Botswana or Bust

(Caption) Left to right: Annie Bowyer, Anya Hobbs (expedition leader), Emily Bennett, Jemma Pearson, Corey Pritchard,  Jess Jones, Hannah Young, Laura Tudor, Pip Lee (SSFC teacher)

In July this year, a group of seven sixth-formers spent just over three weeks in Zambia and Botswana travelling through both countries taking part in a variety of activities.

The teens, all pupils of Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, together with a member of staff,  took part in the college's 'World Expedition', raising funds themselves through such events as cake sales, a sponsored walk and a sponsored abseil. The primary aim of the expedition was to experience the local culture and traditions of rural Africa while giving back to the community by assisting in a local development project.
We prepared for the trip by a practice expedition in Snowdonia, changing overnight from a group of strangers who had barely camped before to team-mates preparing to work and live together for a month in Africa, being able to manage budgets, arrange transport and buy supplies.

The expedition began after our arrival in Zambia's capital, Lusaka, with the buying of food and equipment for a four-day trek through small rural villages alongside the Luangwa River. We saw amazing wildlife that included wild hippos, crocodiles, and fish eagles, as well as having the opportunity to do as the locals do - buy a live chicken from a local farmer, kill it and prepare it ourselves for an evening meal!
We then went on to travel through Livingstone to the main part of the expedition, spent in the village of Mwandi, camping on land belonging to a local married couple committed to building and improving the community. We helped in the building and completion of a traditional 'ndu', a small hut, for a local grandmother, her daughter, and grandchildren who were otherwise homeless. Traditional building techniques were used, building from the ground up with sticks and mud sourced from termite mounds and the local river, the team working with each other and the community to build as quickly and securely as possible. The team, never having done anything similar before, quickly had to learn the best techniques, and although we made mistakes (such as walls falling in - much to the more experienced local builders' chagrin), the work was fast and efficient. We woke at, or before, dawn in the mornings to start work as early as possible. People who had already benefited from the project included orphans from the AIDS pandemic and their carers, the disabled, and the elderly with no surviving family. The worth of the projects undertaken was evident to all.

At Mwandi we were also given the opportunity to help in the local schools and care home, teaching the local children English songs and games, and making a donation of pens, paper and toys to a school desperately in need of supplies. The team taught the local people about Western culture, and in turn were told about the village's customs, religion and leaders, finally attending a memorable Sunday church service. We ate Zambian food every night, prepared from local crops and livestock, and were treated to a performance by the local choir who taught us traditional songs and dancing. The farewell was bittersweet; we were proud of our achievement in helping people, but sad to leave the friendly and welcoming people we had grown to know and become friends with so quickly.
The expedition ended with safaris in Botswana's national parks and a visit to Victoria Falls. On returning to Shrewsbury, we are now either preparing for university or have begun work, each of us carrying our own memories, experiences and lessons learned from this trip of a lifetime.

Article written by Hannah Young, expedition member