The initial steps of the project were to analyse the community leadership structures and to help set up a suitable system to represent each village. In partnership with an experienced local NGO - UCA (Uniao da Camponesas e Associacoes de Lichinga - Union of Local Associations), each of the 15 villages involved in the Manda Wilderness Community Conservation Area were trained in the roles of Committees and the need for Natural Resource Management, following this, a committee was elected, of 10 to 12 people with a minimum of 30% women representation.
These Committees monitor and control the use of natural resources within the community's area, prevent hunting, monitor usage and development projects within their community or village. Each committee received many training sessions and advice from UCA on how to achieve the best for their own community.
Committees are assessed annually by the community at large, if and when necessary, members are re-elected.
The first task of the committees was to create a list of their needs and then to decide on which of these needs was the most urgent.
Discussion followed with Manda Wilderness Project, during which a specific project is selected and a contract is drawn up between the Village committee and MWP, stating clearly who will contribute what. During this process, community contribution is heavily emphasised. For example; if a village decides to build a school, in the contract, they are expected to make all the bricks, collect sand and water sufficient to build a primary school.
MWL will only help with materials that are beyond the communities reach. In the contract, MWL agrees to raise funds and to purchase items such as cement, roofing irons and skilled labour.
UMOJI ASSOCIATION (meaning ‘As One’ or ‘United’)
Once the committees became established and started to work well within their respective villages, the next step of setting up an umbrella association could be taken. Once again working closely with UCA and the Provincial Government of Niassa Province, Manda Wilderness Project was able to secure funding from the Swedish Co-operative Centre (Part of Swedish Governmental Aid to Mozambique). One member was selected by each village to be their representative in Umoji Association. This Association is now a legally registered association within Mozambique and has proved to be an excellent platform from which the communities have been heard by the Provincial and National Government.
Each village - represented through their Natural Resource Management Committee - selects what they think of as Development Priorities, and in partnership with MWP, works at reducing this list. MWP insists that each and every project undertaken must have a strong community contribution. This demonstrates that the village members genuinely want the project, by committing time and energy and once complete, encourages a sense of achievement, co-operation and ownership within the community.
There are 15 villages, falling under 6 Community Chieftainships within the Manda Wilderness Project.
Agriculture – (see MWAP): after requests from each and every community, the Manda Wilderness Agriculture Project was set up in 2001 with the specific goals of; improving nutrition, encouraging sustainable farming and assisting small business development. This project continues to be a huge success, with a demonstration farm providing training to over 60 farmers per year.
Find out more about the agricultural project.
Organic fresh produce is served daily at the Lodge.
This project is generously assisted by the Dawe Trust
Future development project – are dictated by the needs and wishes of the communities and villagers themselves. On the whole, most villages are now asking for clean water wells (almost all villagers source water from rivers or the lake).
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