CITW Zimbabwe Launches Community Papermaking Project

Wilderness Safaris’ environmental and life skills programme, Children in the Wilderness (CITW), has officially launched a Zimbabwean papermaking initiative involving eight women from Jabulani. In conjunction with the Mapepa Paper Project, these women are contributing to Jabulani’s journey towards sustainability, one sheet of paper at a time. Using what would otherwise end up in landfill, instead they create beautiful products and souvenirs such as bookmarks, notecards, origami boxes as well as A4 paper.

“We are proud of these women, and their love and commitment to trying out new ideas is really commendable. They are eager to pass on their acquired skills to more women in the community, and this snowball effect is the ultimate win for us”, says CITW Zambezi Community Liaison and Programme Coordinator, Sue Goatley.

Fully trained and equipped, the women are currently busy at work with a strong determination to succeed. Success to them means that they will be able to pay their children’s school fees and contribute to household incomes – just two of the hardships faced in rural areas.

Rolling out the project to one community at a time, the Wilderness Safaris Sustainability Fund has allocated R88 000 to ensure that the papermaking project is able to successfully take off in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Plans are already underway to expand to St Mary’s in April, and then Ngamo.

“We are thankful to Grand Circle Foundation for their support on this project, as well as the ongoing support we receive from our parent company, Wilderness Safaris, ensuring that we continue to make a positive difference in these communities”, concludes Sue.