Blogs from Windhoek, Namibia, Africa - page 15

As the title suggests we have made it to a new continent and this time it is Africa. We are currently in Windhoek, Namibia and are about to start on a 3 week self drive tour of the country. We have got a Toyota Corolla for the duration, lets hope that she survives driving on all the dirt roads. Windhoek seems a nice but very quiet city. We drove here from the airport at about 9 am which you would have thought was rush hour but there was hardly a car on the road! I have since read that it is second to Mongolia to the least number of people per sq km (about 2.3 if you are interested) so I guess that it is not that surprising it is quiet. Wonder what the rest of ... read more

Hello again. I forgot to post new alpha group photos on yesterday's blog entry so I attach them now. Until next time, please keep your messages coming. Everyone was so pleased to receive them at changeover. All the best Kate Public Relations Officer Raleigh Namibia... read more

With apologies for the delay - I blame technology (and it can't answer back) - here are some photos of Windhoek which I had intended to accompany my last blog. Last year I was too cautious - and extremely mindful of the numerous warnings about carrying valuables around town - to use my camera in Windhoek. Now the town feels like my second home and, albeit I continue to be extremely circumspect, I am now prepared to take photos at least in the central areas. For anyone who's interested, I've set out below - with minor tweaks - the guff I wrote about Windhoek last September. Well, you don't get off without ANY blurb, you know! Windhoek is quite unlike any other African city - and, if I’d had any doubt about the veracity of ... read more

On Thursday morning we welcomed the arrival of our 07D participants who looked eager to get started, albeit, a little apprehensive! In all there are 56 17-25 year olds from across the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Malaysia. Everyone has settled in well to their brief spell at field base before they head off across the country on their various projects. Their time so far has been spent learning soft and hard skills, from camp craft and expedition life to environmental awareness and team building exercises. But it’s not all been hard work. There has been enthusiastic involvement in the Raleigh tradition of the ‘skit’. Throughout the expedition, teams will be called on to keep their fellow participants and staff amused with various forms of entertainment. The sketches take ingenuity and imagination ... read more

Hello again. We wanted to give an overview of the projects we will be working on over the course of this expedition, as well as longer term projects which will see us through until the end of the year. Our projects are community, environment and adventure focused. Included below are details of the communities we will be supporting with our local project partners and Government departments. Schools Since 1997 we have successfully constructed over 23 schools in five regions of Namibia. The existing educational infrastructure in isolated areas varies hugely; some schools have no permanent classrooms. Local community initiatives have constructed temporary structures from local materials, often with only sticks and tin sheets, and some areas are forced to hold lessons under trees. Onameya Junior Primary School Located in the Oshikoto region about 60k south of ... read more