03/09/2024
Little Manakins Birding Club – A community program by Upe Nai – Living Maya Immersion and Authentic Travel Belize. September 3rd, 2024
Who are we looking for?
Are you between 8 and 16 years old and living in San Antonio, Cayo? If you have a deep interest in birds and nature and would like to learn more, understand more and do more for nature, join our Little Manakins Birding Club. We are looking for 6 girls and 4 boys with high curiosity and a deep desire to learn about birds and their conservation.
Why are we looking for Little Manakins?
Young minds can absorb knowledge twice as fast as adult developed brains. This is why we want to work with young minds, to shape them today for a better future. Within the birding industry, we need more guides, how early can we start them? Incredibly early! We also need more female guides in the industry, hence our choice for more girls than boys. Our goal is to be a nursery for conservation-minded youths with a strong background in birding. From here, they can fledge to many other opportunities within the tourism or conservation fields.
What will the activities be like?
Like all our programs, this will be an immersive experience. We start with in-class sessions to get to know each other, set guidelines, schedules, and study times. We will mostly be out in the field in various locations such as the Manakin Birding Trail, Eligio Panti National Park, Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve and Chiquibul Forest Reserve. On any of these excursions, 2 parents or guardians will be invited to join in addition to 2 instructors. These activities will be completely free of cost to the Little Manakins and covered by Upe Nai and our conservation allies.
Who will be the instructors?
We are very fortunate to have a long bloodline of birders. Philip Mai, Roni Martinez, Rachel Martinez are seasoned and well-established bird guides with vast experience over the entire country and its habitats and birds. They will be spearheading this program. But we are not alone, we rely on our conservation partners for short lectures, field trips and other courses outside.
How can you join?
Have your parents send us a WhatsApp (+501 600 3447) message or email ([email protected]), telling us a bit about yourself. Please include:
Your full name and parent’s names.
Your Age.
Your current school and class as of 2024.
Why you would like to be part of the Little Manakins Birding Club.
The selection will be on a first come, first served basis. Deadline for selection is Sept. 30, 2024
