Community and Conservation Projects
For years, Imvelo Safari Lodges and the Water4Wildlife Trust, with the generous support of partners and donors, have been delivering a number of important community and conservation projects.
These have paved the way for the Hwange Community Rhino Conservation Initiative and have made its ambitions possible.
Providing water security
Drilling boreholes and repairing water pumps to ensure people living along Hwange's southern boundary have access to clean water. The area has very little natural surface water and suffers from erratic rainfall and long periods of drought.
Improving food security
Providing food aid, infrastructure (boreholes and fencing), seeds and school lunches to remote villages around Hwange, where difficult growing conditions, poor water availability and wildlife threaten people's access to nutritious food.
Facilitating education
Supporting teachers with teacher cottages, resources, supplies, workshops and teaching assistants as well as children and parents with textbooks, school bursaries, food, classrooms and infrastructure. Improving education is very important, including to sustain conservation efforts. It's also a big part of CRCI, find out how here
Supporting healthcare
Improving access to healthcare through infrastructure and the newly built Ngamo Clinic, as well as providing dental and eye care through the mobile Smile and See clinics. Local communities are isolated from social services and access to healthcare for many people is incredibly limited. CRCI is playing a critical role in providing healthcare, find out more here
Fire protection
Grading and clearing land for fireguards to protect both people and wildlife on Forestry, National Park and communal lands. This entire region is vulnerable to wild bush fires that can kill animals as well as destroy wildlife habitats, homes and grazing lands.
Pumping water for wildlife
Pumping water for animals in and around Hwange to sustain impressive populations of elephants, buffalos, plains game, birds, lions...Maintaining solar and solar hybrid pumps is essential to Hwange's ecosystem and to surviving the annual dry seasons.
Community wildlife protection
Alleviating conflicts between humans and wildlife along the southern boundary of Hwange National Park and protect human wellbeing as well as wildlife through the Cobras Community Wildlife Protection Unit.
Community Rhino Initiative
Reintroducing white rhino onto communal land outside Hwange National Park with local communities as their custodians as a means of ensuring rhino conservation as well as socio-economic development within the communities
Imvelo, the Water4Wildlife Trust, its partners and donors deliver a number of other projects, including supporting the local Ngamo Lions Soccer Academy and establishing a Sewing Cooperative for local women. While there is an incredible amount of support going into different projects and areas, resulting in tremendous impacts, the needs are never ending.
On behalf of the people and wildlife in and around Hwange, we are extremely grateful for all the ongoing support and hope that, despite complicated times, community and conservation efforts will be maintained.
Find out how to donate to these important projects here
If you'd like to partner with Imvelo or the Water4Wildlife Trust on any of its work, please contact Hannah here