A Kenyan Adventure

Written By Tanya Hunter-Robinson

Each year, our UK-based team members have the unique opportunity to travel with future travelling teachers to our camps worldwide, experiencing first-hand the incredible impact we create. This immersive experience strengthens our team’s connection to our mission, enhances their understanding of our work and allows them to witness the transformative nature of our camps.

For Tanya, who has been with Camps International for 10 years, it felt like a rite of passage to visit our roots in Kenya—the very place where Camps began.

We follow Tanya’s story below as she takes us on her trip to Kenya.

Arrival and Camp Tsavo

When we arrived at Mombasa Airport, we were greeted by a big beaming smile, from Peter, one of our Camp Kenya staff. I was so pleased to see him, as he ran the first teacher trip that I attended, to Tanzania back in 2014 – it was like seeing a long-lost friend again! Peter’s energy never wavered throughout the trip and his smile is infectious!

We were looked after by Peter who we referred to as ‘Tall Peter’, not to be confused with ‘Small Peter’ who was with us from the airport! ‘Tall Peter’ is a bundle of energy, positivity and just kindness. He loves what he does and is always so happy to see you.

Our first stop was Camp Tsavo. We were greeted by Camp Manager Jeremiah, and warmly welcomed to our home for the next few days. Camp Tsavo is tucked away on the hillside of the Marungu Hills, with views to die for. The accommodation is traditional bandas, the toilets are long drops and the showers are cold – but it’s probably one of the most refreshing showers I’ve ever had!

Marungu Hills Trek

Our first full day started with a trek from camp, up in the Marungu Hills. It was definitely hard work with rocky terrain but if you take it ‘pole pole’ (which means ‘slowly slowly’ in Swahili) it’s very manageable.

You will soon find out when visiting Africa – there’s no rush! At the top, our efforts were rewarded by the views – they were amazing. We were accompanied by three rangers, who helped guide us up the hill, showing us local fauna and pointing out its uses, and educating us on the local wildlife.

At the top, as I was looking out over the savannah, I was joined by James, the Head Ranger. He is from the local area, and as we stood there, he said ‘this is home’. It was very clear how proud he was to come from this area of the world, and who now works as a ranger to protect its environment.

The Tumaini Women’s Group

The Tumaini Women’s Group, situated towards the bottom of the hill in Camp Tsavo, was a highlight for me. This group has been running for around 12 years, led by the incomparable Mama Mercy.

For 23 years, Mama Mercy has dedicated her life to enhancing the lives of women in the local community, through education, entrepreneurship and empowerment. This trickles down to these women’s children, who grow up knowing and appreciating the power women can have.

Tumaini means hope – and that’s exactly what Mama Mercy has made room for, for these women. The projects students can get involved in are bead making – bracelets, necklaces, key rings – and elephant dung paper.

The women educate the locals on the uses of the Elephant as opposed to seeing them as a nuisance. The elephant dung is mixed with glue and shredded papers or wrappers, and made into sheets of paper that when dried can be used for painting canvas, used in schools or made into books and cards. It’s a source of income, meaning elephants are protected and the women can earn money.

Project Work and Safari

Goat de-worming is another important project the students can take part in during their time in Kenya. Many of the local villagers rely on livestock for income, and by helping to ensure the goats stay healthy and administering medication, it allows the locals to sell them at a higher price.

The teachers administered the de-worming medication to 54 goats in the space of an hour. The grandmother of the family thanked us for our efforts and she explained that due to our work, they can now afford to send the children of the house to school. It was incredibly humbling to hear.

We were lucky to be taken on a late afternoon game drive in the Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a protected space where the animals can roam free, under protection of dedicated rangers who patrol the perimeters to defend the animals from possible poaching.

We saw herds of elephants, giraffe, zebra, buffalo and some beautiful hornbills (that’s Zazu from The Lion King to us!) flying alongside us. Watching the sunset over the sanctuary was a sight I’ll never forget.

The Maasai Tribe

The local Maasai was an incredible experience. Their welcoming was by song and dance, with the famous jumping – which is just as high as you think it’ll be. It gave me goosebumps listening to the tribe sing, their voices sound like a full orchestra and I couldn’t stop smiling.

They are a nomadic people and move around due to the grazing need of their animals – mainly goats and cows. This tribe have been on this site for around 15 years so they’re pretty settled for now.

The Kaya Forest

The Kaya Forest is filled with natural resources, which is expertly looked after by elders of the community. One such elder is Michael. At around seventy years old, he has dedicated his life to caring for this forest and passing his knowledge onto his own children and his fellow rangers.

He guided us through the forest with expert precision, pointing out trees which were approximately 200 years old, plants to soothe upset stomachs and leaves that can potentially help relieve the symptoms of Malaria. This protected area is an example of how local people have been using the resources around them for centuries, and it may be something we all need to be doing a bit more of.

Camp Muhaka

Gladys, the Camp Manager was waving as we pulled into camp, along with Project Coordinator Fiona who spent a lot of time with us during our stay. The humidity of this area caused us to wilt a little after we arrived but after a bit of time, our bodies acclimatised and we were ready to go.

The local village of Muhaka is just outside the camp gates. The children here ran towards us shouting ‘Jambo’, wanting to follow us around, hold hands and welcome us into their community. The poverty here is obvious; there is no fresh water, food is scarce and the facilities are severely lacking.

You can see the impact Camps International teams have had on this village though. We have built 8 classrooms, 4 toilet blocks, an administration building for teachers, helped to improve local housing, among other things and whilst this is all amazing progress, there’s still a way to go.

You can read more about Camps International’s impact in their project reports.

Period Poverty

Whilst we had the opportunity to visit Diani Beach for a few hours, which was just beautiful, I don’t want to focus on that too much as the following morning, I was brought back down to reality with a bit of a bump.

As the teachers were getting stuck into mixing cement and making bricks for a toilet block which is soon to be built, I was learning about a common issue that all young girls and women in the community face.

Gladys, the Manager of Camps Muhaka, explained that in the village, young girls often miss school entirely during their monthly periods because of limited access to sanitary supplies. Over a year, this results in them losing nearly three months of education – a significant setback caused by this lack of resources.

I was told that when a team donated some reusable sanitary towels, Gladys made sure they were spread as best as possible across the village, limiting it to one per household due to how sought after they are. By having a reusable sanitary pad, the girls will have something secure and appropriate to use during their period and they will continue to go to school and improve their education – there is no need for them to remain at home.

This is such a simple need and something we massively take for granted at home. Period poverty across the world is a real issue, and it’s something I’m planning on doing something about over the next few months, to try and do my bit.

A massive thank you to the wonderful group of teachers who I had the pleasure of spending the week with. You all came with open hearts and minds, were enthusiastic, got stuck in, asked great questions, and just made it a really fun week.

I can’t wait to see how you all get on in the summer of 2025 when you return with your students. The team in Kenya are excitedly awaiting your arrival.

Photo credits: Tanya Hunter-Robinson, Francesca Allen, Amy Green and Tom Croydon.