Zanzibar holiday villa
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
We support Carbon Balancing, as with Global warming being a real issue and a direct result of our travels, we have teamed up with Climate Care to give guests the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from flights. Upon making their reservations, guests will be requested to donate – with set amounts from £5.
To minimise the impact of our accommodation on the environment, we take the following measures:
Waste Management – Encourage Recycling:
Our glass, plastic and organic perishables are separated. We have created three separate bins in the garden for re-cycling. Staff are educated and encouraged to practice recycling as a way of life. All perishables are re-used as fertiliser for the garden. Plastics and Glass are taken to a nearby recycling facility on the island.
Subsistence farming:
Through this process we have learnt so much from our local villagers. They are historically subsistence farmers and practice eco-friendly lifestyles and are very smart at agricultural re-cycling. They have taught us how to use vegetable waste better in order to grow our own organic vegetable garden along with planning the seasonal fruit crops.
Collecting rainwater:
You can imagine on an Indian Ocean island water is precious. We are very conscious of how we should use this valuable resource. Rain is bountiful. Being near the equator we have a three-month rainy season from April-June. We have installed large drums on the property that are used for collecting rainwater. This we use for the guest showers and the garden during shortages or power cuts. In the future we will recycle shower water into the garden.
Community
We believe our Direct Impact Tourism is going to make a difference. As per all the examples shown above, there are so many ways to drive this initiative. Through this approach we ensure locals are an integral part of welcoming our guests and benefit directly through the services offered. The impact of this is enormous as families will benefit socially and financially and hopefully this will improve the quality of life for many locals. As mass tourism grows and land becomes developed, seaweed farmers have nowhere to dry their produce. The seaweed needs to be dried in the sun for at least 3 days prior to shipment abroad. We will provide the space on our land to ensure their livelihood is not threatened and will encourage our neighbors to do the same.
Several other larger projects are planned ie providing home schooling for adults (free of charge), organizing sports tournaments on the beach to attract visitors to Bwejuu. Some of our key principles are:
Hiring local talent wherever possible:
The team you will encounter are all locals, hired from Bwejuu Village, some we have known for many years. Time is taken to demonstrate, train, coach and encourage individuals to enhance their skill sets. We provide all the necessary tools and equipment to facilitate the learning process. Employees are paid a minimum wage throughout the learning stages.
Besides the social and financial benefit that has provided for Bwejuu locals, a key benefit has been the improved communication as we learn Swahili and they become proficient at English. To date we have employed over 20 people from the village at any given time. We employ several fulltime staff to assist with day to day management of the property. The numbers of employees vary according to projects undertaken. Projects are varied and can include construction, weaving and carpentry. All the elements including furniture and accessories have been handmade by the local teams.
Equal Opportunity Employment:
All roles are equally important and salaries are paid according to the market rate. Female empowerment is crucial and they earn equally as much as their male counterparts. Guests get involved We encourage our guests to contribute to the local community. We ask guests to bring pens, crayons and stationary for the village school.
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