Camps International bring relief to Kenyan children

In November last year Camp Kenya, a gap year project undertaken by Camps International, started working with the Chanukeni Children’s Centre founded by the Chanukani woman’s group.

The women’s group strives to provide nutritional, as well as medical support to the children, despite the total lack of resources, no kitchen and no adequate food supplies and catering equipment. The medical support is hampered by both lack of transport and personnel. Camp Kenya’s collaboration with the group is intended to improve services at the centre and to provide extensive support to the children.

Over the first few months Camp Kenya visited the centre a number of times to discuss Camp Kenya’s involvement in rehabilitating the centre and building an entirely new classroom and sanitary facility. The original classroom was a mud walled, makuti roof (thatched) structure, with a dirt floor infested with Jigger worms. Up to 90% of the children are infested with jiggers in their feet and legs, which is extremely painful and if they are not removed or treated can cause severe disabilities.

Monique Baronet from Camps International’s Kenya Office explained “Our first task has been to build the children a new classroom and play area with a concrete floor to alleviate the jigger infestation, we started work on the new classroom toward the end of August 2008, Camp Kenya contracted the work out to a local contractor and the main classroom is now finished and the old classroom demolished.”

“We have also excavated an existing well that sits on the centre’s boundary, the children now have water to drink and wash with.”

A combination of diseases and sickness related to poor hygiene such as diarrhoea, cholera and dysentery are common among the children, it’s our hope to relieve the centre of such diseases, we have constructed a small sanitary unit for both the children and teachers to use. This work has been made possible through people choosing to volunteer on our gap year project.

Camps International were recently won the Best volunteering organisation awarded by Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2008 with http://www.responsibletravel.com

Volunteer Work Holidays: Give Something Back...

At first sight the idea of a work holiday may seem contradictory. Surely the idea of a holiday is to do anything but work isn’t it? Well yes and no really. It isn’t as clear cut as that. When you consider what constitutes work and what doesn’t you find you’re in quite a grey area. Think about it. Do you play football at the weekends? If so is that work? No it’s sport, a leisure activity. Wayne Rooney plays football on a Saturday. Is that a leisure activity? No it’s work because playing football is what Wayne does for a living.

So if you turned professional, football would no longer be a leisure activity for you! It works the other way as well. One person’s work is another’s fun. Volunteer holidays give you an opportunity to go to new places and do things you wouldn’t normally do, so that’s not really work is it? Lots of holidays give you that of course but the difference with volunteer holidays is that what you’re doing benefits someone else.

For example if you volunteer in Africa you might be helping to provide a clean water supply to a rural community or helping to teach in a village school in a deprived area. Sadly Africa’s full of those! If wildlife conservation’s your particular interest there’s plenty of help needed out there.

Of course you don’t have to volunteer in Africa. There’s plenty of opportunities to give a hand in Asia, India, and many other parts of the world. There are quite a few organisations looking for volunteer help in the UK if you you’re worried about your carbon footprint or simply don’t like flying.

Most volunteer holidays are taken abroad because that’s where there’s so much to be done. Traditionally it’s been mostly young people taking gap years between school and further education who’ve embraced the idea but that’s changing. The idea of a gap year for grown ups is catching on and why not? Where young people bring to the party energy and idealism, the older folk bring skills of all kinds including the life skills that we hope maturity will bring.

Many people are finding that they can negotiate a year away from work, or maybe a bit less than that. Others decide to spend their first year of retirement helping on some worthwhile project, especially if they’ve taken early retirement. These days a great many people when they retire are still full of energy and enthusiasm and are not yet ready for a rocking chair! A gap year for grown ups is perfect for people like that.

Young or old on volunteer holidays you’ll be working for nothing, in fact it’ll cost you money to do it but that’s not what it’s about. You’ll gain immeasurably in so many other ways. You’ll go to places you’d never go to otherwise. You’ll learn new skills and make loads of new friends. You can’t really put a price on the things you’ll gain from the experience. However grown up you are you’ll grow up some more.

When you volunteer in Africa or in Asia, South America or wherever, you’ll live and work among people whose lives are far removed from your life back home. You’ll learn to understand and appreciate their values and probably re-think your own.

Whatever age you are you’ll almost certainly come back changed in some way. You’ll have a greater understanding of the world and its people if nothing else. Not only will it be the most amazing experience. It’ll be an experience that is sure to stay with you and influence you for the rest of your days.

Exams over! What next? What about Camps in Africa?

The last couple of months have been nothing but exams, so apart from waiting fro your results what do you do next? - Let us assist you with that…

Picture this - waking up in Camp Tanzania looking up to Kilimanjaro as your first view of the day. Working on Community projects with the local children at Mbokomu and Kidia schools and then rewarding your hard work by sitting around a camp fire with a cold beer, swapping stories with your fellow camp mates and looking ahead to your coming Safari and trip to Zanzibar.

Or maybe Camp Kenya would be more your thing, looking out on the amazing views at Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, reflecting on the time you have spent and have yet to spend helping in the Community and at Chanukeni Orphanage, assisting Primate and Marine Conservation and strolling along the white shores of Diani beach.

Whatever way you look at it, our programmes in Kenya and Tanzania provide the perfect getaway – a mental escape, which could soon be reality. As an added bonus our programmes look fantastic on your CV for work and UCAS applications.

So 'bahati njema!' (Good luck!) if you still have any exams to sit but stay focused on how you can reward yourself for all that hard work!

The great news is that we still have some availability for summer departures so get that booking form in and have a goal to aim for.

Kenyan travel safety tips

Africa has to be the ultimate destination. For tourists that come from different parts of the world it can be a beautiful and fascinating place. All sorts of travelers are visiting Africa nowadays, students on their gap year, cultural tourists, people on volunteer work holidays as well as the more traditional safari. It is, however, important to take some safety and security precautions while enjoying your African holiday.

To ensure that everything goes smoothly during your time in Africa you need to consider a few safety areas; insurance, medical, food & drink, money, security and specific to safaris, how to stay safe in the bush. I’ll run through these issues below:

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is vital that anyone visiting Africa have comprehensive medical insurance before leaving their country of residence. Travel insurance should also include cover for loss of baggage, third party liability, cancellation and curtailment etc.

MONEY

Nowadays travelers' checks and major credit cards are readily accepted in most African countries. It is suggested that you only carry a small amount of cash otherwise you can potentially be a target for thieves.

If changing currency it is important to always use authorized dealers and banks to get the best rates.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Keep a note of your passport number in a different bag or item of clothing to your actual passport. You should also find a secure location separate from the rest of your luggage for your airline tickets and travelers' checks while visiting any African country.

MEDICAL PRECAUTIONS

Many African countries are prone to a variety of diseases that are not typically encountered in other parts of the world.

For legal reasons I cannot tell you which injections you have to have when travelling to Africa, however, I can advise you. Yellow fever, Hepititis A & B and typhoid are recommended. It is important that you consult your local Doctor who will advise you based on your medical history. Other injections that are advisable are Polio, Tetanus, Meningitis.

When it comes to malaria I t is advisable to contact your GP and they will advise you on the best anti-malarial tablets for you. It is advisable that you try them out before you go to see if you have any side effects. If this is the case then you have plenty of time to change the course.

It is also advisable to take a mosquito net and or mosquito repellent with you.

FOOD AND DRINK IN AFRICA

Of course Africa is a vast continent and different countries and regions vary but the following advice should keep you safe wherever you visit.

Try to drink mineral or bottled water while on a trip to Africa. Also any bottled alcoholic or soft drink should also be perfectly safe. A word of warning about the consumption of alcohol to those from colder climates. Alcohol is likely to affect you to a far greater degree when in hot climates (such as most of Africa) so be more careful with what you drink.

SAFARI SPECIFIC TIPS

African holidays can be amazing experience for any wildlife lover, however care needs to be taken when on safari. Probably most importantly avoid walking in the bush alone and always seek guidance of a local person when exploring the countryside on foot.

It should go without saying that you should keep your distance from wild animals. However as tourists die every year due to not taking the correct precautions while on safari it is clearly worth repeating a few common sense precautions.

Firstly it is always recommended to have a guide when viewing wildlife on foot. As stated above keep your distance, for most animals this may be as far as 20m or more. Additionally you should be careful not to make any sudden movements or loud noises. Finally if the animals in question are getting agitated move away slowly and if you have a car get back in.

That covers the basics, there are likely to be precautions that need to be taken that are specific to the local area, so be sure to find out as much as you can about the country you are visiting before you go.

Finally, wherever you go in Africa, have fun and be safe.

10 Amazing ways to experience South Africa

Just to mention the word South Africa Safari conjures up images of trekking through the bush in a solar topee on foot with a local guide to keep you safe and show all the big game in its natural surroundings.

The reality today is rather easier on the feet and you’ll probably see more as well. A Safari in South Africa is only one way to experience what this great country has to offer. Holidays to Cape Town provide a base from which to visit the Cape itself as well as a Kruger safari in the famous Kruger National Park. Not all the wildlife is to be found inland. A Kruger Park safari is a great way to see lions and wildebeest and such amazing animals but how about sharks. Shark diving South Africa will open up a whole new world under the sea.

Shark cage diving Cape Town is a must for those drawn to the world beneath the ocean. Cage diving South Africa is a well organised activity and safety is assured. Safari Cape Town to Shark diving Cape Town, it’s the city that has everything!

A gap year South Africa will keep anyone fully occupied for the whole year and what an fantastic experience. Addicted to Travel are the people to talk to about such a venture. Time is rather more limited for most travellers so escorted tours South Africa will be the best way to make the best use of what time is available.

A wilderness South Africa Safari is a wonderful way to get out and about in the interior and see what this country is really all about for most of us, the wildlife. It’s not just for the rugged explorer and survival expert either, although the Bush is still a place to treat with great respect just like the sea. Family safaris South Africa enable more everyday folk to experience and appreciate the wonders of Bush and Veldt.

Whatever holiday in South Africa appeals, travel to South Africa with Addicted to Travel and you can relax knowing that they’ll take care of everything.

If you are looking to explore the most amazing places on planet earth, then visit Addicted to Travel and discuss your travel requirements directly with highly knowledgeable people who actually live and operate in the very destination you wish to visit.