Year End Livelihood

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”3676″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1703745707811{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]I am sometimes asked why wildlife conservation organizations care or invest in human development issues. In essence, my response is that for true and lasting conservation efforts, we must actively involve and uplift these communities, recognizing that we are all an integral part of the web of ecological balance.

Effective conservation can’t rely on just reactionary measures. Without addressing the daily challenges that communities face, such as human-wildlife conflict, and providing fundamental and sustainable pathways to food security and income streams, attempts at wildlife conservation are ignoring a deeper, systemic issue.

Here are some ways VFWT is working to enhance rural livelihoods, and what you can do this year’s end to help provide tools and resources for a sustainable source of income and nutrition to the people of Victoria Falls. (Plus, there’s a cool last-minute gift idea at the very end that you won’t want to miss.)

By feeding your spirit of generosity, you are cultivating change and inspiring growth in our communities. Together, we are helping to ensure a bright future for wildlife and people. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

For Wild Africa,

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Roger Parry
Wildlife & Research Manager[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_btn title=”DONATE” color=”sandy-brown” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fweblink.donorperfect.com%2FVFWTYREND12023″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1703745802168{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]In October, Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust welcomed our first team of Eco-Herders to the area! Selected from the local community, these individuals have received training from the South African Wildlife College and are working to develop a livestock value chain and improve rangeland health in the communal areas. The community has formed a grazing association, will jointly herd their cattle, and corral them in mobile predator-proof bomas at night. This will rotate grazing areas, improve livestock health, and significantly reduce wildlife-livestock conflict. [/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3672″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1703745954499{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]It will also create fertile ground for increased crop production. As mobile bomas are moved to new areas, the ground left behind is twice as fertile, yielding significantly more crops. We will augment this by distributing maize, millet and sorghum seeds to the communities and are promoting gardening packages for women, who play a pivotal role in supporting their families and communities. Each garden package provides these women with the tools and resources they need to cultivate a sustainable source of nutrition and income.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3673″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1703745941885{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]We’re also collaborating with local businesses to create value chains. Victoria Falls River Brewery is a nascent partnership that is purchasing millet from rural farmers, which provides them with much-needed income. The brewery then uses the millet to produce a craft beer and then donates the fermented grain back to the farmers to feed their cattle.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3674″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1703745928450{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Ultimately, empowering these communities with sustainable alternatives that address and benefit the community reduces their dependence on destructive practices like poaching or deforestation. Empowered communities are more likely to collaborate with national parks officials, call on The Trust to rescue injured wildlife, and participate in other conservation initiatives.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1703746401668{background-color: #278228 !important;}”][vc_column_text align=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1703746353111{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA

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Donate here or contact Tracey@vicfallswildlifetrust.org.

Women play a pivotal role in supporting their families and communities in rural areas. By sponsoring a garden package, you provide the tools and resources needed to cultivate a sustainable source of nutrition and income. Your tribute gift of $50, $75, 0r $100 will provide an array of gardening tools, seeds, and aids that will help transform a patch of barren, arid land into a thriving garden, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

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VICTORIA FALLS WILDLIFE TRUST
PO Box 159, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe | +263 782 799 006
PO Box 23183, San Diego, CA 92193 | 619-602-1725
9 The Clock Tower, Redlers Waterside, Dudbridge Rd., Stroud GL5 3LH, UK
+44 (0)74 76 227 684
www.vicfallswildlifetrust.org | info@vicfallswildlifetrust.org

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