Community Project

Imagine Africa actively supports a community project called Children in the Wilderness.

Children in the Wilderness is dedicated to helping children whose childhoods have been interrupted and disrupted by life threatening conditions such as illness, poverty and the HIV/Aids epidemic. Using environmental education, therapeutic recreation and good old-fashioned fun, Children in the Wilderness exposes children to new opportunities, increases their self-esteem, builds and strengthens their capabilities to cope with life's challenges and educates them with the life skills necessary to actualize their greatest potential.

The Children in the Wilderness programme hosts children, aged between 8 and 17 years, in groups of up to 30 at a time, for periods of up to a week, at no cost to the school or children. The well structured curriculum is offered in a safe wilderness environment where nature becomes the teacher and the healer, aided by experienced and well-trained counselors.

The outcome of the programme is a win-win for all. The children are inspired to strive to achieve their utmost potential; their enthusiasm and new ideas are shared with their families and communities - and more local people are involved in the conservation of critically threatened environments.

The overall aim of this project is to offer children, whose childhoods have been disrupted by life threatening conditions such as illness, poverty and HIV/AIDS, a six day educational programme. This programme combines conservation, environmental education, arts and crafts, HIV/Aids and health education and recreation in a unique environment. We wish to increase children's understanding and appreciation of the unique diversity of natural environments as well as to demonstrate to the youth of rural communities the opportunities that exist. In addition, the programme is designed to increase self-esteem, teach new skills and knowledge to our children. The fundamental objectives of this programme are continued, with the support of our staff, in the local communities once the week long camp has finished.