Two weeks of Nature, Learning and Joy

For the third time, the Environmental Education Camp took place in the municipality of Ranilug, with one simple and important goal: to bring children closer to nature and help them discover how much there is to learn, explore and enjoy in their own environment.
Once again, the camp was held at the Tourist Center in Drenovce. The building was still unfinished and felt cold at first, but the nature around it was unbeatable. Surrounded by forests, animals and rivers, it was the perfect place for learning outside the classroom.
Based on last year’s experience, the children were divided into two groups to better meet their different needs: around 21 younger children and 16 older children took part in the camp. This year the team of Helena, Sonja and Gaga was supported by two local volunteers and six ESC volunteers from Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.

Creating a Home for the Camp

When the team arrived in Boževce, the first challenge was to turn the Tourist Center into a welcoming and child-friendly place. With a lot of creativity and teamwork, the empty building quickly became a real camp space.
Even the lack of working electricity could not stop the preparation. Within just one day, a solar panel and battery were organised, making it possible to create a comfortable learning environment.
A huge part of this was made possible by the support of local friends and members of the municipality and organisation. Their help, kindness and willingness to get involved were essential to realise the camp.

Learning by Doing

This year’s programme combined favourite activities from previous camps with many new ideas. The children learned about forests and rivers, camping and the principles of Leave No Trace but most importantly, they learned by doing.
They built river models using natural materials, created their own tree IDs and camping packing lists, learned how to put up tents and explored the animals and other life found in the forest. They also worked with mud to repair the straw-and-mud teepees that had been built during last year’s camp.
But the camp was about much more than environmental education. Building a strong group and a sense of community was an important part of every activity. Teamwork became the motto of the two weeks, and it was wonderful to see how much the children changed and grew together over the days.
The international ESC volunteers also brought a small piece of their own countries and cultures to the camp. Sharing languages, traditions and stories created lots of curiosity and gave the children the opportunity to discover something beyond their everyday surroundings.

Excursion

On Friday of the first week, both groups went on an excursion to Šar Mountains National Park. Before the trip, the children learned why protected areas are important and how they help to preserve nature. Even the rain could not stop the group from hiking and exploring the mountains. With plenty of energy, the children enjoyed being outside and discovering the beauty of the Šar Mountains.

Two Days of Camping

In the second week, the camping experience from last year became even bigger: this time, the children feeling brave enough stayed for two full days.
There was a campfire, lots of laughter and one wonderful evening together with parents. Some parents were already talking about how they would like to support the camp again next year, a lovely sign of how much the project and trust of the local community has grown. On the final day, a rugby game showed just how successful the teamwork activities had been. Instead of focusing on winning, the children simply played together. Young and old, boys and girls, everyone joined in, and nobody even counted the goals.

A Camp Full of Memories

In the end, the Environmental Education Camp was a great success. For some children, it was already their third time taking part. They are learning about environmental protection not only through words and theory, but by touching, building, exploring and experiencing nature themselves.
This year, even more children stayed for the camping activities. It showed the growing trust between the children, the organisers and the volunteers, as well as a growing confidence in spending time in nature.
Most importantly, the camp created a joyful space where children could learn to care for their environment, work together and be curious about the world around them. At the same time, they met children from different backgrounds and international volunteers from across Europe.
The week was full of laughter, muddy hands, new friendships, adventures, and happy memories, and hopefully, it left the children with not only a greater love for nature, but also the feeling that taking care of it can be something that we can do together.

Written by Jana from Germany