Female Guides Training
Women from communities in Botswana do not have access to the same career opportunities as safari guides, compared to their male counterparts. This career is still largely a male-dominated one, with little active investment, training, or skills development in female guides that would empower them to pursue their dreams and provide for their families. Linked to this dynamic, there is also a scarcity of job opportunities currently available for female guides in camps in the area.
About our Project
More than 90 % of the safari guides in the region are male.
Less than 5% of females are currently receiving regular training, mentorship, and development.
In November 2021, we launched a female safari guide project that is targeted at creating job opportunities for local women as safari guides. This project aims to develop female safari guides through skills training, mentorship, job shadowing, and rotations at African Bush Camps.
We received an overwhelming response from women in Botswana indicating that they were interested in being part of this project. We have selected five women for the first cohort. The community’s eagerness to get involved is a clear indication of the appetite and demand that exist, highlighting the need for more resources, funding, and partnerships within this sphere.
This two-year program will provide theory, practical and on-the-job training at ABC camps as a safari guide. The women selected for the program will undergo four weeks of theory and four weeks of practical safari training with African Guiding Academy and one week of Mokoro training before they will commence as trainee guides at ABC. This program will allow them to gain significant professional experience in travel and tourism, as well as other related fields, such as hospitality. Through personal mentorship and relationships, we aim to boost their confidence. Our top priority is building a competent group of ABC female guides that will join our renowned group of professional guides.
Once the project is complete our female guides will be experts in wildlife, conservation, safe practices, photography, natural history, tracking, communication, and patience.
Through this project, we are actively contributing towards addressing gender inequality in the safari guide’s sector by creating access and opportunity for women who are interested in pursuing a career in this field. Our goal is to develop 25 female guides in this community by 2025. We have great expectations for this project, hoping that it will be a catalyst for other safari companies in the area to invest in female talent, opening doors for more female guides to access work opportunities in various regions in Africa.
