Shanti Trust projects and news update
About the Shanti Trust's projects:
Lara Pollard describes how the project has evolved: Following a meeting with two Chiefs, Chief Yakucha and Chief Chimbano and we discussed what would be of most assistance to local people and was agreed that income through tourism would give an invaluable means of economic diversification.
We began the cultural center last year and have started it very simply. We offer the tour to our guest and at present it involves a walk around our historical points, the church built by David Livingstone’s missionaries and the graves. Then we walk to the village and meet some of the local people and then proceed to a site we chose as the point we would like to set up the main center. We began to collect some artifacts from around the village and would now like to build a small building that can be the museum and main center. We are using all local products building a local hut in keeping with the village.
You end up at the Chief’s house where you get to experience some local dances, local cuisine, see how the old people still grind millet and for the adventurous have a go in the local dug outs that the fishermen make look so simple! You will also be told by our Chief Yakucha some history of the area and shown some local artifacts. We are in the process of raising money to build a small building which will then be our museum.
The money raised from the tour and museum will be used to assist our feeding program and help set up local people in making crafts from carvings, basket weaving and pot making. The aim of the museum and cultural center is for the young people to keep hold of their culture and have the opportunity to share this with tourists.
responsibletravel.com will be supporting the building of the cultural centre in recognition of the importance of this project in assisting local people to benefit positively from tourism in what is one the poorest countries in the world.
Shanti Trust update from Lara Pollard, October 2008:
The museum is coming along very well. Unfortunally we had a huge loss in August when Chief Yakucha passed away who has been a right hand man in helping me with the projects particularly the cultural centre. However we have a committee that was set up for the running of the museum and have now completed the building and finished putting the shelves inside.
We have begun to plant trees and plants around the centre and are now in the next stage of setting the museum up to start running. In November I have a volunteer arriving who is going to work on the project as she has experience in how to set a museum up.
One of the groups that will be working from beside the museum is the Mbula Pot ladies who began their training a couple of weeks ago and are flying ahead with getting their project up and running. The Mbula pots are a design that has been set up by Ripple Africa and are to be made by the ladies group to sell to people in the community. These pots are made out of clay and are designed to use less firewood, hence benefiting the community and the environment.
Read more about Shanti Trust and our charity commitments
Lara Pollard describes how the project has evolved: Following a meeting with two Chiefs, Chief Yakucha and Chief Chimbano and we discussed what would be of most assistance to local people and was agreed that income through tourism would give an invaluable means of economic diversification. We began the cultural center last year and have started it very simply. We offer the tour to our guest and at present it involves a walk around our historical points, the church built by David Livingstone’s missionaries and the graves. Then we walk to the village and meet some of the local people and then proceed to a site we chose as the point we would like to set up the main center. We began to collect some artifacts from around the village and would now like to build a small building that can be the museum and main center. We are using all local products building a local hut in keeping with the village.
You end up at the Chief’s house where you get to experience some local dances, local cuisine, see how the old people still grind millet and for the adventurous have a go in the local dug outs that the fishermen make look so simple! You will also be told by our Chief Yakucha some history of the area and shown some local artifacts. We are in the process of raising money to build a small building which will then be our museum.
The money raised from the tour and museum will be used to assist our feeding program and help set up local people in making crafts from carvings, basket weaving and pot making. The aim of the museum and cultural center is for the young people to keep hold of their culture and have the opportunity to share this with tourists.
responsibletravel.com will be supporting the building of the cultural centre in recognition of the importance of this project in assisting local people to benefit positively from tourism in what is one the poorest countries in the world.
Shanti Trust update from Lara Pollard, October 2008: The museum is coming along very well. Unfortunally we had a huge loss in August when Chief Yakucha passed away who has been a right hand man in helping me with the projects particularly the cultural centre. However we have a committee that was set up for the running of the museum and have now completed the building and finished putting the shelves inside.
We have begun to plant trees and plants around the centre and are now in the next stage of setting the museum up to start running. In November I have a volunteer arriving who is going to work on the project as she has experience in how to set a museum up.
One of the groups that will be working from beside the museum is the Mbula Pot ladies who began their training a couple of weeks ago and are flying ahead with getting their project up and running. The Mbula pots are a design that has been set up by Ripple Africa and are to be made by the ladies group to sell to people in the community. These pots are made out of clay and are designed to use less firewood, hence benefiting the community and the environment.
 |  |  |  |
| The start of the museum | The Mbula ladies and museum committee outside the finished building | Museum and cultural centre | Mbula pots - Shanti Trust |
Read more about Shanti Trust and our charity commitments