Africa Eco Safaris
community programme
Africa Eco Safaris has always been a company with a strong community focus. As strong advocates in working with Women's Groups, Africa Eco Safaris had worked hard in establishing long term income sources where we are undertaking projects.
During the life of the Base Titanium project, Africa Eco Safaris would continue to support this ethos through the establishment of a market garden, operated and managed by the women in the community. Africa Eco Safaris would work with the community in establishing the location and then the ground work needed to get the project started.
In most cases Africa Eco Safaris has run these projects in conjunction with the client who has assisted in funding the community project as a partnered initiative.
IN KWALE WE HAVE, (within the short time we’ve been here), initiated the following:
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
AES fully understands that for any project to achieve its core objectives, the local communities MUST be engaged. There may be many methods of engagement, but through research, case studies and experience, the best has always been sincere interaction. To this end, AES together with the community strive to establish the exact requirements on the ground in order to systematically establish projects that are not only beneficial but are self sustaining and progressive.
Community Market Garden Project
The project would include the growing of all core vegetables and possibly chicken farming. Given the locale of the coast, we would also consider extension of the project to include local fishermen as sources of local market supply.
All projects undertaken need to adhere to the requirements of food safety and Africa Eco Safaris would provide this support.
Community buying centre
The community buying centre will:
- promotes local community outgrowing practices
- Provide ready-market for their produce
- attract larger area buyers (hotels etc.)
- have positive impacts on livelihoods of the community and through observation, women to a larger extent
Other projects
Community training in poultry & animal husbandry
- Training community members to adopt a structured format to production & husbandry of goat & chicken. At this stage broilers, soon to come layers too.
- Increases productivity & reduces losses to diseases
Community Training & Fish Farming
- Possibly the very first one in this area – pilot project.
- To encourage fish-farming – alternative to the sea which is 20km away.
- Provide training thereafter, increase in commercial value to community.
Community Animal Shelter
Another Pilot project: Apart from caring for sick, injured and homeless animals, the centre intends on providing education to local children about animal awareness, welfare and care. This will involve direct interaction with professionals in the field i.e. vets, who act as mentors , creating an achievable vision/focus in the child’s mind.
We believe this makes us unique in the way we understand how to work with the communities in which we are undertaking projects and enables us to leave behind sustainable livelihoods long after we have gone