Park Boubandjida Cameroon • Paul Bour Safaris Photo

And now the season is completed, the camp also. The few heavy rains of early May have precipitated matters and so we contented with the baggage, quietly ... I want to quote a few small groups, rework and re mapping tracks to date with the invaluable assistance of Alain, who spent several days with us at month end.
It is also the hour of awareness, the actions of people ...

We also receive with the curator, the directors of bush schools we rely on to support our outreach efforts aimed at schools and youth. We asked to provide a picture of their needs, we croulons soon as the applications for aid, unrelated ways are we have! Obvious! Finally, we retain some actions that we believe priority as the provision of textbooks, most of which is devoid of pupils, and progressive provision of tables and benches for the poorest schools. Some schools are nothing more than a thatched roof, as a seat with a trunk or stones.
We also try to obtain birth certificates for children who have none and who are thus denied access to the upper classes. The idea is to enable the neediest to access to knowledge. A list of 200 names we occurred in a few days! Unfortunately, if the idea is good, it is quickly gone astray; one hand parents want to take this opportunity to register all their kids for the sole purpose of achieving economies of 2500 FCFA, about 4 €, registration fee , and it may discourage future entries spontaneous people who can afford it.
On the other hand, the authorities in charge of preparing the documents lag behind the operation and ultimately to little chance of success. All the better actually.

I support and encourage merit after this first experience we decide by mutual agreement in the future to reward the best students by providing the necessary school books, and organizing their access to advanced courses and examinations if necessary .
You should know that here have a course book, first class, you almost guaranteed to have one throughout your education, because it is trading at year end with the book of the upper class. But the few dollars necessary for this acquisition are almost always lacking, and few children in a classroom equipped.

We also get volunteers for "vigilance committees" that we tried to form in the surrounding villages. We are being very restrictive, preferring to motivate and lead the few guys who have a little bit demonstrated their good will, because on the eve of the meeting attracted some possible gifts, vocations spontaneous flooded. The curator was very strongly the household by asking converted the last hour to demonstrate their good intentions at first.

May 20, National Day, we reiterate the scope of the celebration of youth by organizing the parade of a square of 24 young people in the colors of Boubandjida at Tcholliré, head of the department. Young people - all club members Tcholliré nature of high school-are offered in a Tshirt Boubandjida, and a snack after the parade.

The case leaves a bitter taste, so the demonstration is made that student to the appropriate authorities, including principals and teachers, not everyone sees that our operation as a free distribution of the largess of the great white idiot I am.
Distribution which everyone wants to enjoy, "coaches" in mind shamelessly claiming their T-shirt or beer, never shine through without the slightest question about the reasons that lead us. Do not think they are needy or indigent. Or just intellectually. But this is not just those in charge of education?

When we consider that every child in Tanzania primary school class is led each year in parks, education and the safeguarding of natural resources is everywhere ..

That we commend feet on the ground, and opens our eyes to the immensity of the work still to do!
Be better understood that at present it is essential to continue to devote most of our forces and means of repression, otherwise it will be nothing left to show the first students who have the crazy idea to find a bush day. Both take him to see the dinosaur tracks of Managna now!

Finally let us not be too pessimistic, there is good too, we have a small hard core side Sinassi who did a good job, the beginnings of a core that is emerging to Djibao, and unto them that will go all our efforts. Maybe this will give it a taste to others to do so gradually;
We'll start with them a little reforestation, initiate a small hog, distribute seeds selected ...

We also deliver a boat to the camp to allow anti-poaching easier to visit the north of the park, because during high water, poachers will be virtually untouchable know ...

All this equips our guys a little, but much remains to be done, especially at the level of mentality ... few people have taken the park, a dozen at most.

To be honest I must say still the progress made since my first day here! Wildlife in an obvious way forward, both in density in serenity, the number of tourists has also increased considerably, as accessibility, through a network of track now maintained and increased, averaging 500km.

Balance amount if not all ugly! if we all gum downsides ...

During the offseason, I'll put pictures online and maybe a gallery open to contributions from our customers? (If it says how!)