Members of the Alafua Pathfinder Club spent three days over Easter at Togitogiga Waterfall learning how to live in the bush without relying on modern conveniences or parental support.
Pathfinder Clubs are part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and focus on building physical, mental, and spiritual resilience. The Easter camp was one of several organised globally to give youth hands-on survival experience in nature.
At the Alafua camp, teens and teachers took part in swimming, hiking, cooking with natural materials, fire building, knot tying, tracking, flag raising, Bible study, prayer walks, and team bonding. No man-made tools or materials were used—campers relied solely on what they found in their surroundings.
These activities are designed to prepare young people to cope during emergencies like tsunamis, where evacuation inland may mean leaving behind basic supplies. Campers also learned rescue techniques, such as helping someone who is drowning.
Pathfinder programmes run year-round and cater to a range of age groups. The recent outdoor learning experience helped Alafua’s youth develop leadership, teamwork, and survival skills while building stronger connections with each other and the natural world.
Activities included tree climbing, environmental art, and science-based learning designed to make the camp educational as well as memorable.
