Mix a heady cocktail of sumptuous yet responsible tourism, practical help for the war-weary people of Mozambique and a chance to protect a pristine corner of real Africa - and you have the Manda Wilderness Project.
Established in 1999 as a private company and community trust, the Project has actively involved 20,000 local Nyanja people in carving out a huge conservation area along the shores of Lake Niassa / Malawi. It has helped build primary schools, a clinic and roads in one of Africa's last true wildernesses. And it has created a successful luxury lodge dedicated to boosting responsible international tourism.
In partnership with the Nyanja people of Northern Mozambique, the Manda Wilderness Project invites visitors to explore the beaches and crystal clear water of the lake and the timeless beauty of the Niassa bush. Our vision is to balance community development with conservation through the creation of a sustainable wilderness reserve.
We aim to provide guests with a special stay in a unique place. Carefully introducing international tourism to a beautiful yet undeveloped part of Mozambique, we offer many local people an alternative income to subsistence farming and fishing, whether through direct employment, the production of food and supplies for the Lodge, or the preserving the unspoilt environment.
The Manda Wilderness Project has worked steadily over the past 6 years to foster a sense of community action among the 15 remote villages in the area. Taking both the pace and direction from the people themselves, an Umoji Association (meaning 'as one') has been created, with one member from each village. The association drew Government attention to a previously neglected area, and gave its members a unique platform to share their views.