By Life Connected is a not-for-profit Grassroots organisation in Zambia that focuses on empowering communities around the Greater Kafue Ecosystem. We partner with them to create alternative sustainable livelihoods that are supported by the tourism and wildlife economy of Kafue National Park. By Life Connected’s mission is to create an active link between wildlife and communities such that engagement is direct, strong and sustainable. As a result, threats to wildlife like poaching and deforestation can be mitigated because they are a direct result of high poverty levels.
How?
We have two connected, initial projects which will be implemented in Nalusanga, the entrance village to Kafue National Park. The ‘Farm to Table’ initiative and the ‘Waste to Wealth’ initiative. The first initiative will focus on helping local farmers sell their products to the tourism and wildlife institutions in the park. Currently, these products are bought in the capital because of a lack of organization among the local farmers.
The second initiative will collect waste from the park institutions. This waste will be locally reused as a resource to make new products and subsequently create alternative sustainable livelihoods. It will also improve waste management, as currently the waste is burned locally, brought to a landfill or dumped in the environment.
Combined, these initiatives will create a circular system where products are bought locally and waste is disposed of sustainably.