The Junior Ranger School
at the Sijwa Project
The Zambezi Region has a shortage of qualified guides and it is our wish to develop an interest in guiding within the next generation and to start a junior ranger course which starts the ball rolling towards this dream.
We wish to build a classroom in which to setup our Junior Ranger Training program for the Grade 10, 11 and 12 high school scholars at our local school in the Mayuni Conservancy.
In partnership with EcoTraining, we will first perform a ‘Train the Trainer’ Guide Course with adults within our community, giving these selected individuals an opportunity to receive formal training and to thereafter impart their knowledge with the younger generation. Once they have successfully completed the Guide Course and the Junior Ranger Train the Trainer Course they will undertake the role of running our Junior Ranger Course with the scholars.
The scholars will receive an accredited Eco Training Junior Ranger Certificate upon the successful completion of the course, which will include work, and training at The Sijwa Project over a 3-year period. The Junior Ranger Course with the 3-year Practical Environmental Program will challenge the young people to find their purpose, passion and place in the world. They need to follow the fundamental principles of our Permaculture and Waste Management Project that will include performing the following:
- Complete 1 hour per week for 3 years at The Sijwa Project, where they will care for the worm farms, the compost heaps and learn how to plant and look after gardens
- Complete 1 hour per week for 3 years at The Sijwa Project where they will be taught how to separate waste, skills to melt and craft aluminum, crush and blow glass and how to build with plastic bottles
- Fully understand the benefits of beehives to protect elephants, combating human-wildlife conflict and how to harvest ‘elephant friendly’ honey, which will be part of the final year Junior Ranger Exam
- Fully understand the Principles of Permaculture, which will be part of the final year Junior Ranger Exam
- Fully understand the benefits of worm farms and composting for nutrient rich organic vegetables, which will be part of the final year Junior Ranger Exam
How You Can Help the Junior Ranger School
We at African Monarch Lodges, through this diverse initiative, have created renowned guest experiences through intuitive moments of contact with our people. We are developing artisan skills and enriching the lives of our youth and our community whilst protecting the habitat and respecting nature’s course. We trust that you will feel our passion and enthusiasm for the success of The Sijwa Project and would help us achieve the full potential for this remote part of Namibia. We would appreciate any form of support.
PROJECT 1: TRANSPORT VEHICLE FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE JUNIOR RANGER & JUNIOR SEWING SCHOOL
- During the Covid pandemic one of our lodges remained closed and we were able to transport the school children to the Junior Sewing School for their training at The Sijwa Project with one of the lodge game drive vehicles.
- As tourism is slowly starting to normalize the lodge will open and all game drive vehicles will be required for the guest activities.
- Our children walk up to 10km to and from the project per day after school.
- A transport vehicle will ensure up to 22 children attend the Junior Sewing School and Junior Ranger School daily to complete their two-year curriculum.
Estimated Cost/Budget = N$940,000 (23 seater priced at 10/2021)
PROJECT 6: THE JUNIOR RANGER SCHOOL
- We will equip the classroom with all the necessary classroom furniture, teaching equipment, tools and stationery.
- In partnership with EcoTraining, we will first perform a ‘Train the Trainer’ Guide Course with 3 adults within our community, giving these selected individuals an opportunity to receive formal training and to thereafter impart their knowledge with the younger generation. Once they have successfully completed the Guide Course and the Junior Ranger Train the Trainer Course they will undertake the role of running our Junior Ranger School with the scholars.
- The scholars will receive an accredited Eco Training Junior Ranger Certificate upon the successful completion of the course, which will include work, and training in the above mentioned Sijwa Project over a 2-year period. The Junior Ranger School with the 2-year Practical Environmental Program will challenge the young people to find their purpose, passion and place in the world.
Estimated Cost/Budget =N$550,000
SHOULD YOU HAVE SPACE IN YOUR LUGGAGE WHEN TRAVELING TO OUR LODGES, MAY WE ASK THAT YOU PACK THE BELOW:
- pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, chalk, whiteboard markers
- notepads, school exercise books
- reference books for the library
Bank Details
The Sijwa Project,
Standard Bank, Namibia,
Acc: 60003912069,
Branch: Windhoek,
Branch Code: 082372,
Swift Code: SBNMNANX
Please use the selected facet of the Sijwa Project you would like to donate to as a reference:
Project 1: Transport Vehicle for the Children of the Junior Ranger & Junior Sewing School
Project 2: Permaculture Centre
Project 3: Elephant Friendly Beehive Project
Project 4: Tree Nursery for the offset of carbon emissions
Project 5: Aluminium Recycling Workshop
Project 6: Junior Ranger School
Project 7: Pre-school & Library
