Club Afrique Returns from Great Trip to Gabon

By Leah Smith and Faith Ajayi

Club Afrique's visit to Gabon, Central West Africa, via Paris, France, was one of their most adventurous trips to date. Gabon is the richest country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Not only is Gabon prosperous in oil-based wealth, it is also extremely rich in wildlife biodiversity. The Gabonese president, El Hadj Omar Bongo is the 5th richest man in the world, and has ruled Gabon for 40 years. He is the world's longest ruling head of state, after Fidel Castro. Unlike other countries Club Afrique visited, Gabon does not have much poverty.

"This was my first flight. I was so excited," said Torren Cooper, 11th grader. Most of the other members on the team shared equal enthusiasm.

"I was so excited to go back to the motherland and to get to see Paris, France. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Daphanie McDaniels, 12th grader.

What made things even more exciting was the way the Gabonese government treated the group. "The Gabonese government laid out a red carpet treatment because of my relationship with the president's daughter, Madame Pascaline Bongo Odimba, who personally extended her very generous financial assistance to aid Club Afrique in our stay in Gabon," said group sponsor, Dr. Koura Gibson.

Club Afrique visited many sights in Gabon. They went canoe riding in Lambarene. Lambarene is located a few kilometers south of the equator. The group had a chance to have a photo opportunity on the equator line. Lambarene is also where the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Albert Schweitzer, built his hospital.

Club Afrique also visited the Pongara National Park and the Wonga-Wongue Presidential Reserve. The Wonga-Wongue Presidential Reserve supports a diversity of wildlife including elephants, chimpanzees, buffalos, gorillas and antelopes. Club Afrique was fortunate to see a number of these animals.

"I saw about four elephants, a herd of buffalo, and a monkey," said Kees Belanger, 9th grader.

"I believe that this was my best group trip ever with Club Afrique, as far as group cohesiveness and motivation," added Dr. Gibson.

Birkinesh Maat, 12th grader, has been fortunate to journey with Club Afrique since its start at McKinley, visiting Senegal '05, Egypt '06, and Senegal '07. "This trip was amazing," she said.

The students that went on the trip are: Kees Belanger, Krayla Brice, Torren Cooper, Kimberly Baskerville, Fantazia Glover, Birkinesh Maat, Daphanie McDaniels, Chantal Robinson, Omar Saibou, Aisha Watt, and Rashad Watt.

In the future, Club Afrique plans to visit Mali, to see Timbuktu in particular. They also plan to visit Ethiopia to see the ancient kingdom of Axum.

By Anna Kinsman |  April 24, 2008; 9:16 AM ET News
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