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Project details

Start date: March 2018
Status: Finished
Duration: 3 months
Country: Zambia
Coordinator: Geertje Lavrijssen
Number of participants: 4
Number of local researchers: 2

Sustainable Development Goals

PAR Report

Other related readings

Sustainable Tourism Challenge

A PAR to improve livelihoods of locals living in South Luangwa National Park as well as intercultural exchange between them and visitors, based on mutual respect and equality.

 

Project team

Situation

There is a huge contrast between visitors of touristic sites and locals living in the touristic area. Also in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia this problem arises. Locals feel disrespected, have no idea what happens with the pictures tourists make of them and communication remains superficial. Moreover, locals feel they are being exploited by international tourism organisations. They are happy they offer them jobs, however they have to work 6 days per week for a salary that does not suffice, leaving them no chance to develop themselves. The focus of the Sustainable Tourism Challenge is therefore to create together with local stakeholders an intervention that improves intercultural exchange between visitors and locals based on mutual respect and equality and to improve livelihoods of locals living in South Luangwa National Park.

PAR Design

Outcome

From this PAR, two focus points for local initiatives were identified. The first goal was to diminish corruption within the local communities and the second to further develop the community by generating income through local initiatives.

In order to fight local (small-scale) corruption, workshops were set up to establish awareness. In all of the surrounding communities one person was selected to join a regional council, as representatives of the communities. This joining of forces resulted in a stronger voice and everybody to be able to address corruption on a higher scale, like in organizations that wouldn’t listen to one person but would to this group of representatives.

This PAR and the enormous drive of the community inspired Challenge Coordinator Geertje Lavrijssen to set up her own sustainable travel agency Meant to Be Travels, offering personal travels to get to know the local community and enjoy Zambia.

Project images