The scale of the community surrounding Kafue is significant, in size, extent and complexity. With the Community Development team, African Parks has established employment, education and community development projects to improve the livelihoods of local communities and ensure people can benefit from the park and its biodiversity. Infrastructure development and skills-based training to provide local employment are a top priority.
Community Engagement
After the management partnership with African Parks had been introduced to the communities around the park in 2022, engagements were held with the Community Resource Boards (CRBs) and chiefs. Following this, to ensure that community engagements are constructive, the community development team, together with The Nature Conservancy, spent considerable time visiting all villages around the park. Based on these engagements, a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment and a Constituency for Conservation Index survey were rolled out, both of which are invaluable in defining the Community Engagement Strategy.
To formalise a relationship with communities, MOUs were signed with 15 CRBs, while a comprehensive grievance mechanism was also rolled out to support a clear flow of communication and transparency between park management and communities.
Education and Environmental Awareness
Investment into future generations continues with the Happy Readers literacy programme, run in two schools in Chunga and Ngoma. These two schools as well as another, have been provided with additional support, such as Mwabu educational tablets and ZeduPads which are solar-powered pre-loaded tablets that enhance teaching and learning. Altogether, over 500 schoolchildren are being supported with educational resources. Environmental awareness includes visits to the parks – 700 schoolchildren visited in 2023. Twenty-five local students have completed their internships in Kafue.
Sustainable Enterprise Development
To provide local communities with alternative and sustainable livelihood opportunities, several initiatives are being launched, one of which is the supply of wet fish by some 200 local fishermen to a drying facility.