All Out Africa & Marabou Storks

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Trip Start May 08, 2007 Previous
Entry Trip End Aug 11, 2008

  Swaziland Savanna Conservation Project, Swaziland
Saturday, August 23, 2008

We only found out when we got our final pack from Realgap that the organisation we would be joining in Swaziland was All Out Africa.  This organisation is still in it's infancy stage but we were made to feel very welcome by all of its staff and directors.  They are at the moment involved in several projects and these include:
1.  Savanna Conservation - Neil and I were 2 of the volunteers on this very worthwhile project.  Most of the time we were the only volunteers but that made it much more interesting for us as it meant we were really 'hands on' with the work involved.  Looking at my previous photo entries proves that.  The work on the project meant walking through the bush at Hlane Royal Game Reserve looking for new and active nests, checking nest positions and the amount of eggs in each nest, weighing and measuring the chicks, feeding of adults at Lusoti dumpsite with a view to capturing an adult bird so that it could be weighed, tagged etc, and then radio tracked.  We really enjoyed our time on this project as it is worthwhile conservation work.
2.  All Out Africa are also involved in school projects within the local area. These include a NCP school and another primary school in the Lombaba area of Elzwini Valley.   The NCP is a 'social project' where local orphaned children (either 1 or both parents have died from Aids/HIV) receive food, care and basic schooling from Monday to Friday each week.  The children themselves are very happy and loving and love to make friends with the volunteers.  Many volunteers after working here decide to 'sponsor' a child from the area (for a very small amount each year - just several hundred pounds sterling) for the remaining years that the child is in education.  It is really only a small amount but people taking on this committment need to realise that it has to be done for all the years needed, not just on a whim for one year!!
3.  Building projects - volunteers help to clear ground, make bricks and help to lay the bricks for local housing, or for building classrooms.  This project is well worthwhile too and would love to have more volunteers applying to do this work.
4.  Other projects include marine conservation, diving with whalesharks and dolphins.  Plus trips to Kruger National Park and Mozambique.

If anyone is interested in finding out more then check out the website of All Out Africa Swaziland.  No photos included just check out there website.

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