and who spent the 3 weeks of the camp working with the architects.  Some of these pictures are from Richard and other members of the Arkitrek team.

Part 1 – Coming together and briefing

Part 2 – Arrival on Mantanani

Part 3 – Plans & work starts

Part 4 – Taking shape

Part 5 – The finished article

The brief to the team was very open and we have been rewarded with an incredible structure – it is so much more than a mere structure – it has character, everywhere you look are different textures and styles, all beautifully linked to the local environment.  You can sit and look at the incredible shapes and size of the driftwood beams, uprights and wall cladding, marvel at the texture of the driftwood footings and their maze of knots, holes and termite tunnels, consider the plastic bottle mosaic wall taken from the beach, let the sand run through your hands or simply stare out to sea across the blue lagoon, past the fishing boats and towards the mainland.  It really is an inspirational place, at one with its surroundings and in my mind truly iconic.

I would like to say a massive thanks to the Arkitrek team for all their hard graft, sweat and contributions to such a fantastic project.  We will continue to add to it, maximise its use and will let this be a spring board to pushing our Marine Awareness Programme to new levels.

Anyone interested in joining future Arkitrek camps can either contact us or Arkitrek directly.  The next one is scheduled for Jan 2012, again on Mantanani, and is designed for trainee/trained architects or civil engineers to get hands on experience of a project from conception through to a finished product.

voluntourism

Voluntourism a new word to me but kind of fits the Camps International ethos. We really concentrate on our projects  so this kind of article is very welcome. well done to all involved. I'm sure it will come in from some fire form the usual suspects. But all in all it makes a fairly decent point and brings some awareness to the industry about quality. The Daily Mail have actually printed something positive.

CHimps pee in a bottle to get peanut

I love this story, chimps were set a task of how to get a peanut floating in a tube of water, they started by filling it with spit then one just peed in the tube and ate the peanut as it floated out the top. Genius.

Gap Year Camps International inn Tanzania

Taking it a Notch higher

June 7th, 2011 by dipesh

Well five seems to be our lucky number at Camp Tanzania. The month of May has come and gone but just like last month, we hosted 5 volunteers. However, this group decided to literally take things a Notch higher. They went all out and lived life just like mbongo’s (locals). They helped with daily chores, farming, tending to cattle and working at a local School and of course an amazing safari! Hear it from the volunteers themselves (we are certainly very proud so thank you CT May Gappers!):

During my time at CT, I feel like I have experienced so much in a short time. From milking a cow to making a desk and I should say I have experienced things I never thought I would. Met some amazing people from fellow volunteers to all the staff at Camp Tanzania, who have made my stay the best it possibly could be. This really has been a trip of a lifetime. (Amanda Hough)

After attending camp Tanzania for a month, I can not recommend it enough. Camps International made every effort to ensure that we have had a taste of the real Africa – from sea weed harvesting to herding cows.

The people of Tanzania are friendly and happily invited us to share their culture. The staff made our stay as comfortable as possible. As a first time traveler, this has been a perfect experience. (Annie Hacket)

The past month I have spent in Tanzania has been absolutely incredible. I have loved every moment of my time here. Everything from milking cows & building desks for the local School on my volunteer projects to being in the middle of a pride of 15 lions in the wild on safari.

Every experience has been an unforgettable one. I have met some amazing people. Not only my campmates and the camps international crew but also the friendly hardworking locals in the village. I will never forget my fantastic experience of Tanzania. (Sarah Gurdev)

My first impression of the camp that would be our home in Tanga was one of pure awe. The camp is right on the Beach and has everything you could need for a comfortable month.

The staff were very welcoming and really made us feel like part of the family. And the food was far beyond what I had expected. We spent 3 amazing weeks helping the local community, the highlight being; seaweed farming, milking and herding cows, playing with the kids at the local school and making them new Desks. The month was rounded off with a 2 days safari at Tarangire and Ngorongoro which was absolutely spectacular.

All in all I can not recommend Camp Tanzania highly enough. I’m not sure three months is enough time to spend there, let alone the one month I had. I am truly envious of anyone who is planning on going to Camp Tanzania. (Tom Reed)

The team at Camp Tanga and the locals made my time in Tanzania unforgettable. The month flew by with so many projects such as getting involved with locals daily jobs like  farming, milking and cow herding and volunteering in a primary School. Playing with the children in their lunch break was fun.

Out of the lot the new experiences a highlight of my trip would definitely be the safari. We went to Tarangire and the crater which were both incredible. With great timing, patience and some sharp eyes we were lucky enough to get so close and even see some of the rare animals.

I really couldn’t recommend Camp Tanzania enough, especially for a first time traveler like myself. With so many friendly faces you’ll feel right at home. This trip has been one I’ll always remember and there’s no doubt I’ll be back. (Emma Brassell)

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International School trips Africa

Earlier this year we hosted two groups from Renaissance International School Saigon (RISS).  This is great little school, nestled away in the back roads of Saigon, surrounded by ramshackle buildings and shops, it is very modern and well equipped.  In addition they obviously see the benefit for the students of undertaking one of our short trips, which is usually a good sign of a well rounded education (even though I say it myself!).

The school actually took away two year groups, with the Year 9′s heading over to Cambodia and the Year 12′s hitting Borneo.  Since the school is in Saigon they elected for the Year 9′s to take a coach to our camp in Beng Mealea, stopping for a night in Phnom Penh en route.  The Year 12′s flew via Brunei, spending a night there with a local tour operator, before being met by our team at Kota Kinabalu airport.  Here are links to their follow up reflections on their experience……

Year 9′s in Cambodia……..Year 12′s in Borneo.

As you can see from some of their comments it was certainly a challenge, just the day to day living conditions, compared to what they are used to at home.  And despite our best efforts it appears an IPad or two some how slipped into the camps!

Thank you to the team for their hard work and energy and we look forward to welcoming back RISS again next year.

Family Life at Camps Tsavo

It’s a Family Life at Camp Tsavo

April 25th, 2011 by dipesh

Just got a chance to catch up with our Family Life group who by the sounds of it had quite an amazing time at Camp Tsavo. They have just finished winding down on the beach and must say, I was quite jealous to hear that they saw cheetahs on Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary four times! Ken, our Program Coordinator at Camp Tsavo has just sent a little snippet of highlights from their trip…

It’s been quite a diverse month for us at Camp Tsavo. We have people from all parts of the world and ages. Needless to say, it’s kept us on our toes but that’s just they way we like it. And thus, what a welcome it was to have four different families with us compromised of 4 wonderful mothers and their children willing to brave the Tsavo outback and keep their hands dirty for two weeks!

After briefing and orientation I could read from their faces that they were excited and rearing to get on with the program.We spent quite a bit of time at at Sasenyi Primary School where we managed to paint 15 blackboards, made teaching posters, painted walls of new classrooms and also helped the children in writing penpal letters.

While in the area, we also visited a few local homes surrounding the school and learned about some of the daily things which are so different from where our visitors come from yet so normal here like how to pound maize and how to plough using an ox!

No visit to Camp Tsavo is complete without going to say jambo to the mamas at Imani Women Group who are always so welcoming. Here, the families learned how to cook local food, make beads, how to weave baskets and also helped planting Vetiver Grass to help control soil erosion. At the end of the day, we joined the women in a traditional dance which they really enjoyed.

And my favorite part is when I get to spend time with people focusing on the beautiful wildlife and the environment even if it involves making paper from Elephant dung. And yes, we had a chance to learn very useful wilderness skills like building shelters (which I know will be very useful even in England!).

Safari in Tsavo East with K. E. N is always a thrill and yes, we were lucky enough to see a lioness with  four cubs. And in the sanctuary, we saw two cheetahs very close by four times!

My philosophy is simple: knowledge, experience, reliability, and quality and of course…”yes, we can!”

Ken

Wildlife Program Coordinator (Camp Tsavo)

Chaos theory

Chaos Theory

April 26th, 2011 by Rory

It struck me in a taxi on the way to the airport this morning – how does this city keep moving with such chaos occurring on the streets all around me.  I have just spent two days dashing around Saigon, or Ho Chi Min City to give its more modern name.  The purpose of my visit was to speak with some of the schools in the city – 3 of them have just completed short trips with us over the past 6 months and 3 of the schools had expressed an interest in starting up service orientated experiences.  It is always a bit stressful dashing from meeting to meeting, in the intense heat, always in a taxi with a driver who assures you in very broken English he knows exactly where the next appointment is, and blatantly doesn’t.

Anyway, during this dashing around, and mainly on the dash to the airport this morning, it hit me square between the eyes – how does this city continue to keep moving amongst the chaos.  2 wheels are the preferred method of transport amongst the populace – well perhaps that is inaccurate, a nice air conditioned car might be the preferred option but is unachievable on the average Vietnamese income.  And so its onto 2 wheels and perhaps they really do prefer it because 2 wheels seem to have priority over 4 (2 wheels good, 4 wheels bad to twist a quote from a group of 1980’s pigs!).  Nowadays most 2 wheels are powered by an engine and not legs, although there are still plenty of bicycles amongst the throng.

But back to the chaos theory – everyone is moving on their own set route, dodging and weaving, thousands upon thousands of random journeys (not random to the person doing it, hopefully that’s planned or in some way thought out loosely), criss cross the city and the other plethora of journeys.  And when I say criss cross, I mean criss cross – inches away from each other in varying directions, at varying speeds, filtering across each other, horns blaring continuously……and yet no-one seems to collide, the city keeps moving, and you don’t see any of the rage and anger you might expect in other parts of the world.  And when I checked with my taxi driver about what time to leave for the airport and would we hit any rush hour traffic he said no, which surprised me since we were heading into the maelstrom at 8 in the morning.  But now I get it….the randomness, the chaos actually makes the city work.  In other big Asian cities (Bangkok and every visiting businessman’s nightmare, Jakarta) there is a semblance of order and hideous hideous jams.  But actually this order is superficial – it looks ordered with its lanes, signs, tolls and rules.  But scratch below the surface and people are actually ignoring the regimentation – they are pushing in, (constantly), and abusing each other – horns are less frequent but they are usually accompanied by some kind of gesture and look.  There is a serious lack of respect for others – they are simply an impediment for you to get on with your busy day.  And actually this is extremely common in the west where I grew up, no matter how big or small the town or city.

Now heading back into the apparent carnage of Saigon’s rammed streets.  So yes it does appear completely chaotic, random, messy and liable for disaster at any second.  However scratch below this chaos and you will find something……order!  There are unwritten rules and courtesies, people understand you have no choice but to drive your moped across 3 lanes of oncoming traffic to turn down a side street, and it works.  Cars stay in the centre of the road with the bikes on the right near the curb, cars slow to let bikes pass, the horns are gentle reminders to move a little to the left or right.  There is no anger or rage.  I suppose it’s a look of resignation or gentle acceptance that you need to push across in front of oncoming traffic – its just the way it is and there is no need to get all worked up about it.  Although you need to have nerves of steel or be a born and bred “Saigonese” to venture on the city streets.

And so based on this crazy randomness, Saigon works. Chaos is actually working very nicely thank you very much.  And so where does this leave us….what can we learn?  Well even though I see chaos working there is a time and a place.  My job is to plan, execute and manage safe and challenging expeditions and trips for young people.  And in doing this I don’t like chaos – I want everything planned, thought through and and “what if’d”!  So that is our challenge at Camps International – providing such a trip amongst the chaos – but the trip wouldn’t be such an experience if the teams did not see and experience the chaos first hand – so its all about providing the chaos but in a controlled environment.  Having said I like everything to be planned, I also recognise that randomness is an essential element of all trips – and it usually occurs in strange places, strange events when you least expect it, which sometimes are a nuisance but looking back that was what made the trip more interesting, away from the norm and the mundane.

We have a lot to learn from the streets of Saigon – patience, respect, acceptance are just some of them.  And so next time you’re stuck in a jam or perhaps wishing people would get out of your way or quit pushing in and breaking the rules, wherever you may be, just consider the chaos theory for life.

Earth Day with the Lolarako Women…

Yes, it was Earth Day indeed the other day, but I would like to think that every day in Camp Kenya is earth day so wanted to use the opportunity to start featuring some more background on some of the small groups we are working with on a day to day basis. Last week, a group of gappers joined the Lolarako Women Group and planted just over 100 casuarina trees. We have been working with this group based near Camp Makongeni for the past six months and they have certainly reinforced what we already knew – GIRL POWER!

I have asked Gladys, our new Community Project Officer, to give a little background on the group…

Lolarako Women’s Group was formed in 2001 in Makongeni village on the south coast of Kenya.  Before the formation of the group, many women led extremely basic lives, often unable to provide for their families due to a lack of both income and knowledge. However, since the development of the group, not only are the women generating more income, but they are also being taught sustainable methods in which to support both themselves and their families.  This has resulted in a greater level of respect within the community and therefore it is clear the group has benefited these women to a great extent. Today there are 30 active members.

Since the formation of the group, various organizations have come to their aid. For instance, Kaya Kinondo, a local organization helped with its advancements, teaching the women how to make soap, which both increased the income of the women and the size of the group. Despite the financial advancement of the group, the women still lacked packaging material for the soap. However, another organization, CORDIO was able to supply the women with the necessary packaging materials along with more ideas for expanding the group. They suggested making shampoos, lotions and hair food to further increase the income of the women. Camp Kenya also offered support, supplying the women with aloe vera seedlings to continue their manufacturing of soaps and other such products. Makuti (local thatching from coconut leaves for roofs) making is a project that has recently been introduced into the group and has been very successful.  The women come together once a week to weave the makuti to sell for the construction of roofs. This is done in one of the member’s backyard due to an inadequate amount of space for the group on their existing plot.

volunteers help make makuti

Another project initially implemented within the group was the rearing of poultry and ducks. In order to accomplish this, each member provided one duck as well as 20ksh per week which was used to buy food for the ducks. This was a highly advantageous project for the group as it is very common for local families to buy duck, especially over holiday periods. Perhaps even more important was the revenue this generated from local hotels that regularly purchased poultry from the group.  Unfortunately, in 2005 after a year and a half of successful harvests, all of the poultry was affected by diseases and all revenue lost. This was the result of a lack of space for the ducks as well as a lack of education on the upkeep of poultry.  Thus the rearing of poultry, a vital source of income was eliminated from the group.

Consequently it became apparent that in order to advance and expand the success of the group, it was imperative that the women received a greater and more developed education. Once again,CORDIO supported the group, organizing an adult class for the basic education of the women in the group. This included basic reading, writing and calculations, taught by two of the group members who had a secondary school education.  This in turn allowed the women to be more involved in the business aspects of the group, whilst dramatically increasing their education.  Two members of the group were also trained in computer skills and provided with one computer to train the remaining members of the group.  In addition to this, the group also received assistance from the Kenyan Agricultural Society, educating the women about farming and providing products such as maize seeds, fertilizer, and cassava in order to further expand the income of the group.  Despite planting 8kg of maize, only one plot was available for the cultivation of crops which meant that due to the extreme lack of space, the maize that was cultivated was merely enough to feed the families of the group members.  This was the only season the women participated in this project because they no longer have the space to continue.

The Lolarako women’s group has clearly advanced greatly over the past ten years.  These women have gone from selling only soap to producing an income from soap, lotions, makuti, maize and duck farming.  They have also been very successful in increasing the education level of the women, which has allowed the group to further develop.  In the future the women hope they will be able to market their products better to further increase income and expand the projects that have been discontinued due to the lack of available space and capital.

Over the next twelve months, our aim will be to help the women access markets for their products and help them develop their communal land. We have also committed to helping them put up a small structure where they can meet and store their produce.

Thanks!

Gladys Cherono, Community Project Officer

Fundraising Survey on Facebook

We recently ran a short survey on Facebook with all our clients and had a great response. We thought we'd blog the results for you. We are always trying to help with ideas and the best obviously come from current Camps International volunteers. It doesn't matter if you are a school expedition group or a Gap Year volunteer we love to hear your new and exciting ideas.

Here are the results and I have to say my favorite is the Hello Kitty day. I lost my last Hello Kitty wallet the other day.

Bag Packing at local supermarket got 29% of the vote

Bag packing is the winner

Working 12% success

Car washing 10%

Tea/cake in my garden 6%

Mufty days 6%

Band Nights 6%

Car Boot 6%

Bike Ride 6%

Quiz night 4%

Cake Sale 4%

The 1% range from Bag drop through school, Jewelry making and the Hello Kitty Day!!

So go on get out there and try these ideas, there are literally hundreds of ways of making money to go on your next Camps International expedition. If you need any help give us a call now 08448001127 or email fundraising@campsinternational.com.

Remember if you are fundraising you are going to make a real difference to the people, wildlife and place you visit. Its a great cause.

Why I love Camps International

What an amazing company to work for. Just one example for me is today world Environment day and chance to make a difference tot he planet. Our office in Kenya were dragged out even the director and they planted 200 trees, what an amazing effort. At the UK office we are planning on climbing the three peaks for our charity the Camps International Trust. It sounds like hard work and it will be not sure if my knees can take it. If you want to go on a Gap year and do something different like volunteering come with us. You won't just concentrate on one project your days will be filled with such variety. Wildlife projects in the Tsavo area, beach clean ups in Mombasa, Community projects all over the place.