Finally, after 9 months of intensive renovations and preparations, our Camp had recieved its first guests! Starting from the 30th of April up to 2nd of May, we have hosted a total of 63 campers, from which the youngest ones were 6 years and the oldest were 56 years of age. Their great mood was not ruined even by cold weather on the 30th, nor by rain on 1st and 2nd of May. The photos below can show you a part of the atmosphere present in the camp, and more photos could be found on our FB page www.facebook.com/LocalDevelopmentKamenica/ A short movie is also in preparation.
A short history of our accomplishments:
– It all began in the winter of 2014, when we had the idea of forming a regional child and youth eco-camp that would function according to the principles of social entrepreneurship.
– We have soon started negotiations with the tourist association “Kamenički vis” regarding the takeover of the camp on the favorite picnic site of people from Niš “Kamenički vis”. The camp was then devastated and completely impassable – the last guest stayed in it in 2005.
– The completion of our analysis and negotiations coincided with the competition within the Third “Forum of green ideas.” At the Forum, 30.06.2015. in competition 87 projects from across the country, our project “Treehouse camp” won the third place and support Trag Foundation and Erste Bank.
– Soon after, our project is the regional (Balkan) Competition “Philanthropy for green ideas” 24-26.07.2015. won the sympathy of the international jury and the first prize at the Balkans. This has brought the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
– At the same time, we were joined by the Directorate for Construction of City of Nis, which had invested in the renovation and modernization of public lighting in and around the camp 30 years later;
– Already, on the 3rd of August, with the support of the Young Researchers of Serbia and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we have organized our first international youth camp, during which young people from all over Europe started the reconstruction of the Camp, and also picked up the sympathies of citizens of Nis.
– Following their example, from August 2015 until 01 May 2016 with a short break during the winter, the renovation of the Camp was attended by over 100 local volunteers of different ages and among them a significant number of local young people who volunteered for the first time and realized more than 4300 hours volunteer work. This is the Camp’s indirect contribution to the integration of socially and materially disadvantaged youth in our community even during the reconstrucion.
– Thanks to SMART collective, we were one of 15 organizations from all over Serbia, which is 09.12. 2016 presented a number of companies before the CSR Forum. Our campsite has experienced its first promotion from socially responsible companies.
– We signed a memorandum of strategic partnership with the Teacher Association of Niš. This organization is over 134 years old and brings together 63 schools with over 35,000 students and 1100 teachers. The plan is to develop educational and recreational activities in nature (active trips) to assist in the education of children (dual education).
– 01st of May – our first guests;
– Income generated from the guests plan to invest in one-month promotional campaign “Spend the summer at camp.” Radio advertising is ready, a billboard was erected and two more will soon be in the making, and leaflets and posters that will share our volunteers starting from 15 May to 15 June.
– In the near future (before the summer) we plan to finish the classroom in the Camp using the remaining resources from our national and regional awards and many more.
Join us and help us grow more in 2016 !
Srpski