24 Jul 2018

The fourth edition of The Desert Bush Walk Winter 2018 organisers has this year divided the walk into two categories.

The walk, which will be held in Jwaneng on Saturday (July 28), will have 15km and 30km bush trail walk categories.

Logistics coordinator and board chairperson of the organisation, Archibald Ngakayagae said at a press briefing on July 23 that they had increased the baby walk from 10km to 15km.

Unlike in the previous years, he said the two categories would start at different times in order to reduce congestion at the starting point.

“We have also reduced our refreshment water points from 5km apart to 10km apart. This means for the 15km category, we are going to have only one water point at 10km and as for the 30km category, there will be water points at 10km, 20km and mini refill at 25km,” he said.

He said at the end of every walk, they had an evaluation process; hence they had come up with new initiatives this year.

“We held an evaluation process after our 2017 walk and came up with interventions and action items, which resulted in some changes and or developments for the 2018 event,” he said.

He said they had managed to reach their 2 500 participants target as 1 800 participants had registered for the 30km and 700 for the 15km adding that 60 per cent of the participants were from SADC countries.

He further highlighted that The Desert Bush Walk was this year recognised as one of Botswana’s national events and was added to the national list of events by Botswana Tourism Organisation. 

Also, Ngakayagae said Ministers of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development and Health and Wellness, Thapelo Olopeng and Dr Alfred Madigele respectively, as well as Lesotho’s permanent secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sport and Culture would be chief walkers.

The organisation’s trustee member, Lebogang Pillar said the walk intends to raise funds for sustainable educational projects for children in marginalised communities around the Jwaneng/Mabutsane area.

“The main aim of the walk is not only about raising funds but also to promote tourism amongst the villages in the area,” she said.

Furthermore, she said small businesses in the area would have an opporunity to make money as they would provide services to the participants. ENDS