You have to like the outdoors

Eight local tourguides completed the Level 1 Field Guide training course funded by the Amarula Trust. This is the second group to be sponsored by the not-for-profit Amarula Trust, to complete the course at Erindi Private Game Reserve and Wilderness Safari’s Damaraland Adventure Camp. Course instructor, Marc Gunn said the Amarula Field Guide Scholarship Programme, accredited by the Field Guide Association of South Africa, is a one month intensive course which assists people, already in the tourism industry to further their careers and on successful completion graduate as field guides for tourists. The Level 1 Field Guide training course is presented by Eco Training and includes an introduction to botany, ecology, zoology, reptiles, birds, geology, as well as tracking, conservation and habitat management, intended to advance eco-sustainability and provide critical employment skills. The students were chosen from the Na’ankuse Lodge, Wilderness Safari-Tora, Sesfontein Conservancy and Erindi Private Game Reserve. Prospective student had to demonstrate not only a desire to improve themselves through education but also to have a strong interest in tourism, wildlife and nature conservation.  Adéle Ankiewicz, Amarula of the Amarula Trust, said “the tourism industry plays an important role in the Namibian economy and we need to be equipped to provide visitors with a top level service which includes qualified people sharing the best of Namibia in order to sustain our tourism industry.  The training programme started in Botswana a few years ago and since then has branched out into South Africa and Namibia.