Community Around Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, a renowned tourist destination in Zimbabwe, is also home to several community projects that aim to improve Projects the quality of life for children, families, and caregivers.

These projects are diverse and multifaceted, addressing various needs such as education, poverty alleviation, healthcare, and environmental conservation. Here is a detailed overview of the community projects in Victoria Falls:

Community Outreach, Victoria Falls

The Greenline Africa Trust is dedicated to funding community-focused, long-term projects in the rural areas around Victoria Falls. Their four pillars are Health, Education, Livelihoods, and Biodiversity, which are the foundations of all their community programs. These programs support vulnerable individuals and communities, aiming to reduce poverty and financially support local farmers and child-headed households.

Contributions by Volunteers

Volunteers help Greenline staff deliver solutions to local communities. The programs are designed to improve livelihoods through skills training and projects focused on income generation. Volunteers are involved in grassroots projects, working alongside community leaders and school authority

These projects include:

Food Intervention Programs: Providing food to vulnerable families.
School Feeding Projects: Supporting school feeding programs to ensure children receive nutritious meals.
Adult Education: Offering adult education and personal development programs.
Community Agriculture: Assisting with community agriculture projects, including vegetable gardens and livestock care.
Water Aid and Building Work: Delivering safe water and sanitation, and building and painting classroom blocks, toilets, and playgrounds.
Biodiversity Projects: Involving raptor research, beekeeping, waste management, and invasive species removal.

Biodiversity Projects

Raptor Research: Addressing the decline of Victoria Falls’s raptors, which are heavily poached and sold as exotic pets. Volunteers assist in checking breeding sites and conducting population surveys.
Beekeeping: Establishing a community beekeeping program, offering training and assistance to women and youth interested in keeping bees and helping with honey production.
Waste Management and Recycling: Assisting with all aspects of recycling, including sorting, baling, and loading.
Invasive Species Removal: Working in the dense woodland around the waterfall, removing invasive Lantana camara plants.

Project Pricing and Inclusions

Volunteers can join this Community Outreach Programme throughout the year, including Christmas and New Year. The project pricing is as follows:

1 week: $850
2 weeks: $1,650
3 weeks: $2,450
4 weeks: $3,250
Additional weeks: $800 per week
Children aged 11 and under: $700 per week

The cost includes project contributions, accommodation, three meals per day, return airport transfers, laundry and housekeeping, comprehensive orientation and supervision, and a guided tour of Victoria Falls. Volunteers can join for flexible durations, with a minimum stay of one week.

Victoria Falls Community Projects

The Victoria Falls Community Projects aim to contribute towards a sustained improvement in the quality of life of children, their families, and caregivers. The Rose Of Charity (ROC) is a registered welfare organization that was founded by Simangele Moyo in 2007. ROC targets children between 3-12 years who have the streets as their homes, providing food, education, and counseling.

Activities and Programs

Feeding: Children are fed every Saturday with the help of African Impact.
Gardening: Children work on a garden after school.
Extra Lessons and Homework: Daily lessons and homework are provided.
Counseling: Professional counselors are available for children who need counseling.
Income Generating Projects: Initiatives like teddy bear making are used to raise money for school fees and reduce poverty.

Future Plans

ROC is working with the government of Zimbabwe to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by increasing the number of school-going children. They aim to build a home with ten houses, each accommodating four children and one mother. They also accept donations of old computers, stationery, and other items that can be put to use.

Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust

The Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust employs a holistic approach to conservation, involving best science, community participation, and visionary and practical management. Their efforts focus on anti-poaching, wildlife conservation, rescue and rehabilitation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and research to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.

Rescue and Rehabilitation Program.

The Trust works to conserve all wildlife, assisting in the care of injured or orphaned animals due to human interference.

Wildlife Research

The Trust believes that wildlife research plays a crucial role in finding sustainable solutions for long-term conservation. They conduct research on lions, elephants, rhinos, and vultures to understand human-wildlife conflicts and develop effective conservation strategies.

Wildlife Disease and Forensics Laboratory

The Trust has established a Wildlife Disease Diagnostics and Forensics laboratory in Victoria Falls National Park. This laboratory aims to study zoonotic and transboundary animal diseases, contributing to disease surveillance and monitoring.

Community Outreach

The Trust engages in community outreach programs to promote conservation education and community animal health and welfare. These programs aim to foster a culture of coexistence between local communities and wildlife.
Volunteer Opportunities in Victoria Falls
Volunteers in Victoria Falls can support childcare projects and other community development projects. There are various opportunities available, including:

Primary School Volunteer: Working with children aged 6-13 years.
Creche or Kindergarten Volunteer: Working with children aged 2-6 years.
Community Hospital or Clinic Volunteer: Supporting underprivileged patients and staff.
Rhino and Elephant Conservation Volunteer: Combining conservation work with community projects in rural areas.

Rhino and Elephant Conservation

This project combines rhino and elephant conservation work with community projects. Volunteers have the opportunity to experience and learn about wild animals in a safe and natural environment, while contributing to practical conservation activities. They also participate in community projects focusing on education, poverty alleviation, and skills training.

Project Pricing and Inclusions

The project pricing is as follows:

1 week Rhino Conservation / 1 week Community Outreach: $1,800
1 week Rhino Conservation / 2 weeks Community Outreach: $2,600
2 weeks Rhino Conservation / 1 week Community Outreach: $2,700
2 weeks Rhino Conservation / 2 weeks Community Outreach: $3,500

The cost includes project contributions, accommodation, three meals per day, return airport transfers, laundry and housekeeping, comprehensive orientation and supervision, and practical instruction by experienced guides. The minimum volunteering age is 17 years, with no upper age limit, but medical forms are required for volunteers over 65.

In conclusion, the community projects in Victoria Falls are diverse and multifaceted, addressing various needs such as education, poverty alleviation, healthcare, and environmental conservation. These projects not only benefit the local communities but also contribute to the long-term sustainability of the region.

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[…] Falls is by exploring the region’s villages and interacting with the local people. On a Victoria Falls Traditional Village Tour, you can see what life is like around the falls and engage with the local community. These tours […]

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