Project Detail

Strengthening Community Participation in Eco-Tourism: A Contribution towards Rehabilitation of Tsaro Lodge, a Khwai Development Trust Initiative.

The project aims at rehabilitating and sustainably utilizing Tsaro lodge as a vehicle for community involvement in eco-tourism. Tsaro lodge is an ideal asset that offers the community a chance to further consolidate its involvement in photographic tourism activities. The tourism venture will provide an opportunity for hands-on, acquisition of the much needed prerequisite skills in the tourism industry, income and benefiting from the spin-off activities.

The Khwai Development Trust (KDT) of Khwai is amongst the first CBOs to embrace nad adopt the community based natural resources management (CBNRM) programme. The Khwai settlement has a small population numbering slightly over 100 households based on the year 2000 population census. In terms of economic activity, there are few job opportunities for members of the community. Although there are about three tourist lodges in the area, very few individuals within the community have the requisite qualifications and skills to get any employment at these establishments. As a result the majority of people in Khwai are dependent on governmnet handouts, seasonal labour intensive jobs and on household divedends from KDT for sustenaince.

Tsaro lodge was handed over to the Khwai community by government a couple of years ago when its lease of ownership by a local safari company expired. However, it took a legal battle to get the safari company to move off the property. This reluctant move led to the lodge structure being vanderlised. The community therefore inheritated a property that was in bad shape, hence this project.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Khwai Development Trust

Country:

Botswana

Area Of Work:

Multifocal Area

Operational Phase:

Phase 3

Grant Amount:

US$ 50,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 356,000.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 30,000.00

Project Number:

BOT/OP3/2/07/01

Start Date:

6/2007

End Date:

6/2009

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Capacity - Building Component

40% of the funds requested from GEF/SGP will be used to build capacity of the Khwai community either through training or attachment in relevant selected institutions. A manager will be hired to run the lodge for an agreed period, and also train a selected number of individuals from Khwai on how to manage and perform different tasks to ensure effective operatiion of the lodge.

Gender Focus

In addition to conservation benefits, it should be realised that by nature, tourism is a servive industry where employment demographics ussually favour females. This is a group that has and continues to be marginalised in the mainstream employment sector. Therefore the successful rehabilitation and opening of the Tsaro lodge will present an opportunity for members of the Khwai community, especially females to get employment.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Income generated from the eco-tourism project will make the Khwai community appreciate the benefits of natural resources and the environment as a whole, and hence be in a position to promote conservation of the global enviroment.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Job creation and empowerment of community members through capacity building will lead to appreciation and conservation of the natural environment which will be a source of sustained livelihoods for the community members.

Notable Community Participation

The Khwai community through the Khwai Development Trust will contribute towards the project the same amount that GEF/SGP will grant them. This will ensure ownership of the project by the community. Once the refurbishment is complete, it is the Khwai community members who will benefit in terms of employment and management of the lodge.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The involvement of KDT in ecotourism activities through the Tsaro lodge woul further empower the community by increasing the income generation resource base. The successful rehabilitation of the facilities will enable the KDT to offer the much needed jobs of the Khwai community in an otherwise depressed environment.

Policy Impact

The successful renovation of the Tsaro lodge will go a long way towards demonstrating the viability of the CBNRM policy in uplifting the livelihoods of the rural community through effective utilisation of the country's natural resources. Effective engagement and participation of members of the Khwai community would ensure the attainment of the primary objectives of the rural development policy of 1972. Tourism has been identified as a potential avenue for economic growth in Botswana. In line with the objectives of the tourism policy of 1990, renovation of the Tsaro lodge by the KDT will enable the Khwai community to sustainably benefit from tourism enterprises.

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