People and Places

Found on the outskirts of the Ng’ombe Compound in what was once an old bar and brothel stands Chikumbuso, a collective of individuals forming a widely successful integrated grassroots community project. The team at Chikumbuso have dedicated themselves to helping one person at a time. Chikumbuso runs a K-7 school at their centre, educates secondary students, and puts students through college every year. The program also supports the growth of individuals' assets through micro-enterprise and job training for widows, single moms and high school graduates. The community’s caregiving project ensures healthcare and monthly food stipends for some local grandmothers. Chikumbuso also has a safe haven to provide comfortable and secure lodging for girls without homes. 

Driven by the aim to connect local people to the wildlife and environment of the South Luangwa, Chipembele Wildlife Education runs extensive community appropriate programmes, teaching children and adult communities to protect and conserve their natural heritage. These programmes focus on developing rural communities adjacent to the main entrance to South Luangwa National Park and empowering greater understanding, appreciation and protection of the wildlife they live alongside. In doing so, the youth can grow to become the next generation of informed and responsible stewards of the natural world we all so critically depend on.

Root to Fruit is a Malawi based social enterprise with a goal to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint and combat deforestation in Malawi through community-based tree planting. The project enables both the local environment and the communities’ lives to be improved by the benefits of trees. The project is based on the shores of Lake Malawi, where local Malawians are employed to run the operations from three tree nurseries. The trees are planted and the carbon offset rights are sold to individuals or organisations that care about protecting the environment and travelling consciously. 

The Siankaba Community Trust (SCT) is based in a village halfway between Livingstone and Kazungula in southern Zambia, which works to empower the local community by providing the tools to live sustainable lives. The projects include providing freshwater boreholes and seeds as well as giving local children a good basic education. The village boasts a purpose-built fully resourced nursery and primary school, complete with teachers’ houses that are all connected to mains electricity. The children all receive a hot meal each day and regular outreach clinic visits from Livingstone General hospital. SCT offers support to older students through its further education scholarship programme, and future plans include the introduction of evening classes for the local community.

The Jafuta Foundation is based in Victoria Falls and works with the surrounding rural communities. They have several areas of impact for the community and the environment. Their work has increased access to water, food security, sanitation and education. They offer programs and support for women’s rights, equality and potential. They raise environmental awareness and protection, by use of alternate energy sources such as solar and biogas. They promote youth opportunities through education programs, role models, academia and sports ventures. They assist with Human Wildlife Conflict and subsistence poaching issues whilst supporting community-driven development goals and traditional leadership. They protect local culture through the Jafuta Heritage Centre museum at Elephant’s Walk Shopping & Artist Village.