1 Mar 2016All grown up in the Luangwa Valley Just like Kafunta River Lodge – his home for all of his 16 years – Luke Cowan has grown and developed into something pretty amazing! Son of Kafunta’s owners, Ron and Anke Cowan, Luke Cowan has had a fairly unique and certainly an exciting childhood growing up in the Zambian bush. He has experienced things most children (and adults!) only dream of. Not only has he spent his developing years surrounded by the extraordinary and diverse environment Zambia offers, he has also shared his remarkable upbringing to benefit the local community. A budding career in tourism from day one He started his career in tourism career aged just 7 months old, when he attended his first Indaba! Then as a toddler, he witnessed the building and opening of Island Bushcamp in 2001 – although being only two at the time, this is probably a landmark he doesn’t recall too clearly! Over the years, several formal home school-teachers have resided at Kafunta, but Luke’s favourite lessons were always the unofficial ones - learning from Kafunta’s guides and the surrounding terrain. With both Josephat and Martin ‘ever present’ guides since the lodge’s opening, they helped instill his love of the African bush. Kicking off a community project During his younger years, schooling alongside the offspring of other lodge owning families in the Valley, Luke started to venture into the local Mfuwe village to play his beloved football. Soon after, Luke convinced his dad, Ron and a member of his staff to form a village team - “The Super Strikers”. Other local villages followed suit and the Mfuwe Junior Football League was created. In June 2011, Project Luangwa helped fund colourful kits for the teams, through generous donations from guests. There are now 20 teams – divided into under 12s and under 15s competing at weekends, with over young 400 boys involved. Kafunta also assists boys aged 16+ to compete with older players through leagues in Chipata and Lusaka, giving them vital exposure to the world outside their own rural areas. Away from the bush…for now.. Having been raised in the Luangwa Valley, Luke has developed a real passion for wildlife and has become keen photographer, producing some exceptionally good images, especially for someone of his tender years. Whilst he now boards at college in Perth, Australia he frequently visits Kafunta in the school holidays, as that is where his heart lies and he still refers to it as home. In 2017, he hopes to study International Tourism & Marketing in Germany (Anke native land) but he’s keen to spend time in the UK too, as he is a big Chelsea FC fan …but we sense the lure of the bush will see Luke permanently back in Zambia in the not too distant future. Josephat, Martin and the other staff at Kafunta can’t wait.! For more information on their properties - Kafunta River Lodge, Island Bushcamp and the eagerly awaited Three Rivers Camp (opening 2017) please contact info@kamilisafaris.com and visit www.luangwa.com