Another part of the camps village visit is to educate the guests on our Project Luangwa charity that was set up back in 2009. Below is a summary of my tour.
Drive to the Mfuwe Day/boarding Primary & Secondary school
Introduction to guests:
Formed in 2009 by the 5 camps with a purpose to support the local community through education, protection of the wildlife for future years and supporting gender equality through various projects.
Registered in the US and the UK, it is an audited charity
Project Luangwa is the conduit between guests and business’s who would like to make a donation and give support – examples ranging from donation of pencils, sponsorship of a child through to funding the building of a class rooms and supporting females in the rural area. In addition the 5 camps collect a small charge from the guests on their nightly room rate on behalf of Project Luangwa and CSL.
In more detail on my tour:
Education in Zambia is free to the end of grade 7, but from grade 8 schools fees are due. This is when pupils start to drop out of school as their parents or guardians simply cannot afford to educate them. Not only are tuition fees needed but uniform, shoes, socks, exercise books, pens and pencils. As pupils progress through the grades they’ll need maths sets and scientific calculators too and all this is beyond the financial means of most rural Zambian families who survive by subsistence farming.
Projects:
• Junior football fields
• Planting for the future
• literacy and learning
• gender equality
• building of schools
• helping disabled school
Primary school 5 – 14 years, Secondary 14 – 25 yrs
times of classes 7am – 10am , 10am – 1pm, 1pm – 4pm
8 years ago only 4 buildings
How could the guests help – refer to the PL website or talk to Harold Jess, Ade/Karen
Currently at Mfuwe Day
1341 primary school kids
1080 secondary kids
Boarding school
Health education
Science laboratory
fresh drinking water
meal a day program
sports fields Football & netball
7 schools involved in the district
Managed by Karen and David
David is responsible for building projects and tertiary sponsorship
Karen is responsible for children sponsorship, female projects in the district, sanitary napkin project, women’s craft shop, Social worker to schools educating around sex education, equality, girls club
Funds raised from:
• Project Luangwa (the 5 camps) LCCF
• Surrounding camps eg Bushcamp
• Guests and companies eg Lyons Family Flatdogs camp past guests.
• Flatdogs :
2015 $32,000 from LCCF
2016 $37,500 from LCCF
otal $69,000.00 – Split 50/50 with PL & CSL $35,000 each
In addition in 2015/16 K20,000 to CSL for human animal conflict mitigation and $7200.00 donation to CSL . Total to CSL in the last 2 years $45,000 from Flatdogs
Tourism is a natural resource in the area which needs to be protected through education
General info – vege’s sold to camp support the locals
Chipembele wildlife education program and curriculum in the schools
Red Cap brigade – Chili bomb the elephants to assist farmers
June open day at airport show celebrate the area activities, drama, stalls, running races
Malafian will offer animal souvenirs made from old snares he has collected and display usually on our vehicle
General facts:
Project Luangwa is a charitable organisation formed by the Safari Operators of South Luangwa as a part of their commitment to responsible tourism. Inspiration and hard work of Jo Pope the founder of the Project and members are Flatdogs, RPS, Croc Valley, Shenton and Kafunta in 2009.
Our aim is to create an effective, coordinated approach to helping local communities improve their long term economic prospects whilst avoiding a negative impact on the environment and wildlife.
We believe as a charity operating in Zambia that by developing and improving education in schools and creating training opportunities we can help families have the chance of a lasting and sustainable income.
Managed at grass roots level by Karen Beattie and Dave Hopson, a married couple who live and work in the Mfuwe, South Luangwa.
Project Luangwa is registered with the UK Charities Commission, Reg. № 1119335, and as a Charitable Trust in Zambia, Reg. № CI 1027. It is also registered in the USA as a non-profit charity № 501(C)3 trading under the name of Kawaza School Fund.
Walk through the Mfuwe village if time and guest would like.