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At Xigera Safari Lodge, we have unveiled a brand-new partnership with Wild Entrust Africa to introduce three impactful new community-focused projects, covering conservation, education and women’s empowerment, for the region’s local Habu community.

Wild Entrust Africa is a Botswana-registered not-for-profit organisation that focuses on conservation and management of wildlife and wildlife habitats through applied science, education and sustainable development.

Dan Myburg

The Habu community is one of the closest villages to Xigera Safari Lodge, situated on the Delta’s westernmost distributary, the Thaoge River. Wild Entrust has been successfully working with the community since 2014, running an integrated community development and conservation programme that aims to mitigate Human Wildlife Conflict and reduce bushmeat hunting in the area.

Starting in 2021, the new sustainable social enterprise and community development projects will include:

The Village Greens & Women’s Empowerment Project

To address community development through income poverty alleviation amongst Habu’s women and out-of-school youth by establishing a women and youth cooperative to produce and sell high quality, organic vegetables for locals and the tourism industry, beginning with Xigera Safari Lodge.

  • Providing training for Habu women in best agricultural practice.
  • Helping with maintenance and the improvement of garden plots and fencing.
  • Recreating traditional employment for women to increase food security and long-term livelihoods.
  • Development of a village greens vegetable farm stall in Habu village.
  • Supplying compost generated at Xigera from organic food waste to improve the soil structure in Habu and reduce reliance on inorganic fertilisers.

Dan Myburg

Village Lights

To address domestic energy insecurity by providing solar lights and supporting conservation-related learning material for primary school children to be able to study at night.

  • Few homes in Habu have electricity for light to enable children to read after dark. A simple contribution of a solar-powered reading light in the home and relevant reading materials will have a far-reaching impact in improving learning for the 350+ primary school students in Habu.
  • 150 silicon solar lights will be provided to students as well as supplementary learning materials, curated for primary students by Coaching Conservation, which is a part of Wild Entrust Africa.
  • Guests will also be able to purchase lanterns in the Xigera Shop, where a donation will be made to the trust. 

Dan Myburg

Coaching Conservation Program

To engage primary school children in understanding the value of conservation through play and sport for their future wellbeing.

  • Wild Entrust facilitates a Coaching Conservation programme at the Habu primary school. Coaching Conservation’s unique Learning from Wildlife curricula is entirely delivered through games and activities rather than classroom learning and has proven to be a very effective way of exploring critical conservation issues with students. All of the programmes are based in play and capitalise on the inherent value of sport.
  • For 2021, an abridged, single day version of the programme will take place, called a BushRAP (Rapid Awareness Programme). The Animal RAP is Coaching Conservation’s activity-based programme designed to focus students on an animal mentor that they have a lot to learn from in terms of respecting Yourself, Others and the Environment.
  • The BushRAP combines this animal mentor activity with an exciting day in a wildlife area for students to feel the full benefit of a personal experience with wildlife in a positive environment. In 2021, Coaching Conservation will partner with Xigera Safari Lodge to take the Habu village grade six class on this BUSHRap as a community outreach programme.
  • In the future, it is hoped the full programme will be able to be delivered to students.