Over the last few months, we’ve had tourists from across the world coming to view Thuza and Kusasa.
A portion of their rhino viewing fees goes straight to the communities while the rest is used to (1) maintain our first rhino sanctuary, and (2) expand the project to other communities and communal lands further West along Hwange National Park’s boundary. On 15 September 2022, the donor-funded local Ngamo Clinic became operational, with two new nurses brought in and an incredible amount of drugs and medication, supplies and equipment at the ready to treat local patients. This will be life-changing for many people in the area.
For the next few months, some of the rhino viewing funds that are going straight to the communities are being used to maintain and run the clinic. Two nurses and a general-hand worker are on the premisses and their salaries, as well as monthly food rations and clinic drugs and medication, are covered by the communities’ portion of rhino viewing fees. As long as tourists are coming to see the rhino, the community will have funds to keep the clinic operational (and more); this is a relief from the clinic being reliant on sporadic charitable donations to be able to operate. Much more work needs to be done on the Clinic but at least, thanks to Thuza and Kusasa, it will be able to treat people in the meantime.
Ngamo Clinic is just one way the Community Rhino Conservation Initiative is having incredible impacts on the local communities, beyond providing employment, facilitating education and awareness and alleviating human wildlife conflicts by establishing a buffer zone between the Park and communal lands.
Contact us for more information on the CRCI project.
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