Awarding the Deserving

ZAWA and CLZ held the Annual May Day Scout awards this month to honour the ZAWA Wildlife Police Offices of the Lower Zambezi who work 365 days a year, in all weather and in challenging and often dangerous conditions. The awards are to show the appreciation of CLZ and the tourist operators of the Lower Zambezi for the hard work that ZAWA does to protect the wildlife and resources Zambezi and to support tourism in the area.

Congratulations to all winners:
For Dedication and Service to Wildlife Protection: Solomon Chidunuka
Best Team Leader:    Kebby Mundeya
Best WPO of the Year: Mooga Mulauka
Most Helpful Revenue Officer: Hilton Shadunka
Best Escort Officer: Gift Mate Mukelabai
Best Village Scout:       William Chenda

A huge thank you to Baines River Camp, Sausage Tree Camp and Potato Bush Camp, Gerry Carbin of Chakanaka Farm, Kanyemba Lodge, Mwambashi River Lodge and Brendan Raisbeck for their great generosity in donating prizes for the winners.

Luangwa School Camp Visit

CLZ Base Camp received our first school visit of 2014 from 24 young conservationists from school conservation clubs in the Luangwa area.

Besa Kaoma led the group in interactive lessons and group activities covering the issues the children face  – human wildlife conflict, poaching, deforestation and overfishing are a prominent part of schoolchildren’s lives in the areas around the Lower Zambezi. Our education programme covers biology, natural sciences, conservation, social issues, HIV/AIDs and health education with school pupils from conservation clubs in schools surrounding the parks. Last year we reached nearly 2,000 children.

The education doesn’t end in the classroom – game drives and boat cruises allow the children to experience the wildlife of the Lower Zambezi, some for their first interaction with Zambia’s incredible wildlife. A huge thank you to the schools and teachers of Luangwa for their support!

Chiawa Community

The rainy season has ended, and the Chiawa communities have harvested their first chilli crops. Maize has also been harvested, to be dried and stored, and with it, the elephants have moved to the villages to raid foodstores. The demand for felumbus is higher than ever. These Awely-designed elephant-proof granary stores cost only $70 and protect the livelihoods of families who live alongside elephants. Donate the cost of a felumbu here.
The Wakasimba (‘strong women’) community women’s group have begun their work for the season, making artisan crafts to be sold in the lodges of the Lower Zambezi. CLZ support the Wakasimbas through marketing their line of jewellery made of beads from recycled paper.

Thank you to all the lodges who support these fantastic women!

The Charge for wildlife protection

THE CHARGE, held on 15th May in aid of elephant and rhino conservation, raised an incredible £240,000 to be split between CLZ, Peace Parks, The Wilderness Foundation and Lewa Conservancy. The black tie event, held in Syon Castle, UK, had the top billing of a boxing match between Shaun Davy of Anabezi Camp and his competitor Hickman Bacon. Through months of training, the sportsmen grew in skill and size from amateurs to not-so-amateur boxers and on the night, the Lower Zambezi’s very own Shaun Davy triumphed. Congratulations! A huge thank you to all organising committee Hickman Bacon, Francesco Ciardi, Chelsy Davy, Shaun Davy, Ben Fisher, Caroline Rupert, Michael Walker and Helen Flaircough. Also a huge thank you to Taryn Al Mashgari and all volunteers who helped out at the event!

To find out more about Conservation Lower Zambezi follow this link.

Content and images by Conservation Lower Zambezi