Greater Mapungubwe TFCA, 2017 Tri Nations Camp

15 December 2017

The annual Tri-nations Camp was held on the 11th- 15th of December 2017, at the Mapungubwe National Park Auditorium and Confluence Viewpoint in the Limpopo Province.  The national Department of Environmental Affairs facilitates the cross border events such as Tour de Tuli and Tri-nations in conjunction with Children in the Wilderness organisers.  

CITW organized the camp in an aim to create a network of learning centres that uplifts children in rural areas through educational programs that put conservation at the forefront, so as to develop environmental leaders/ambassadors who are inspired to care for their heritage and environment to ensure they become custodians of their area in the future.  Furthermore the Tri-nation Camp exposes children to their wildlife heritage, builds and strengthens their capabilities to cope with life challenges and educates them with the life skills necessary to actualise their greatest potential.

The children hosted at the camp are rural children that live adjacent to the GMTFCA and on a bi-annual basis the camp hosts twenty-four children and eight teachers from Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively.

The 2017 camp consisted of 18 children and 12 eco mentors, who facilitated the activities and educated the pupils throughout the five day course.  Lessons on Biodiversity, the food chain, Transfrontier Conservation areas (TFCAs) and a lesson on how to build and operate a tippy tappy, a device which conserves water and ensures children are aware of personal hygiene were provided throughout the five day course.  Besides the activities the children were also granted the opportunity to go on a game drive and to visit the Mapungubwe museum were they learnt about the great history of the Mapungubwe area and its people.

Not only did the camp educate the pupils about conservation and a host of other careers it also gave them an opportunity to network with one another and create friendships as well as widen their scope of their view of life.