Children in the Wilderness Malawis' 2009 camps were held at Mvuu Camp in Liwonde National Park and at Chintheche Inn on the northern shores of Lake Malawi. Both hosted two weeks of camps each.

Mvuu Camp: 36 children from Naifulu on the eastern side of the Park and Nanthomba on the western side came for the first week. In the second week, a group of 18 came from one of our partnering organisations, the Steka Orphanage in Blantyre. Steka is an organisation that takes care of street children in and around Blantyre (Malawi’s largest city). The children are counselled and taken care of in typical parental fasion. Children in the Wilderness accepted the partnership with the aims of helping such children to discover more of their hiden potentials and live to acomplish their desired future.

Children in the Wilderness + Steka Child = Responsible Leaders in the Making

Chinteche Inn: 24 children from around Chintheche came for the first week, followed by 28 children from the Baylor Teen Club in Lilongwe in the second week. The Baylor Teen Club is made up of children from the Baylor Hospital in Lilongwe, children who have serious medical challenges in one way or another. Children in the Wilderness is partnering with the Baylor Teen Club so that it can help in building hope for the future of these children, hope that may have been ignored in a village atmosphere.

Children in the Wilderness + Baylor Child = Motivated Leader in the Making

In total the 2009 camps hosted 106 children between the ages of 10 and 16 years, with an equal gender split during each camp.

The Camp curriculum was as follows:
• Wildlife and Natural Resources Conservation
• Permaculture / Sustainable Agriculture
• Human / Children’s Rights
• HIV/AIDS and General Hygiene
• Future Planning and Staying in School
• Art and Craft / Culture
• Informal Time and Problem Solving

All the learning activities were geared at building respect for oneself, each other and the environment; raising self confidence; and building, recognising and nurturing potential and self-esteem.

“I am a leader when it comes to explaining about the life of crocodiles to my friends. I will go home shining with this knowledge and information. I have learnt it and it will be part of my life forever!” Meria Wilard (Steka Orphanage) 10 yrs: Grade 5