Kafunta Hilfsprojekte
Project Luangwa
Project Luangwa is a charitable organisation formed by the Safari Operators of South Luangwa. Our aim is to create an effective, co-ordinated approach to helping local communities improve their long term economic prospects whilst avoiding a negative impact on the environment and wildlife.
We believe that by developing and improving schools, creating a vocational training centre and supporting the micro-financing of small businesses we can help families have the chance of a lasting and sustainable income.
100% of each and every donation is guaranteed to go directly to your nominated project.
Project Luangwa has grown from an idea by Jo Pope and is managed at grass roots level by a married couple who live and work in the South Luangwa community.
South Luangwa Conservation Society
Kafunta Safaris supports the South Luangwa Conservation Society, which is a non-profit community based organisation. South Luangwa Conservation Society is committed to the conservation of the local wildlife and natural resources of the National Park and surrounding Game Management Areas.
Activities and Projects of SLCS
Anti-poaching and anti-snaring patrol
Snaring is one of the worst kinds of poaching as it is indiscriminate and targets virtually every species. Although most snares are laid to catch smaller antelope for meat, many snares are set for buffalo and hippo and more often than not other animals such as lions, hyaenas and elephants are also caught.
Snaring is also one of the most gruesome ways to kill an animal, as unlike shooting where death is usually immediate, death by snaring can take anything from days to weeks and sometimes even months. The pain will be excruciating and the animal eventually dies from starvation and infection.
Anti-Snaring Campaign
In partnership with ZAWA and the community, SLCS are promoting the anti-snaring awareness campaign to sensitize children and adults within local schools and villages. A combination of drama, raffle competitions and sports days are held and slide shows and are presented.
SLCS also runs a darting programme that enables us to chemically immobilize animals that have been snared, so that we can remove the snares and treat the wounds as necessary. Over the years we have managed to save many elephants, lions, hyaenas, puku and other animals that would otherwise have died.
Uyoba Community School
Uyoba Community School, based about 5km’s from the South Luangwa National Park, was founded in 1994.
The school was initially set up to assist parents in the area who had difficulties raising the necessary school fees, and to create a learning environment where no uniforms or shoes are required.
For many years teachers held their classes under a wild mango tree but to date, with the support of SLCS, the school has three classrooms and two teacher offices. We are currently fundraising to build two teachers houses.
Village Scout Training
SLCS supports 35 Kakumbi Village Scouts under the Kakumbi Community Resources Board. These scouts conduct regular patrols in and around the national park and have removed thousands of snares over the years that they have been operating.
Chilli Fence Project
Human animal conflict is becoming an increasing problem in South Luangwa partly due to the ever increasing human population just outside the national park. South Luangwa does not have any man made boundaries and animals have the freedom to move outside of the park.
During the farming season, fields are regularly devastated by elephants and hippos. Grain storage facilities within villages are also poor and often demolished.
SLCS is trying to address this situation using the chilli fence method. This is a simple cost effective way of deterring elephants, hippos and bushpigs using sisal rope, used engine oil, grease, old bits of cloth and crushed dried chilli. The paste is mixed applied to the string surrounding the fields.
Elephant dung bricks are also made using elephant dung and crushed chilli, and are set alight during the night to smolder and deter elephants.
Workshops are held in the field and SLCS uses a "real" field for demonstration. It is essential that farmers accept ownership of the fence and do not rely on SLCS to continue to provide materials. To achieve this SLCS also supply farmers with seedlings for growing chillis.
For more information please visit the South Luangwa Conservation Society homepage.