Due to the persistent deprivation, trauma, abuse, and neglect that our students have suffered, many of them struggle with chronic anxiety, depression, and a deep sense of physical and emotional insecurity. They lack the one-on-one support and encouragement needed to boost their sense of self-worth, instill self-confidence, and develop trust in others. This further erodes their emotional, mental, and physical development.
Adding to their personal stressors, Kenyan schools tend to be extremely harsh, exceedingly structured environments where the kids' emotional needs are rarely ever addressed. And, tragically, the evidence that Kenyan students are suffering is clear: school children are killing themselves at levels never seen before, and students are burning down their own schools at alarming rates.
Given the extremely stressful environments in which they live and study, Kenyan students need a chance to decompress, breathe, experience safe connection with others, receive positive feedback, and learn skills that empower them to grow stronger and more resilient far into the future.
This is what our Outback Program is designed to do.
“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters and teach us more than we can ever learn from books."
JOHN LUBBOCK
THE OUTBACK PROGRAM
Our Outback Program provides disadvantaged Kenyan students with a unique, holistic approach to personal development. We nurture their minds, bodies, and spirits through challenging outdoor activities, stimulating learning opportunities, and a healing connection with nature.
Led through Mount Kasigau and Tsavo National Park by elite-level safari guides, experienced mental health facilitators, and other gifted supporters, our 8-day Outback Program cultivates students' resilience, confidence, leadership, trust, competence, and mental and emotional well-being. It enables them to enjoy safe, fulfilling connection and community with adults and their peers. It also instills in them a sense of pride and responsibility as stewards of their environment.
GOALS
Throughout this 8-day program, our intention is to help students heal and grow mentally, emotionally, physically, and in community with one another so that they become more confident, competent, resilient, emotionally well, and wise.
BUILD COMPETENCE, CONFIDENCE, AND RESILIENCE
Camping in the Kenyan wilderness involves a sense of adventure and unpredictability. Exploring the environment, hiking the trails, and learning how to spot and identify the animals, birds, insects, and plants in the region stimulates students' observation skills and builds their curiosity. Whether they're building a campsite out of very little, finding ways to start a fire, or inventing new games to entertain themselves and others, we challenge them to think “outside the box”, tap into their imaginations, be resourceful, and come up with creative solutions.
Through these activities, students learn to embrace simplicity, find joy in the moment, collaborate with others, discover their strengths, increase problem-solving skills, and feel a sense of pride in their achievements.
PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING
Serene environments have been shown to alleviate feelings of depression and anxiety and to reduce stress levels, and sleeping under the stars is a magical experience that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
With only a tent separating them from the outside world, the students are fully immersed in the beauty of nature and its calming, awe-inspiring atmosphere. They get the chance to connect quietly with themselves and others - often for the very first time in their lives - which has a profoundly positive impact on their mental and emotional well-being.
With the guidance of their mentors, our students are also given opportunities to connect with their inner selves in ways that stimulate emotional growth, expand awareness, and promote safe connection with others. Practicing mindfulness in the moment and learning how to identify and be present with their emotions provide a deepened understanding of their inner and outer worlds. Self-calming skills provide resources on which they can draw in challenging times throughout their lives.
ENHANCE ACADEMIC SKILLS
Exposure to the challenges of the natural world strengthens students' problem-solving skills, adaptability, and flexibility. These skills not only give students an edge in their academic pursuits but also equip them with the ability to concentrate and focus more effectively.
Through their immersion in and engagement with nature, students also develop heightened observational abilities and learn to think critically, thus strengthening their academic resources.
ACTIVITIES & SKILL-BUILDING
The Program is far more than just a fun walk in the woods for these students. To achieve the above goals, we take them through a variety of experiences and activities to broaden their minds, teach them valuable life skills, and enhance their mental and emotional resilience.
Thrilling Adventure!
Activities like hiking, as well as taking part in conservation efforts like habitat awareness, enable students to cultivate practical skills and foster a sense of independence in exploring the great outdoors. By leading these expeditions, they not only develop their own abilities but also inspire others to embrace the wonders of nature.
Outdoor Skills
Fostering self-sufficiency and autonomy in various aspects of outdoor living will empower students to take charge of decision-making and execution, including tasks like organizing menus, cooking, maintaining equipment, and ensuring orderliness in camp setups.
Team-Building and Leadership
By allowing them to explore various roles within the group, each task presents a chance for them to experience the different dynamics that come with each role. Our facilitators will not only guide them through this process but also encourage them to discuss and analyse the group dynamics and leadership skills involved. The team will provide real-life situations where students can put their communication, delegation, empathy, and leadership skills to the test and learn from the experience.
Safety and Well-Being
Empowering students with effective decision-making strategies and frameworks for secure outdoor adventures will build their knowledge of the importance of thorough preparation and planning for outdoor expeditions, emergency protocols, maintaining mental and physical fitness, and understanding both real and perceived risks. They will also explore the comprehensive approach of safety management, which includes communication models and effective group and environmental management, aligning aims and objectives with philosophy.
Environmental Awareness
Acquiring an understanding of the environment while students are engaging in outdoor activities is crucial for ensuring safety and efficiency. It is important to prioritize the well-being of both the participants and the natural habitat. This entails students exploring and recognizing the necessary skills and knowledge for not just a secure expedition in specific settings, but also adopting an ethical perspective towards leaving a sustainable impact. We also expose them to innovative, new approaches currently being used for conservation efforts.
Emotional Awareness and Resilience
Through group and individual teaching and practice activities centered on mental health education and mindfulness practices, the team will aid the students in developing an understanding of their own emotional states and support them in learning new skills in relating to them more effectively.
At the beginning of the program, every student will receive their own personal journal, providing them with a dedicated time in the evening to reflect and connect with their inner thoughts. Students will practice mindfulness each morning and yoga in the evenings as time permits.
Additionally, they will be encouraged to write a heartfelt letter to their future selves, outlining their aspirations and goals. The sealed letters will be collected by us and carefully preserved until the end of the year, when they will be sent back to the students, serving as a reminder of their dreams and ambitions.
REGION
During the program, students explore some of Kenya's most magnificent and exciting natural settings, including Mount Kasigau and Tsavo National Park.
MOUNT KASIGAU
Approximately 7 hours from Nairobi by road, Mt. Kasigau proudly soars to a staggering height of 5,200 ft.
With the magnificent Mt. Kilimanjaro and the vast Taru desert as its neighbors, Kasigau is situated within the Taita tribe - a coastal tribe consisting of various sub-tribes. The people living in the Kasigau area find themselves surrounded by two ranches - the Tsavo East National Park and the Tsavo West National Park - placing them right in the middle of an animal corridor. This constant interaction with wildlife adds a unique element to their daily lives.
Mt. Kasigau offers a diverse range of ecosystems as you ascend. Starting from the base where it's hot and humid, you gradually move into the tree canopy region where the temperature drops. As you ascend, you enter the cloud forest, characterized by constant rainfall. Finally, reaching the summit unveils a vast flat rock offering panoramic views of the surrounding area. Despite the arid and humid conditions, the scenery in the area is breathtaking, with low-lying hills and vast plains stretching as far as the eye can see.
The terrain of Mt. Kasigau presents a challenge but is manageable for the students. The flexibility of routes allows us to customize our paths based on their individual capabilities and progress. From the base to the summit, the journey typically takes around 4.5 to 5 hours, rewarding climbers with breathtaking views and a profound sense of accomplishment.
TSAVO NATIONAL PARK
Spanning nearly 22,000 square kilometers (almost 5.5 million acres), Tsavo is the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. It is made up of two separate parks: Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park.
Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest parks in Kenya, located near the Town of Voi in the Taita-Taveta District of Coast Province. Slightly larger than Tsavo West, Tsavo East is generally flat, with dry plains across which the Galana River flows. Other features include the Yatta Plateau and Lugard Falls.
Tsavo West National Park is more mountainous and wetter than its counterpart, with swamps, Lake Jipe and the Mzima Springs. It is known for bird life and for its large mammal’s e.g. black rhino, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, hippo and Masai lion. There are also other smaller animals that can be spotted in the park, such as the bush baby, hartebeest, lesser kudu and Maasai giraffe.
AGENDA
The 8-day schedule of activities is designed to keep students excited, engaged, curious, and positively challenged. In addition, students practice mindfulness each morning and yoga each evening, to build their self-awareness and self-reflection.
DAY ONE | Orientation
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Morning: Arrive in Nairobi for overnight.
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Afternoon: Organize all gear, medical kits, etc. and familiarize participants with the program
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Evening: Show documentary on Holderness School's (NH) outdoor program, which inspired this program
DAY TWO | Set-Up Camp
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Morning: Drive 7 hours to Kasigau base camp.
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Afternoon: Set up camp, do introductory and security meetings.
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Evening: Dinner around a bonfire. Do introductions and sharing, storytelling, and songs.
DAY THREE | Mental Health
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Morning: Team-building activity
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Afternoon: Yoga
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Evening: Drive to a rocky lookout overlooking a dam for star-gazing and moments of quiet reflections. Back to camp for team-building activity around the bonfire
DAY FOUR | Mountain Hike
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Morning: Walk/hike into the cloud forest of Mt. Kasigau
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Afternoon: Picnic lunch at the top, then back to camp
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Evening: Focus group activity around the bonfire
DAY FIVE | Community Visit
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Morning: Community visit. Sandwiched between Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, the Kasigau area is a hotspot for human wildlife conflict. We will visit the Elephant Project, which encourages local farmers to grow sunflowers instead of corn, since elephants love corn, but they don't eat sunflowers. The farmers can then profit from the sale of sunflower seeds and oil.
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Afternoon: Focus group activity
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Evening: Talk given by local elephant scouts, bonfire at night
DAY SIX | Conservation
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Morning: Drive to Tsavo East National Park for game viewing
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Afternoon: Picnic lunch. View Kenya’s wildlife and learn about massive slaughter of elephants in the 70s and early 80s. Visit to the elephant massacre museum in the park to begin to appreciate the value of conserving our wildlife.
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Evening: Return to camp for free time, debriefing, and bonfire
DAY SEVEN | Reflection
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Morning: Early breakfast at camp, clean up and break down camp. Drive back to Nairobi.
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Evening: Final dinner, debrief and discussion with students about their experiences. Overnight in Nairobi.
DAY EIGHT | Heading Home
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Facilitate students in returning to their respective homes.
OUR GUIDES
Our program is led exclusively by Kenyans with years of expertise as naturalists, peer mentors, wildlife conservationists, group facilitators, and mental health professionals.
PETER LIECH
Naturalist + Safari Guide
With over 25 years of experience, Peter Liech is a Naturalist, Photographer, and a Gold rated safari guide by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association. He is a member of Nature Kenya and Kenya Museum Society, and won the society’s top volunteer award - a cast of “Homo erectus” skull dating back to 1.5 million years. Peter is also certified First Aider.
KATHY LIECH
Mentor + Coordinator
A graduate of Holderness School in New Hampshire and Hobart William Smith College in New York with a degree in Psychology, Kathy has participated in several challenging outdoor programs, such as Onaway Camp and the Holderness Out Back program. She is an excellent peer mentor for our students, sharing many practical skills and personal wisdom from her own mental health journey.
STANLEY KARIITHI
Bonfire, Music, and Stories
A safari guide with over 25 years of experience, Stanley earned the coveted Silver certification by the Kenya Professional Guides Association. A gifted storyteller, his enchanting charisma keeps the students motivated, involved, entertained, and united. He sings and plays the guitar, too - serenading them with traditional Swahili songs. Stanley is also a certified First Aider.
JAMES KAHINDI, PhD
Wildlife Conservationist
For over 30 years, Professor Kahindi has made significant contributions to the field of wildlife conservation. He has led ANAW's Department of Planning and Research, is a respected member of Nature Kenya (a renowned African natural history society), is a Professor at Moi University, and runs the Neecha Field Center. His land is where we set up camp.
Mental Health Expert
One mental health facilitator is with the group for the duration of the program to facilitate activities and address students' emotional needs and challenges.
Camp Organizer
The Camp Organizer makes sure everything stays accounted for, organized, and safe at the camp during the trip.
Mountain Guides
Professor Kahindi's team of experienced mountain guides accompanies the group up Mount Kasigau.
Wildlife Guards
Since Kasigau is a busy animal corridor, we have at least two guards keeping watch over the campsite.
“If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together."
AFRICAN PROVERB
HOW YOU CAN HELP
A program of this type requires outdoor equipment, vehicular transport and experienced personnel to ensure the students have the most fulfilling, successful, and life-transforming experience possible.
We would love your help providing this vital, life-changing program for these amazing kids!
If you feel called to help, please click the button below to email us about sponsorship and ways you can support the students and/or the program.
