INVITATION
"REACH OUT AFRICA"
(Humanitarian & Empowerment Aid)
“Kalahari San Safari”
New Xanagas, Botswana
“Reach Out” &
help isolated disadvantaged hurting and needy Kalahari San (Bushman)
communities
Over
a 100 000 Kalahari San (Bushman) still live in the Kalahari Desert in
South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. One of these San Communities have begun
with a Business & Empowerment plan and a vision to start a Values-based
Cultural & Educational Training Centre in the Ghanzi District, Botswana.
The Training Centre will work towards offering business & empowerment
opportunities to isolated San and other communities in SA, Namibia and Botswana
by offering easily accessible education & training facilities in
Christian Ministry/Evangelism, life skills, sustainable farming, tourism &
hospitality, arts & culture, business management, sport development &
training and various other fields.
www.african-rock-art.com / www.paintingangles.blogspot.com
San
communities need your help and hereby invite you to “Reach Out” on a “Kalahari
San Safari” to the San Village of New Xanagas, Botswana.
Spend your next family holiday with the “Kalahari
San”. Camp among the San and
experience their current lifestyle as well as be entertained in a traditional
San village with stories of the rich heritage and culture, hunting &
gathering stories. Learn about herbs, plants and food found in nature and how
to make fire, while being entertained with traditional San music, singing and dancing.
All
visitors and guests are welcome and are encouraged to walk through the village
and visit, chat and interact with the people. By prior arrangement a guide /
translator can be arranged to accompany you. Many younger residents speak
English or Afrikaans but most speak Setswana, Naro or Herrero.
“Hullo
Sir” = “Dumela Raa”
“Hulo
Mrs/Miss” = “Dumela Ma / Me”
Remember
this is the heart of the Kalahari Desert. Take a torch/light with you at night
and wear shoes. Be aware of scorpions at night and snakes in summer. When
walking / hiking in surrounding bush do not wander off to far, as you can very
easily get lost – stick to pathways/roads and use the telecom tower in the
Village as a beacon. Although this is the Kalahari desert, it is not only
desert sand but many trees, bushes and shrubs. Internet and cell phone
reception is good in the village – many Bushman have cell phones. We
have a manned Police Station in the village and medical assistance is available
at the village clinic with a staff of two qualified Nurses (one in gap year
studying to be a Doctor).
How to plan a “Reach Out” Kalahari San Safari?
Read more about previous “Reach Out” groups/teams on www.paintingangles.blogspot.com /
www.KalahariSan.blogspot.com
As
a result of the isolation of many Kalahari San Villages, the San live in utmost
poverty. They urgently need humanitarian assistance and guidance/training to
enable them to acquire a lasting sustainable future and livelihood. Your help
to visit, assist, teach or train in your specific field, profession or talent
will be greatly appreciated.
You
can start a “Reach Out” by deciding on a date (normally a school
holiday), informing your family, friends, home group, school, church, business,
club, community and all your contacts of your intended “Reach Out”.
Inform all to collect much needed clothing household items, etc - see list
below. Inform all that on the “Kalahari
San Safari” and during your stay in the San Village, they can assist the
San through labour in building homes/shelters, teaching, training, visiting,
helping the sick and old, playing & teaching sport/games, praying and
worshipping etc. When you have decided on a date for your Safari please inform
us and we will contact you to assist with finalising the finer details. We will
also have a list of any group that may accompany you and/or groups that can
travel together. Depending on response and if you do receive many donations and
lack storage space, the plan is that you inform us and we will arrange for
collection/storage.
If
there is positive interest for a “Kalahari San Safari”, we suggest you
elect/choose a Tour Co-ordinator/Team Leader, Assistant Team Leader, Cooking
Team co-ordinator (will be responsible for the team/group food/menus) and a
Logistics/donations co-ordinator.
The
vision is that “Reach Out Africa” “Kalahari
San Safaris” will be arranged and co-ordinated from Cape Town, Durban,
Johannesburg and Pretoria and “Reach Out” convoys will collect donations
from specified teams/groups/storage facilities.
Safari & Camping/Accommodation
Normally
a bakkie or 4x4 vehicle and trailer is needed to travel in the Kalahari, but as
the Village of New Xanagas is situated on a gravel road, 45 km from the tarred
Trans Kalahari Highway, a normal motor vehicles and trailer will reach New
Xanagas without any difficulty. The current campsite for “Reach Out Africa”
teams are on the New Xanagas secondary school ground (limited electricity/solar
power), school ablutions (showers & flush toilets) and use of school
kitchen facilities. No fridges or stoves are available and all cooking is done
with gas or on fire.
Bring.........
Passport
and ID – South African citizens do
not need a Visa to visit Botswana. Make sure your passport is in order and up
to date. You are allowed three months visit in Botswana on your passport.
Tent
and camp equipment –
gas/solar/battery cooking equipment/fridge, chairs, stretchers, sleeping
bags/blankets, buckets for washing, water bottles, containers for water,
cooking utensils, lamps, torch, matches, first aid kit…etc (plenty fire wood
available)
Personal
/ Clothing – pack summer and winter
clothing, raincoat, hiking shoes, towels, hats, sun-block, sun glasses, etc The
Kalahari days can be very warm (40degrees) and the nights can be very cold (–6
degrees). Rainy season (August to February). Malaria - The area that we
are in is not a high-risk malaria area therefore precautions are not needed.
Many people however do take preventative medication as they tend to travel or
tour further into tropical areas of Botswana. Ask your GP.
Food
/ Groceries / Toiletries – Bring your
own drinking water and containers for keeping borehole water (washing-up /
cooking). Bring mostly pre-packed instant food, cans/containers/long life
milk/milk powder/condensed milk etc. Do not bring fresh vegetables, fruit or
meat – as a result of the possible outbreak of fruit fly and foot-and-mouth
disease - these items will be confiscated on the Botswana border. We will
assist you to buy fruit/vegetables and meat from Spar/Food wholesalers at the
closest town, Ghanzi (160km from New Xanagas). Bring toothpaste, soaps,
shampoo, toilet paper, refuse bags etc.
Explore and Tour further
We
always suggest that “Reach Out” families/teams/groups make the most of
their visit and depending on time and budget, should take a round trip and
visit The Okavango Delta, the Caprivi (Namibia), Chobe National Park &
Forest Reserve, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and or the Central Kalahari Game
Reserve. Travellers from Cape Town can enjoy many wonderful and interesting
camping and tour opportunities en-route through Namibia as well.
As
a result of the long distance, it is not possible to travel through to New
Xanagas from South Africa in one day and particularly if there is a convoy of
vehicles. We suggest that “Reach Out” groups/teams sleep over half way
to New Xanagas and arrive on the second day of travel. There are many
affordable camp sites/B&B’s/lodges/motels en route to Botswana and we
suggest that teams/groups plan and book their trip accordingly in advance.
Cape Town to New Xanagas (Via Namibia – Windhoek)
1st
day Cape Town to Windhoek = 1 450km (sleep over)
2nd
day Windhoek to New
Xanagas = 390km
Total = 1 840km
As
you are travelling through Namibia you also only need a passport. You will pay R
250 (250 Namibian dollar) road tax at the Namibia border per car/bakkie/trailer.
You will also pay R 180 (180 Pula) road tax at Botswana border per
car/bakkie/trailer.
JHB/PTA to New Xanagas (Via Zeerust - Skilpads gate border post)
1st
day Jhb / Pta to Kang = 653km (sleep over)
2nd
day Kang to New Xanagas = 386km
Total = 1
039km
Your
interest in our vision and efforts is much appreciated and if you need any
further advice or assistance in this regard please feel free to contact us.
Please
help us by collecting all your unused or old household items from your family,
friends, church, bible study or cell groups, business or work.
The
people in most San Villages live in extreme poverty and many rely on government
support and handouts. Your visit to their community means so much to them and
to avoid misunderstandings and/or favouritism during your visit all
visitors/teams/groups must adhere to well-organised and stipulated guidelines
and procedures through the “Reach Out Africa” Office. When visiting in the
village please do not give / hand out food / sweets / clothing to the
community, many children will ask/beg. All handouts, donations and humanitarian
aid must be well co-ordinated and all donations and offers of assistance must
be done and offered through the “Reach Out Africa” office. During your stay
specific “Reach Out” and hand–out programs / days will be in place where
visiting teams/groups will have an opportunity to assist all in the San
community.
WE URGENTLY NEED!!!
Clothing,
shoes, blankets, any sport equipment (cricket sets, tennis, soccer,
rugby balls), musical instruments, electrical appliances/equipment, any
building material/tools, shade-net for temporary shelter/homes, office furniture /equipment /computers /printers, Christian /music & nature DVD’s,
Bibles, books, pens, pencils, art materials /equipment. Any unwanted
items are welcome.
Contact; Martin Erasmus
"REACH OUT AFRICA"
Mobile:
SA +27 79 605 1049
Botswana + 267 738 73730.
