THE CITW CONCEPT HAS GONE OVERSEAS!!!
We learnt it from Association of Hole In The Wall (AHITW), USA in 2001. First in Botswana, then Namibia (2002), Malawi (2003), South Africa (2004), North Island (2005), Zambia (2007) and Zimbabwe (2008). These are the countries where Wilderness Safaris exist and where Children in the Wilderness is very active.

There is a group of people from the Middle East (Asia), who have come across Childrnen in the Wilderness Malawi. They thought that the concept could work to create leaders and good citizens in the next generation who would believe in Direct Contact and Dialogue in the process of conflict mitigation. They also thought that the concept could work as a therapy, to reduce trauma which the children of the region go through, due to wars and conflicts which are ongoing in the region.

Through CARE International (Jerusalem Office), Symon Chibaka (the current Programme Coordinator for Children in the Wilderness Malawi), was contacted for more information on the Children in the Wilderness concept, finally he was hired to help with the development of the programme in Israel – Gaza. Last year (September – October 2009) Symon Chibaka and Lou Bergholz - the founder of Edge Work Consulting Company in the USA - trained 63 young University graduates (male and female) as mentors and coaches in the newly formed children’s programme called Eye to the Future in Gaza. The programme finally started running in January 2010. There is already some Heart touching promises as one of the programme coordinators indicated in her latest reports.
  

Eye to the Future Program in progress (March 2010).

“Symon and Lou, I am proud to let you know that the program has started and it is working. Children love it very much and there is amazing positive connection between the children and their mentors in the program. The smiles on children’s faces, their positive attitude towards the program and the support which the parents and the community leaders are giving towards the program, I will call these things successes at the moment”.
(Emailed on March 11th 2010 - Nessreen Hillies, Program Coordinator Beit Hanoon Gaza). 

COMING NEXT!

1. The 2010/11 Children in the Wilderness Malawi camp dates (Four weeks of camp):

• Mvuu Camp: 17th t0 23rd November 2010
• Nyika – Chelinda Camp: 24th Novemenber to 7th December 2010
• Chintheche Inn: 19th February to 06th March.

           Staff and Campers recruitment begins June 2010.

2. Follow-Up Programmes:

The weekly follow-up meetings are going on in the four centres. Children in the Wilderness Malawi will run children’s Open Days in the four centres by August this year. During these functions the entire community surrounding these centres are invited to witness the changes which Children in the Wilderness makes in the lives of the children it is serving.

Tree Nursery and woodlot management to be expanded this year by July. Children in the Wilderness, through Wilderness Safaris will link up with REPLE Africa to extend the tree – reforestation in its four community centers.

3. Fundraising and funding:

Children in the Wilderness wishes to acknowledge the sponsors who have been there to bring the programme to the level where it is today, namely:

USAID Malawi, Wilderness Wildlife Trust, Global Fund for Children, Rosemary Pencil Foundation, ULCA University California, Nedbank Malawi, The mother Wilderness Safaris and many more individuals. 
 
Children in the Wilderness is inviting the donor community, companies, organizations and individuals to come in with financial support to make this magic working organization keep going and even expand its boundaries so that it can reach more children in the country.