Commitment to the Local Community
USAID – STAR (Sustainable tourism in the Albertine Rift) Initiative
$1For the Future: Mweya Safari Lodge Supports Local Schools and Conservation
For centuries, the people of Kazinga Community have depended upon fishing for their survival. The combination of the community’s remoteness, lack of alternative resources, and its daily interaction with wildlife makes education of paramount importance to the youth of Kazinga Community. Understanding the resources available at their doorstep, as well as the opportunities that extend far beyond the borders of Queen Elizabeth National Park, will be the determining factor in the progress and livelihood of this special community.
Mweya Safari Lodge, in partnership with USAID-STAR (Sustainable Tourism in the Albertine Rift) and the Pearls of Uganda Program, are working with the community to expand their local primary school to accommodate the growing number of students. The existing classrooms were never completed; they lack electrical wiring, wall and floor finishings, and a recent storm ripped the roof off one of the buildings. New classroom facilities are also needed to enable separate spaces for different grade levels. With your support, the primary school will be able to complete these projects and provide better education, and therefore a better future, for the children of Kazinga Community.
In Uganda conservation education is an important focus for schools, given its high level of biodiversity and endangered wildlife. Promoting conservation education within Kazinga Community will self-promote conservation within the National Park, and in turn help to protect its wildlife. As well as supporting the basic curriculum, Mweya Safari Lodge also sponsors Wildlife Clubs of Uganda, which forms student clubs to take part in experimental learning activities that promote environmental education and conservation. Mweya Safari Lodge believes that by investing in education it is not only supporting the future of the individual students, but it also ensures the future of the National Park, Uganda and the welfare of the planet.
Today more than 120 students attend the primary school in Kazinga Community. School repairs and additional classrooms are desperately needed to maintain the school’s pride and prevent dropouts. School repair and construction costs total $15,000 USD. Mweya Safari Lodge ensures that 100% of donations are spent on direct project costs. Your $1 guest fee contributes to this project and makes a difference within the lives of so many local people.