community development
our mission
Kasanka Trust aspires to:
- Facilitate local communities with ongoing management of Community Forest Areas in the Greater Kasanka Landscape;
- Develop and support livelihoods among our local communities, together with our partner organisations and local market suppliers;
- Continue to support our local communities in seeking alternative and more sustainable approaches to traditional agricultural practises.
Agriculture is the principal form of subsistence farming among communities around Kasanka National Park. With assistance from our partner organisations Kasanka Trust wants to provide further training and equipment to help support alternative sources of revenue for our communities. We hope to provide funding to support an increase in the number of bee-hives distributed among the community forest areas, whereby community members, trained in beekeeping, can benefit from income from the sales of honey and other bee related products. We are also seeking to support diversity in produce grown including for seeds, groundnuts and rice.
Support continued education and mitigation actions for farmers in game management areas, around Kasanka National Park, who experience wildlife coexistence issues. This is done in partnership with lead organisation – Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and Kasanka Trust’s trained Community Scouts and law enforcement officers.
The Kasamba Women’s Group is made up of 26 hard working mothers. The goal is to support families through skills empowerment and sustainable business. Located across the road from Kasanka Park entrance, Kasamba Women’s Group regularly comes together to hand-make the one-of-a kind crafts found at Wasa Lodge. Through profits generated from Kasamba products, women participating in the group are able to supplement existing gaps in household income. When such gaps are filled and households stabilized, families are less likely to partake in risky activities such as charcoal burning, poaching, and illegal fishing.
To diversify income in the area we also envision a workshop which will be open to visitors, at the park gate. Visitors and guests will be able to buy directly from the craftspeople themselves, ask questions and photograph the creative process.
what is needed
*needs based on the 2020 budget and according to gaps in donor funding already secured – Updated in March 2020
Support towards the reformed poachers program
