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Community Initiatives
Baobab Trust supports community projects
based on sustainable
agriculture, conservation of wildlife and for the long term benefit of
the environment. Key principles are to help people benefit from conserving
wildlife and to give them the resources - both financial and educational
- to do it.
See our most recent beach
clean-up project.
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Tree
Nurseries
A small tree nursery – with seedlings initially donated by
Baobab Trust is now being successfully run independently as
a small business by a female community near the Nguuni
sanctuary. They have dug a small well on the side of
the road which fills with run off water during the rainy
season to allow them to keep the nursery open all year.
The
Trust helps get many such initiatives off the ground with
advice, technical help in building wells and with supplying
initial seedlings. |
Jiko
Kuni Mbili project
Another
community project which Baobab Trust and DED supported was the provision
of materials to build a kiln for a community on the edge of Nguuni. With
the building of the kiln this cooperative has been able to produce clay
pots to line the Jiko cooking pots which they sell. These new style Jiko
pots require far less charcoal for cooking than traditional methods which
reduces the need for tree felling.
Animal
Leasing Systems
The Baobab Trust has successfully run a number of
leasing schemes whereby local farmers are able to borrow ducks, milking
goats, and poultry from organically reared stock. They
are able to use these to begin breeding enabling them to build their own
flocks. The parent stock is then returned to the trust where they
can be re-leased again.
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Fuelwood
projects
Farmers close to Nguuni nature sanctuary are able to come in to the
reserve to gather fuel-wood in a managed and
sustainable way when land needs clearing or the forest needs
to be opened up. Young casuarina trees can be used for house
building, fencing, construction material and for charcoal. The
wood gathered is sold locally |
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Arts
& Crafts
The Rock Craft Centre sells fossils and sculptures made from rocks found
in the quarry. It is supported by the Baobab Trust. Particular
types of hardwood trees suitable for wood carving - and which are
which are not endangered have been planted in the quarries.
Locals are then able buy the wood, make their carvings and sell the
finished artefacts back to tourists in the area.
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