Where Tourism Is "Doing Good"

WHERE TOURISM IS “DOING GOOD”

LUXURY LODGES AND CAMPS IN ZAMBIA PUT LOCAL COMMUNITIES FIRST

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (01/10) -- From the remote reaches of the South Luangwa Valley to the lagoons of the Lower Zambezi to the mighty Victoria Falls, the members of Zambian Horizons are passionate about creating initiatives for the local communities of Zambia to alleviate poverty and sustain ecology. Following are some of the steps taken by these hoteliers to put the economic well-being of the Zambian people first:



The Bushcamp Company in the South Luangwa saw that the local villagers were chopping down trees to access honey from bee hives. By purchasing bee hives for the villagers and showing them how to produce honey, Bushcamp increased the income of the villagers and discouraged them from cutting down trees, thus sustaining the environment at the same time. Guests of Bushcamp have donated to this effort which is making a huge difference in the community.



Norman Carr Safaris in the South Luangwa has had a program in place for a number of years to raise awareness and to educate local people on the issues of HIV and AIDS. The company holds training sessions for its employees on how to protect themselves from becoming HIV positive, or if they are infected, what they can do to lead healthy lives. Because drama is an effective away to get across the message, they support a local theatre group to dramatize the problem with a performance which has inspired hundreds of people to go for testing. Norman Carr Safaris provides free transport to staff members and their families to the nearby clinic for free CD4 counts and free ARV’s. Due to these efforts, HIV positive staff members are living longer and able to take care of their families.



Robin Pope Safaris has supported education of the children in the Nsefu village area in the South Luangwa since 1989, forming the Kawaza School Fund. This project is a true success story and now there are two government schools being assisted and two community schools being established. When guests of Robin Pope became interested in the way of life in the village, the community opened its homes for an overnight stay to visitors (for a fee) to exchange ideas and thoughts. Accommodation and food are totally African. Part of the fee goes to the school. Kawaza Village is the winner of the prestigious Silver Otter Award 2000, given for the Best Overseas Tourism Project by the British Guild of Travel Writers.



Chongwe River Camp in the Lower Zambezi has made their community full partners in a new venture. They have begun a partnership project called Tsika Island Camp. It is on a beautiful island near the village of Mugurumenu. Guests are able to canoe to and from the island with visits to the Tsika Cultural Village and the Mugurumenu Basic School on the nearby mainland. Chongwe pledges $50 for each bed night to the community giving them an additional incentive.



It was evident to the Sausage Tree Camp that subsistence farmers struggling in the Lower Zambezi could not understand why environmentalists protected animals, especially elephants, who regularly destroyed crops and killed people. By teaching farmers how to construct cost-effective fences using pieces of cloth soaked in oil and home-gown chilies, the initiative deterred the elephants from the crops. Chili seed was also provided to the farmers so they could grow their own chilies and maintain the fences independently themselves.



The Islands of Siankaba lodge near Victoria Falls, is situated close to the Chief’s land where the staple diet of the local villagers is maize. The women of the village were walking long distances to a mill to grind the maize to the right consistency, so the hotel purchased a mill for them, saving hours out of a day. In order to make this a sustainable community development project, Islands of Siankaba went further. With no cattle dip in the area, the cattle were sickly. A small charge to the villagers for the milling was used to buy medicine for the dip, which in turn was free. Today, life is a little easier and the cattle are healthier.



Stanley Safari Lodge near Victoria Falls was built from scratch, starting in 2001. The owners were committed to enhancing the lives of the Makuni tribe, to whom the land belonged. Materials for the lodge were sourced locally. Stones were collected by villagers and sold to the owners. The thatching grass for the roofs was bought from 120 women who cut and bundled the long African grass. Over 54 local construction workers helped build the lodge. The staff is primarily from the village. A “village” will soon be constructed for the staff in the style of classic round huts with thatched roofs. Stanley Safari Lodge also plans a school.



Tongabezi set up a local school, Tujatane, in 1996 which is completely funded on donations including those from guests at Tongabezi. The school is providing a wonderful opportunity to children who otherwise would not get an education. But the shining star of Tujatane is a new music room complete with keyboards, guitars, marimbas, and books. The room was built due to fundraising efforts of one couple who visited there. It means that in addition to a basic education, the children have the possibility of developing a talent as a full music program is now integrated into the school timetable.



All members of Zambian Horizons understand how important education is to developing their own staffs and the difference that tourism makes in the lives of the local communities. They have been instrumental in helping to provide better health clinics and medicines. In addition, their programs are creating greater understanding and commitment of rural people throughout Zambia to conservation because they see how it improves their economic well-being.



For additional information, visit www.zambianhorizons.com