My uncle runs a large program that builds schools in Africa.  I've often thought of going over to help build a school and to go on a Safari.  I don't know if anyone else has similar ideas, but I found this pretty cool website for people looking to go on a self-guided safari in Africa.

http://www.freewebs.com/luangwablondes/guidedselfdrivetours.htm

Craig

Craig,

I got an email from two people going to Africa in a Pinzgauer. Check out their site

pinzgauer-overland.co.uk

Might have some insite to the country and travels there.

Morris

One of my clients does business in Malawi and also supports a village school and hospital there. I will probably be heading there within the year. I'll have to think about the safari idea as an add-on.

No guns though. That country needs no more killing of any kind.

Mike,

Are you actually lobbing criticism towards my Uncle's efforts to help the people of Africa... or were you trying to be funny by relating to the fact that you are going hunting (and might possibly be providing that meat back to a community).  The humor wasn't clear to me.

Either way, my Uncle deserves some positive recognition for what he has done in Africa so here it goes...

He's been doing this for his entire life and has helped communities to get water, get irrigation water, farm, provided food/medical supplies, and is currently helping to build schools.  He has managed several multi-billion (yes billion) dollar efforts throughout his career, been banned from living in one African country (losing everything he owned), and drank more African beer than any man should ever have to consume.  He has a firm grasp over exactly what the people of African need because he lives there permanately.  If there was ever a person on this earth that was more undeserving of criticism over what he has done to help the people of Africa it is him.

Craig

I knew my comment would make somebody who is a hunter cranky.  Although I'm not a hunter, I don't consider myself narrow minded.To the contrary, I've always wanted to understand  why people hunt and I've spent a good deal of time thinking about it and talking to people who do. I learned a fair bit and I'm a lot closer to the why and wherefore. Some of the hunters reasons for hunting are absolutely bogus, but then again so are some of the arguments the anti-hunting lobby trots out.

 l like guns, I have guns , I like to shoot guns but I don't hunt. I've come to realize that there are two kinds of people in the world...hunters and non-hunters and they will probably always argue. I've given up trying to talk anybody out of it. They don't want to hear it and I've learned that there are some good reasons for it.

I guess my problem with hunters taking trophies in Africa is that I don't beleive for a moment that the all this tourist money ends up in the hands of the locals. So, I have a problem viewing hunting in Africa as a "noble" pursuit. It's not. It's simply fulfilling a personal desire.

It is taking something from a country that has been taken from for a very long time. Building a school is giving something.

In re-reading my post I realize that I've just tried to simplify a very complex situation. Truth is, I don't know enough about the real conditions in those countries that make up Africa to speak with any real knowledge about what should be done. I imagine that it would not be hard to find stories that totally support trophy hunting and of course, those who don't.