Let the games begin

Photo 1: Conservation is a hungry business
Photo 2: Hallo fans! Buddy loves kids
Photo 3: The jigsaw of the environment
Photo 4: Dr Leonard Sofu, director of Conservation and Wildlife in Malawi

I woke up last night around two with an unearthly noise reverberating in my sensitive ears. That hippo, it flashed through my brains. It was full moon and the plains were empty. Then like a top notch watchdog I pinpointed the source of the noise. Oom Willie in the tent next door was lying on his back. I growled once, oom Willie turned on his side and I went back to sleep until six.

At breakfast there was a different kind of excitement. Theresa Sowry, executive training manager of SAWC was looking at her watch every ten seconds. Then it happened. Two bakkies (Hiluxes, of course) with Malawi Parks board markings on the doors pulled into the campsite. Two women and ten eager looking men got out and off the bakkies.

Theresa ran to them. Everybody shrieked. She hugged the first one. Then the second. They all grabbed her. Theresa’s old students from the college.

“You promised you’ll come,” one of them said.

“It took a while, but a promise cannot be broken,” she answered.

“We knew you would come.”

“Hallo Buddy,” I then heard from behind me and saw this very distinguished gentleman smiling at me.

“I am Dr Leonard Sofu, director of Conservation and Wildlife in Malawi and I’m a big fan of yours,” he then said and we formally shook hand and paw.

Wow, the big guy himself! Nothing less for Buddy. He then delivered a great talk on the state of wildlife, conservation and the environment in Malawi. Afterwards Theresa and the old students started workshopping. For the first time she could see how they are doing in their own workplaces. Everyone had a pile of questions and Theresa had answers. Lunchtime came and went. The kitchen crew waited. They arrived an hour late. There was just too much to talk about. Too little time.

After lunch it was Bryan Havemann from WESSA’s turn. We drove to Linyanwa Village just outside Kasungu National Park for a workshop with the local community on environmental care in harmony with wildlife.

The project was an eye opener. They use a system that looks a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. After splitting the community leaders present into two groups that will compete against each other, Bryan and his team read out a question to them on an environmental issue. Whichever group answers first can place the visual piece on a board and are awarded a point.

Gradually a picture appears on the board with some elements environmentally positive and some negative. Step by step the negative elements are being replaced by positive solutions. For example eroded ground disappears and planted vegetation takes its place. It’s a game about balance. .

Maybe a simple game to you, but enlightenment to the villagers. Their eagerness and enthusiasm brought a lump to my throat. And hope in my heart.

This is Buddy, a very happy hound barking off