NGO launches goat pass on project to protect wildlife

Centre for Integrated Community Development (CICOD) has launched a three-year goat pass on project targeting four Traditional Authorities (TAs) around Kasungu National Park.

The Project called People and Nature is targeting over 2,750 households.

CICOD’s Programme Manager, Edward Thole told Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Monday that the main aim of the project was to make the communities self-reliant and not dependent on resources from the National Park.

"This project is going to help the people living around the park with resources which will promote their livelihood so that they must stop encroaching and poaching in the protected area.

“The people and nature project is also packaging a number of developments projects which will be carried out apart from goat pass on programme," he said.

Thole said every Group Village Head (GVH) involved in the project would be equipped with solar powered water pumps to address the challenge of water scarcity in the area.

Parks and Wildlife Officer responsible for Environmental Education, Matias Elisa said that the project would build a better relationship between Park Officers and the communities.

"We are very happy with the project and the goat pass on project because we are sure that the communities will cause less harm to the park as they will have been economically empowered," he said.

GVH Mphita expressed his gratitude saying the project was a relief to them.

"As beneficiaries of this project we are very happy now because our lives will change economically and also our health. We will have safe portable water than before where we were fetching from wells," he said.

The Project is being funded by European Union (EU) and is being implemented in other National Parks in the country.