08 Sep 2014

The US embassy has donated over P600 000 to 10 schools in the Ngamiland region to support Children in the Wilderness programmes.

The donation will go a long way in providing training and mentoring to teachers, students and their communities on matters of sustainable use of the delta and its resources.

Speaking at Shashe Primary School in Maun, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, Mr Michael Murphy said the materials would expose over 500 children to the unique Okavango Delta.

He said the American Embassy was proud to support the programmes aimed to empower the Ngamiland communities and provided educational opportunities for youth.

The programmes, he said, also supported rural development and economic opportunities for the communities around the Okavango Delta. 

Mr Murphy said tourism contributed 10 per cent to Botswana’s economy and accounted to 10 per cent of employment in Botswana.

He added that the economic value of the delta was increasing especially after the Okavango Delta was listed the 100th UNESCO World Heritage Site, therefore he noted it was worth to invest in environmental education for children of Ngamiland.

The Wilderness Safaris managing director, Mr Grant Woodrow said the Children in the Wilderness (CITW) has assisted over 5000 children in Africa with 1200 from Botswana since 2001.

He said the (CITW) programme was incepted with the aim to support communities and assist the government of the day.

For her part, North West Region performance coordinator, Ms Violet Jacob commended Children in the Wilderness for its partnership with Ngamiland schools which she observed happened even before the ‘Adopt a School initiative.

Ms Jacob said the program did a great job to nurture children on issues of environment at grass roots level which would mould them to conserve natural resources in their communities.

The 10 schools to benefit from the CITW programme include, Shashe Primary School and Sankoyo Primary School in the Maun Sub district and the other eight schools in the Okavango sub district. ENDS