Gaing-O Community Trust (GCT) developed Kubu campsite (at Kubu Island) and Thithaba campsite by the edge of Ntwetwe pan, twenty kilometres west of Kubu Island. The campsites started operating in December 1999. Initially, the campsites were accepting guests for free as a way of testing the marketability of the tourism venture and getting the much-needed hands on skills from the tourism industry. Kubu and Thithaba campsites are using environmentally suitable toilets and showers that will facilitate effective management of waste. A new campsite named Mokumojena is currently under construction and will comprise three chalets, communal place (a place where pple will rest and have drinks), car wash and six camp spots constructed with funds sought from African Development Foundation at the tune of BWP1,156,596. In addition, GCT has the main office built in Mmatshumo village with some facilities and it is strategically positioned to provide quality service to both tourists and the general members of the trust. Moreover, radio communication has been installed at Kubu Island and Thithaba with interconnections to the main office to ease communication.

The project will enable GCT to run a viable Lekhubu eco-tourism venture for the benefit of Mmatshumo village and surrounding localities. The proposed activities in the project will increase efficiency in the day to day running of the trust and improve the quality of services offered to both tourists and residents of Mmatshumo.

The planning grant is sought for the development of a proposal for a full project that encompasses community outreach, further development of the tourism venture and natural resources management in the Lekhubu area.