If you’re looking to book your expedition with Camps International this month we have a fantastic prize draw on offer for anyone who confirms their place by the end of the month.

As seasoned travellers we have scoured the globe for the best prize and have chosen the Haglöf  OXO 60 trekking pack - worth a whopping £200! This pack is perfectly suited for all of our various adventures and expeditions. All you have to do is choose your Gap or Life destination and book before the end of April 2012 (5pm GMT on 30th April 2012) to be included in the draw. If you’re considering a Camps International expedition then now’s your chance to save yourself an essential travel purchase.

As usual with these offers we will choose the winner from a hat and post the video on our Facebook page so that you can see the draw. The prize draw will be held on the 1st May 2012.

Check out all the bag’s fancy features:

1. Quick and easy adjustable shoulder harness system.
2. Gender specific back-panel, shoulder harness and hipbelt (we will supply the winner with the correct bag for them)
3. Load-distributing framework with contoured head space.
4. HDPE frame-sheet with single 6061 aluminium stay.
5. High loft lumbar-pad with ventilating dual density foams.
6. Haglöfs unique side panel Flex-Pocket™ with water resistant zippers.
7. Large front panel zip-opening for easy access to main compartment.
8. Double wand pockets.
9. Angled water bottle holders.
10. Divider in main compartment.
11. Sleeping bag compartment.
12. Double pockets and water resistant zipper.
13. Fully seam taped rain-cover in separate bottom compartment.
14. Lashing points for sleeping pad on front panel.

So what are you waiting for? Enquire now to find out more about the trips available to you, or book online now! You can also give us a call on 0844 800 1127 to have a chat with one of the team. This prize draw only applies to new Gap and Life bookings made during April 2012.

What’s Hot in April?

April is our biggest month for Family life sales and so far this year we have been filling up Kenya and Tanzania with excited families wanting to do something different. The Healthcare Outreach programmes in Cambodia and Kenya are producing a lot of interest with repeat bookings from last year and new ones who have heard how successful the last one  to Kenya was.

2012 has seen the level of spending by gap year clients rise as our gappers look to stay longer with us at each camp. The best thing about staying longer is not just the impact but you get to see more wildlife, more communities, more environments and of course much more fun. If you book 2 months in Borneo it includes a stay on the tropical island of Mantanani where the Arkitrek guys have just finished their latest project. There are also some incredible projects taking place in Camp Kenya this year including the Sanitary Pads initiative at Muhaka Village and the Wildlife monitoring in Camp Tsavo. If you book to go to Kenya on your gap year you have a great chance of taking part on these and many more ground breaking projects.

If you’re interested just drop us a line via email: gap@campsinternational.com or call +44 (0)8448001127.

This was originally posted by By Susanna Matters, UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador on the UNICEF website http://www.unicef.org.au/Discover/Blog/March-2012/A-celebration-for-all.aspx

We are very proud to know Susanna and how the work she put into her stay at Camp Kenya has affected her work and ours. To celebrate International Women’s day the 8th March in her role as young ambassador she has written this blog.

How come there isn’t International Men’s Day? It’s the question that relentlessly pursues me whenever I pin on my purple ribbon on 8th March. It can be jocular, whingey, dismissive or indignant, but somehow regardless of its tenor, that question dominates my life each year on International Women’s Day. I’ve tried responding with a patient but bemused smile. I’ve also tried pulling out my top ten statistics on the economic status of women around the world, quoting world leaders and deflecting it with a hasty ‘Is that really the point though?’ So this year, as a Young Ambassador, I’m trying this new response.

As an organisation dedicated to acting in the best interests of children, UNICEF Australia recognises International Women’s Day as being of tremendous importance for girls. It’s a day when our attention is drawn to the untapped potential of the women who make up seventy per cent of the world’s citizens living in poverty. We are also reminded that a staggering seventy per cent of the world’s children out of school are girls. As we celebrate inspirational women, a spot-light is simultaneously turned on the need to prepare girls to take on more decision-making positions. Why isn’t there an International Men’s Day? Well, it’s because it is girls who are disproportionately affected by humanitarian issues around the world.

This year, International Women’s Day pays particular attention to the livelihoods of women in rural areas with the theme Empower rural women: End hunger and poverty. In her statement for International Women’s Day, Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director UN Women said, “Nowhere are disparities and barriers greater than in rural areas for women and girls”. These words came to life for me on a recent trip to Kenya where I spent time teaching in two rural village schools. Both schools were tackling girls’ school attendance through improving the provision of toilets and sanitary pads. These practical measures are a clear-cut acknowledgement of the additional participatory challenges that rural girls face, just because they are girls. Together, we must work towards the empowerment of women by providing for girls.

We’ve got a lot to think about today celebrating the special women and girls in our lives. But let’s also take time to remember our commitment to the third UN Millennium Development Goal – promote gender equality and empower women. International Women’s Day is not about ignoring half the world’s population. It’s about communities (yes, that’s men and women) pausing to consider the potential of girls and planning ways to maximise their participation in educational, vocational and decision-making opportunities. International Women’s Day is a time to invest in the women of tomorrow. Please do take part.

Interested in International Women’s Day and its connection to global development? Read more athttp://www.unwomen.org.au

To find out how Camps International have taken Susanna’s advice on board and are now involved in fundraising for projects to improve the education of women in our communities read more here.

About a year ago we were approached by a group of nurses who were keen to get out of their comfy practices and give their time to communities who really needed their help…and so our Healthcare Outreach Programme was born. Last week a group of 23 healthcare professionals (and a couple of chaps who wanted to tag along) flew out to Kenya for two weeks of sun, sea, sand and jiggers (Google it!) and halfway through their programme they seem to be having a whale of a time.  In their own words…

“[We are] having the most unbelievably amazing time! Hot, sweaty and knackered but enjoying being with some great people and seeing some extraordinary things. It’s going to be hard to explain just what it’s like here. Treating hundreds of people with a variety of hideous ailments and treating the dreaded “jiggers” in kids and some adults. ?Have ridden a camel and seen some elephants and monkeys so far. Two more days of work then beach day and then…Safari!”

“Having amazing time, did clinic yesterday. We saw over 500 in 6 hours…. Off to a different village today to do it all over again. The organiser said it was a record!…”

“Another busy clinic today, going out to remote villages who haven’t seen healthcare at all before. Lovely kids have smuggled a few!”

“On our way back to camp now for shower and tea. Wormed 540 school kids! Searing heat! Nose looks like rudolf as so red!!…I love it here!!!”

Keep an eye out for more updates on what this incredible team have achieved during their short time in Africa