Many of our guests take the opportunity to experience part of the local culture during a safari. With this in mind, we decided that a short visit to a local fishing village on the shores of Lake Kariba would make an interesting addition to our stay at Musango Lodge. We were welcomed by the villagers and shown around. It was immediately clear that there was a serious lack of funds and basic necessities. In particular, the children had little or no school facilities. 

I could tell that my guests were deep in thought about their experience, and later that evening they began to ask how they could contribute towards making a difference to the people of the village. We agreed that a donation to employ school teachers, and to provide basic medical care and facilities, would be a practical option. This was duly done, and for the next few months we received progress updates from the village committee as to how events were unfolding. 

That was nearly two years ago. We’ve just received a message from the committee saying that as a result of the creation of a legitimate teaching facility, thanks to the contribution from our guests, the Government has now recognised this village as worthy of posting two qualified teachers here on a permanent basis. 

This just goes to show that a positive gesture like this can often develop into a life-changing event. The beneficial effect created by visitors to Africa may easily be overlooked in the excitement of a safari. However, the sense of adventure that draws visitors to our incredible continent certainly contributes to the continued existence of many of its beautiful wild places. Tourism, in its many guises, can go a long way towards helping to maintain a way of life for many of our people surviving in these seldom-visited areas.