First of all, the Daktari wants to thank Kirsten, our office volunteer who finished her internship last week and sadly left us this morning after seven months of brilliant collaboration. Daktari was extremely fortunate to benefit from such a valuable person. Kristen has achieved a lot and would probably be able to run the project by herself if Ian and Michele were ready to go, which they aren’t :-)

You all obviously understand that Kirsten is terribly missed and we are still drying our tears while welcoming Rodolphe our new office volunteer.

In spite of our lovely volunteer’s departure, like every week, Daktari welcomes new children. The first step for the volunteers is to introduce themselves and begin work with the kids. Sometimes it is difficult to impart self-confidence in the kids and start the lessons in a positive way. However, our team always works hard to increase their self-esteem and confidence.

This week can be considered as special, as Daktari has a new goal to reach. The Trust Organisation made a donation to cover the equipment of solar lighting and the building of a leopard-viewing platform.  Gum poles arrived, which were quickly taken in charge by the volunteers and we will soon be able to take the children safely to look at our Leopard: Shiloweni.

Daktari will be very happy to give the kids the opportunity to stand on the deck and safely enjoy such a beautiful experience.  Observing animals develops children’s compassion and encourages them to respect their environment.

This week Daktari is pleased to welcome Wilright, our local volunteer, for the next 4 weeks.

He will work as a mediator between the volunteers and the students.  Wilright was one of the first children who came to Daktari five years ago when Daktari could only afford to invite local children for a weekend.

Like Samantha the warthog to Mirabelle we wish you all a happy Valentine’s Day.

Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda: for many people they are stars known world wide for their beauty and grace. Here at Daktari, they are no different in fact I would say these three baby warthogs their Hollywood counterparts in every way.

These three baby warthogs were found without mothers at the age of a few weeks. Daktari then nurtured them back to health, only to have Miranda find the wrong way of a donkey hoof and become paralysed. She nettled through and these warthogs of 3 months are now more inquisitive than ever.

There more recent adventure took them out on our twice daily dog walk. Now not many people can say they have walked through the African wild with four dogs, eight children, and the warthogs in tow. It is definitely a special and heart lifting experience.

Now, there are two water crossing on the walk, and each provided equal amusement for those spectating on the opposite bank.

The first is a rocky crossing (one which I believed impossible for the piggies). However, after much snorting, squealing and half attempts they battled their way across the cavernous gorge.

The next was the far more interesting, as after beating the gorge of doom I expected the pigs to cross a half foot deep puddle of water with lose. However, I was wrong. Taking twice the time they needed significant encouragement from a volunteer standing ankle deep, yelling “piggies” in a pitch so high it left me questioning his manhood.

Finally, they leapt into the water (led by Miranda, the smallest of the musketeers) and arrived safely, if not distressed on the shore.

All in all, the walks are significantly more entertaining with the addition of our new companions. I just hope in 6 months time I can turn and see three giant warthogs tusks raised following us.  

Nicholas Thomas Molloy ( Australian volunteer)

Amongst the many surprises waiting for the children at Daktari was a swimming pool. Now don't imagine some flashy eternity pool surrounded by ladies sipping cocktails...This pool was a functional 10 meter pool, cloudy with chemicals, but fabulous! 

In the endless days of 40 degree heat, the pool was a welcome leisure activity for all of the volunteers...but to the children this was their first sight of a pool, and their first opportunity to swim. Swimming for them mostly meant splashing around in a river, and none had ever had swimming lessons. Somehow some of the children had taught themselves to swim, which was amazing. 

For us volunteers it was thrilling and delightful to have the opportunity to introduce the children to swimming, and did they enjoy every minute of it???! After lunch (and a suitable lapse of time to allow for digestion) the children were allowed to swim. Most played with floats or balls and laughed non-stop for the entire time they were in the pool. 

Some wanted to learn to swim, and others to improve their technique. With the volunteers directing from the pool side or in the pool to support the children, every child that wanted to learn did. It was amazing - determination and guts got them there! 

At the end of one particular week the wonderful Juliet quietly asked if she could be taught to swim. Juliet worked tirelessly and joyfully in the kitchen cooking fabulous meals for everyone. So, that Friday after the children had gone home, we took Juliet for her first ever experience in the pool. With no swimsuit, the determined Juliet stripped to her undies and got absolutely stuck in. 

Despite swallowing several pints of pool water, she would not stop. She had to swim. And swim she did. Her skills won't win her any Olympic gold, that she won everybody's heart and respect. All the way through the lessons she laughed with her infectious laughter whilst being yanked from the bottom of the pool after attempts to swim her first width failed. Again and again...and it worked! Juliet you are an absolute star!!! You taught us never to give up with your steadfast determination - Thank you.

Last week we had a telephone call from our neighbours. They had found a baby-waterbuck on their farm and it was not well. We jumped into the car and speeded to meet them.
When we arrived the baby-waterbuck was lying in the back of a 'bakkie' and was very weak. Her head and neck were full of ticks and she couldn't stand up. So we speeded to the vet in town. We arrived 45 mn later and the vet was not very positive about her chances of surviving. He gave her a few injections and placed a drip in her neck before we took her back to Daktari. 

The first night we put Fleur (that's how we called her) in the house of Ian and Michele. She called all night, so she kept them awake and Michele had to stay by her most of the night. We were all very happy that she made it through that first night.
The next day she looked a little bit better. She even walked around. Since she still had the drip in her neck, we couldn't leave her alone for a second.
At the end of the day she started to weaken again and we decided to take shifts during the night.
The first shift was from 11 o'clock till 3 o'clock in the morning and when Ian and Michele took the second shift from 3 o'clock, Fleur was very weak and uncomfortable.
Sadly she died around 4 o'clock that morning. She really tried, but she couldn't fight the virus she got from the ticks. She was so cute. It made us all very sad. Everytime we see a waterbuck now, we think of her.