01 Jul 2021

Passion for travelling and the love for animals have driven a United States tourist, Lucia Van Bebber to write a book A gift to Animals in an effort to promote a culture of writing and reading about conservation issues.

Van Bebber is an international adventurer who has lived in six continents and has a passion for the environment.

She started a project named LVB aimed to promote conservation and protection of animals in all countries.

She targets the youngsters aged between nine and 12.

In an interview, Van Bebber revealed that she loved nature and in every country she visited, she would spend some days in the bush to admire the environment including animals, saying nature fed her soul and relaxed her mind.

She believes that animals are honest.

In Botswana, she has visited areas such as Chobe, Okavango Delta and Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

She noted that the places were so fascinating that she was inspired to write a book.

She said interacting with new people and experiencing new cultures was amazing, adding that she was impressed to see the locals being keen on protecting their environment.

Writing a book, she said, also soothed her mind as she believe it has been ‘soiled’ by effects of COVID-19. Van Bebber explained that she started working on her book this year January through which she tells a beautiful story about the life of a character whose adventure introduced her to many animals of the Chobe and their way of life.

Through the book, she said she wanted to teach learners about different characteristics of animals and how they behaved.

She is hopeful that the book will help learners to appreciate and save animals from being  killed to the point of extinction.

Animals, she said, were struggling for survival against poaching and illegal trafficking and hoped through the book, learners would learn strategies to protect them.

Van Bebber is of the view that learners would also be inspired to write more stories, saying Botswana was rich in flora and fauna.

She said she had sponsors and part of the proceeds made through the sale of the book would be channeled towards organisations that helped protect endangered or abused animals.

She also pointed out that she intended to donate some of the books to schools through the Ministry of Basic Education.

She also stated that she had managed to donate to Kabakae and D’kar primary schools as well as a charitable organisations named Windows of Hope in the Ghanzi region.
In Ngamiland, she donated to Bana ba Metsi, an organisation that rehabilitates youth at risk.

Van Bebber, who is also an international attorney and business consultant, also plans to establish an organisation that will work closely with all NGOs that promote environmental conservation education in Botswana. Ends