A commitment to conservation and responsible tourism has always been an integral part of luxury safari specialist Sanctuary Retreats’ operations ever since it opened its first camp in Kenya’s Masai Mara in 1999.
Says Michael McCall, the company’ Director of Sales Australia, NZ & Asia, “Our philanthropic arm, Sanctuary Retreats Philanthropy (SKP), supports a wide variety of conservation initiatives. And our goal has always been to identify and sponsor long-term, viable and self-sustaining projects which have the support of our staff, visitors and the local communities in which we operate – but more importantly, ones which we hope will actually have a positive impact on conservation efforts in Africa.”
According to Michael, alongside major projects like its Rhino and Cheetah conservation programs in Botswana and the Serengeti respectively, sometimes it’s the little things that can make a real difference. SKP’s Mwika Beekeeping project is one such example. Working with the Mwika village located on the western border of Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park, for the past 9 years it has supported a grassroots beekeeping initiative, the aim of which is to promote conservation of the environment and generate income for the local community.
Says Michael, “We knew from our discussions with the village chief at the outset that beekeeping was something which had significant potential to provide a stable income and food source for villagers. However, we also identified that traditional methods involving stripping trees of bark to make hives, left them vulnerable to disease. So, we supported the villagers by helping them switch the material used in beehive production to sustainably sourced wood, which has meant they’ve been able to continue producing honey while preserving indigenous plants.
“So far the initiative has had a really positive impact on the lives of Mwika villagers. Not only is the honey a healthy and nutritious source of food, but the income generated through sales has delivered a real improvement in livelihoods – and lives, of participating beekeepers and their families.”
Michael believes the project has also been important from an educational perspective. “Bees have an incredibly vital role to play in the Tarangire eco-system, both for the pollination of wild flowers and farmed crops. So, the project has also helped teach the local community – and often our guests, about the importance of bees and their role in the conservation of the environment.”
Since the success of the first harvest of honey back in August 2010, the villagers currently tend almost 40 sustainable hives, with plans to develop and grow to this number to over 100 hives. So far, with the help of donations from guests at nearby Sanctuary Swala, SKP is well on target to reach this goal and has also been able to donate vital equipment to the beekeepers along the way. Even better, Mwika honey is now available for purchase at both Sanctuary Swala and Sanctuary Kusini, as well as Arusha’s local farmers’ markets, and guests staying at Sanctuary Swala can also visit the Mwika village to learn more about the project.
Prices at Sanctuary Swala start from USD500 per person per night, twin share, for 1 – 3 nights, including all meals and drinks (excluding premium brands) and transfers to and from the airstrip to the Camp.
.jpg){kind=tracking}
