Mvuu Lodge

Children in the WildernessSituated about six kilometres from Mvuu Lodge’s western boundary in Malawi, Kafulafula School has only six teachers and over 600 children - many of whose parents work at Mvuu Lodge and Camp. As with many schools in Malawi, it is understaffed, under funded and poorly equipped, but since Mvuu started taking guests to visit the school, much has been achieved and their involvement has grown steadily. The resources of the school have been boosted through a combination of financial assistance from Mvuu’s guests and Wilderness - a new classroom block has been built and books and uniforms are supplied to the children on a regular basis. In addition, Mvuu hosts over 2000 schoolchildren annually from all over Malawi on day visits to Liwonde National Park and Mvuu Camp. This goes a long way towards encouraging a sense of appreciation and responsibility for Malawi’s threatened natural heritage. The children are hosted by the Mvuu staff and taught by their schoolteachers about the importance of conservation. Often a boat trip or game drive is included in their visits. These are sometimes the children’s first glimpse of wildlife in their own country! The first Children in the Wilderness programme for Malawi’s underprivileged children was run in March 2003. The eventual aim is to extend this initiative to 40 children at a time (by booking off both Mvuu Lodge and Camp simultaneously). Funding and support from companies within the private sector in Malawi and beyond are being saught, as are donors to sponsor long-term education of either individuals or a group of children.