effort of working with the cultural group.
We are trying to do varied activities
with them. It is part of the strategy to
show them options and give them ex-
periences that kids with resources have
access to.
We are limited with what we have to work
with and to get things done is a struggle
and a lot of finagling but sometimes a
little luck helps.
The planned activity was to take the kids
to the Mahango section of the Bwabwata
National Park. That section is dedicated
strictly for game drives. There was only
a single member of the group who had been
on one before, so it was a first time experience
for 15 of the kids.
We were fortunate to get the assistant principal
to supply transport (as he is the most reliable
option around).
We left the village about 7:30 a.m. and it might
have been a little late to get to the park to see
the animals.
There is a road that is about 4 or 5 km long
and is specifically for two wheel drive vehicles.
The assistant principal's pickup truck (called
bakkie here) is a two wheel drive so we took
that route.
The first pass was pretty uneventful as there
weren't many animals and the main animals
out were the Impalas. They were a lot of them,
more than I've ever seen at this park.
The park borders Botswana so we headed to
look at the border post. The kids never saw
one. It is a simple thing but they now know
a little about what it is about.
On the way back the kids wanted to go back
through the same road in the park and they
made the right decision.
There were a lot more animals but no giraffes,
elephants or buffaloes but there were a few
others types instead.
There were a lot of kudus, baboons/monkeys,
iguana and there was even a hippo with a
small baby out of the water. It made up for
the first pass.
Near the entrance of the Mahango section is
a fisheries institute that works with fish farming
throughout the region.
It is really an incredible place and even though
it was a Saturday afternoon and the place was
officially closed, they opened it up and gave the
kids a tremendous tour.
In the picture you can see a few of the kids with
the assistant principle inside one of the
institute's building. In those tanks are the fish
species that the institute works with.
These are the only kids in the whole school of
310 students that have ever seen anything like
this before.
They were really great and even the guide said
that they were one of the best mannered and
interested groups that he's guided.
That is one of the things about development,
the thought is to work with the difficult but also
I think it is ok to keep the good ones occupied
so that they don't go to the other side (as in
alcohol abuse at a young age).
We also got them plenty of food and those 16
kids can eat so it was a little pricey but it the
end ... worth every cent.
So now we have to come up with another activity
for them to do. The idea is to have them do kind
of a cultural concert / performance specifically
for the elders. After watching the kids dance at
the school building's inaugural event the elders
are asking to see more of the group perform.
So, as it goes, it was a great Saturday in the
life of this Peace Corps volunteer.
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