-Day 1 Overnight flight to Kenya (Mombasa)
Please note you may have to depart a day earlier to arrive on Day 2
Day 2 Hello Mombasa
Details: Meet Camps International staff and transfer to Camp Tsavo
Camp Tsavo gives you the chance to experience life in the real African wilderness.Surrounded by the picturesque Marungu Hills that lie close to the world famous TsavoNational Parks, this area is famed for its wildlife and providing a safe haven for elephants,lions, cheetahs and other amazing animals.
Details: Itinyi and Kale communities and project background
Kale Primary School has 660 students enrolled but the facilities are woefully inadequate with only 11 classrooms and nine teachers. The infrastructure and educational facilities are in disrepair, and the classroom foundations are at risk of collapse due to erosion from seasonal flooding. There are currently 550 students enrolled at Itinyi Primary School, located in the Southern Eastern Kenya. The facilities are woefully inadequate and under-resourced; there are only nine functioning classrooms and eight teachers. The community is unable to raise funds needed for the school upkeep and expansion, despite receiving limited government funding. Additionally, literacy levels among the poor are in the lower bracket in Kenya, with as few as 37 per cent of females possessing basic literacy skills. The camp is situated in the heart of the picturesque local village, where you will experience authentic African culture and hospitality that will make you want to stay forever. Accommodation consists of traditional bandas & tents with comfy mattresses & bedding. Long drop toilets, showers & sinks. While at camp, three healthy, well-balanced and tasty meals will be provided daily. For example, toast, sausage and omelette for breakfast; pasta, chicken stew/curry with chapatis and vegetables for lunch/dinner, and fruit. The signature dish is called Pilau (Swahili local food).
Details: Daily group discussion and evening activities
"We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John DeweyOn every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal andshare thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.
Available at the camp, are a series of interactive lectures, that cover subjects such as Stakeholder Engagement, and Citizen Science. These sessions can be run following discussion with the school of the topics considered most appropriate to the group.
Day 3 Camp Tsavo
Details: Introduction to Itinyi and Kale Primary Schools volunteer projects
Take the short drive to Itinyi or Kale Primary School where students will be given a briefing on daily school life and an overview of the ongoing projects. Without access to a good quality education, children don't get a fair chance in life. A good school environment can open the doors to fulfilling, productive and well-paid employment, helping to break the cycle of poverty. In Camp Tsavo we are working in collaboration with the surrounding community and an important part of the process of identifying the group’s goals is a broader understanding of the problems faced by the area and our combined aims in tackling them. Through that understanding, leading to goal identification and student led planning, the group starts to create and then work towards their own objectives. The group then has some time to think deeply about their goals for the week; in a framed, student led discussion forum.
Details: Student-led evening group discussion
The group then has some time to think deeply about their goals for the week; in a framed, student led discussion forum. In the camps, we are working in collaboration with the surrounding community and an important part of the process of identifying the group's goals is a broader understanding of the problems faced by the area and our combined aims in tackling them. Through that understanding, leading to goal identification and student led planning, the group start to create and then work towards their own objectives.
Day 4 Camp Tsavo
Details: Itinyi and Kale Primary Schools service-learning project
Our focus is centered around access to quality education for local children. We will be working alongside Fundi's (local tradesmen) to develop and improve the infrastructure at Itinyi and Kale Primary Schools. All projects are ongoing and, in collaboration with our volunteers, we work on them year-round to ensure a responsible and sustainable approach in all that we do. Your group could be starting a new project or continuing with a project in progress. This could involve building or restoring a school classroom, increasing ablution facilities, working on improvements to other vital facilities within the school and making desks.
Details: Student-led evening group discussion
This evening, we will have a student focused discussion of Leadership, its challenges, models and aims. The students will be asked to think about these issues particularly in the context of their current environment and activities. What has worked, what hasn't? Are we on schedule for our own aims? How could we do things differently?
Day 5 Camp Tsavo
Details: Itinyi and Kale Primary Schools service-learning project
All projects are ongoing and, in collaboration with our volunteers, we work on them year-round to ensure a responsible and sustainable approach in all that we do. Your group could be starting a new project or continuing with a project in progress. This could involve building or restoring a school classroom, increasing ablution facilities, working on improvements to other vital facilities within the school and making desks.
Details: Student-led evening group discussion
Of great importance is to reflect on what the group has achieved, and we ask the students to lead a discussion focused on that question - particularly looking at the service and learning elements of the time in camp.
Day 6 Camp Tsavo
Details: Itinyi and Kale Primary Schools service-learning project
You will spend the next two days putting the finishing touches to your service project at Itinyi or Kale Primary Schools.
Details: Camps International-led interactive lecture and discussion
Camps has a series of interactive lectures, that cover subjects such as Stakeholder Engagement, and Citizen Science. These sessions can be run following discussion with the school of the topics considered most appropriate to the group.
Day 7 Camp Tsavo
Details: Itinyi and Kale Primary Schools service-learning project
On your final day there will be a gathering whereby your group can handover the work you have done to students and teachers. There will be a proud moment of reflection as you look at what you have achieved and the positive impact you have made.
Details: Camps International-led interactive lecture and discussion
Camps has a series of interactive lectures, that cover subjects such as Stakeholder Engagement, and Citizen Science. These sessions can be run following discussion with the school of the topics considered most appropriate to the group.
Day 8 Camp Tsavo
Details: Tsavo East National Park safari
Visit the stunning Tsavo East National Park, one of the world's largest game reserves, home to a variety of wildlife including lion, elephant, zebra, giraffe and hundreds of bird species.
Day 9 Camp Tsavo
Details: Tumaini Women's Group
Today you will meet the Tumaini Women's Group, a local community cooperative led by a hugely inspirational figure, Mama Mercy. You will be told the moving story of how Mama Mercy founded her first women's group over 8 years ago, overcoming extraordinary challenges to achieve female equality, empowerment and a brighter future for herself and other women within the Maungu community. You will learn about the micro finance initiatives that the women have established to create income for themselves and you will spend the morning working with them to learn traditional skills such as, basket weaving, jewelry making and cultivation of local crops.
Details: The Maasai tribe
Visit the Maasai, the smallest tribe in Kenya but famously known
around the world and the only tribe that still practices the traditional African bush style of living. You will learn about their fascinating way of life and enjoy some ceremonial traditional songs and dances.
Day 10 Camp Tsavo
Details: Rukinga wildlife sanctuary visit
Today you will contribute to vital conservation initiatives at Rukinga wildlife sanctuary. You will learn about the issues caused by human-wildlife conflict and the most effective ways to combat this. You will work with local people to help to make elephant deterrent fences (the method regarded by the locals as the best way to deter elephants from their farms without harming the animals). You will also participate in an educational environmental workshop, making paper out of elephant dung to bring a source of income to the community Camps has a series of interactive lectures, that cover subjects such as Threats to Biodiversity. These sessions can be run following discussion with the school of the topics considered most appropriate to the group.
Day 11 Camp Tsavo
Details: Marungu hills adventure trek
Set off for a guided adventure trek to the Marungu hills where you will have a picnic lunch in ancient caves and enjoy the panoramic views of the Rukinga ranch. Your guide will teach you bush survival skills which have been practiced for hundreds of years, such as making a bush shelter, making fire and Bushmen bow and arrow shooting.
Day 12 Camp Tsavo--Camp Muhaka
Details: Travel to Camp Muhaka
Camp Muhaka will quickly become your home away from home. With stylish traditional buildings and a great social scene, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Being in the heart of the village also has its perks; all your project sites are only a short walk away and you can walk with the children to and from school so you’ll be a local in no time!
Day 13 Camp Muhaka
Marine Education Centre visit
Details: Camp Marine conservation project
During your time you will be looking at marine wildlife, habitats and conservation and you will get the opportunity to gain experience in collecting data and learning about various research projects and methods. Throughout you will learn about the importance of the oceans, waste management, sustainability and how the program helps to conserve the environment in daily lives as well as find out about all the various conservation efforts around Africa.
Day 14 Flight home from Mombasa
Travel to Mombasa airport
Details: Recognize perspectives and communicate ideas
Throughout the program, we will set time aside time for discussion, guided reflection, and time to write reflections on self-discovery and what we have learned. "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey
Details: Fly home
Please note that depending on flight connections, you may arrive home a day later and overnight en-route.
Tour Includes:
- Round-trip airfare
- Full time Camps International Staff and/or Project Coordinator with the group 24/7
- Accommodation in traditional bandas and tents with comfy mattresses and bedding, modern showers, and sinks
- At camp, three healthy, well balanced and tasty meals a day, and access to clean drinking water
- All activities listed in the itinerary and all project costs & materials
- Transportation by private coach for airport and activity transfers
- In-country support from dedicated local team and 24-hour emergency support
- Camp orientation & language lessons
- Up to three college credits upon course completion (grades 9-12) or high school credit (grades 6-12) for U.S. travelers only.
- Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
- Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.
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