The Maliasili team recently visited our project areas, marking a significant milestone in our ongoing conservation efforts. The visit began in Nyaminyami, with Ward 3 as the first stop, where the team met with Chief Mola. The Chief commended Wildlife Conservation Action for its impactful work in the ward, particularly highlighting the effectiveness of the Mobile Bomas in safeguarding livestock and reducing human-wildlife conflicts.
"These Mobile Bomas are very useful, and there has been no livestock attack recorded inside a Boma since we started using them, unless one leaves their livestock outside," remarked Chief Mola.
Chief Mola also demonstrated how the Mobile Boma at his homestead functions and explained when it should be moved to ensure its continued effectiveness.
The team then visited Mr. Shumba, a beneficiary of the Lion Lights initiative. He expressed his satisfaction with the project, noting that since installing the lion lights on his kraal, no lions have ventured near it. However, lion spoors can be seen in the morning at a distance from his kraal. Mr. Shumba suggested extending this initiative to more households, especially those at the far end of the community where lions typically enter, so they too can benefit.
Another significant stop was at the homestead of a farmer who, after receiving advice from a community guardian, constructed a raised kraal. This shows the farmer's dedication to keeping their livestock safe. He explained the advantages of raised kraals over traditional ones, such as reducing the risk of livestock diseases and protecting livestock from predators.
The Nyaminyami project tour concluded with Mr. Fred, the CEO of Maliasili, expressing his admiration for the work being done by WCA and the strong relationships the community guardians have built with the people they serve. He emphasized the importance of spending more time exploring the work of these dedicated guardians.
The WCA and Maliasili teams also had a meeting at the Nyaminyami Rural District Council office with the District Development Coordinator, Mr Gumbochuma, CEO, Mr Chinodakufa and Environmental Officer, Mr Varandeni. The DDC, Mr Gumbochuma shared positive feedback:
"WCA is our organization, and we are happy with how you keep on supporting them. We appreciate the efforts in shaping our people, and perhaps we could initiate exchange programs where our Community Guardians could visit other countries to learn from different people, cultures and how those communities are also reducing human-wildlife conflicts."
This insightful comment shed light on the strong relationship between WCA and the local community. The CEO, Mr Chinodakufa also expressed a desire for WCA to expand its work to the remaining wards in Nyaminyami, so that we can cover the entire district.
Fred echoed these sentiments, noting, "The name Nyaminyami has been famous for so long, and to come here and see the work WCA is doing in trying to make humans and wildlife live together is amazing."
After concluding the Nyaminyami visit, the team traveled to Chizarira National Park in Binga, where they visited the WCA Research and Conservation Leadership Camp site. The WCA and Maliasili team had the opportunity to officially erect the camp site banner and tour the area, marking another successful milestone in the partnership between WCA and Maliasili.
The visit was a resounding success, we are always happy to host our partners and funders so we can showcase the results of our joint efforts to fight human-wildlife conflict. A heartfelt thank you to the Maliasili team for their continued support and engagement with our conservation initiatives!
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