In a small community village near Sioma Ngwezi National Park in Western Zambia, a local entrepreneur is driving social change and stimulating economic growth to better his life and those within his community. Employing young men, as seen in the video, the brickmaker has proven himself an asset to the community by creating jobs for people working on infrastructure developments such as the local school and clinic. Impressed with his work and wanting to support local communities within the area, the builder’s contract has been extended to include the construction of the Ngonye Falls Community Partnership Park campsites, all part of the development of tourism in the area.
Ngonye Falls, a lesser-known tourist attraction in Zambia compared to the mighty Victoria Falls, lies on the Zambezi River just outside the town of Sioma near Sioma Ngwezi National Park. With tourism development plans underway, Ngonye Falls will soon have six fully functioning campsites, half placed on the eastern bank and three placed on the western side of the river. Each campsite will be equipped with a shaded wash-up area and ablutions – everything you need for the perfect camping experience.
These facilities will be constructed using hand-crafted bricks made from a sand and cement mix. The bricks are then neatly stacked and kept wet until they harden before being transported to the construction site. As Simon Mayes, Technical Advisor for Peace Parks Foundation in Sioma Ngwezi National Park, explains, once the campsite is up and running, the community will benefit from the profits made and employment opportunities that come with the opening of tourism infrastructure.
The Ngonye Falls Community Partnership Park was initially opened in August 2017 and is a joint ownership between Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the local communities. Peace Parks assisted with infrastructure development in the park by creating a visitors information centre to attract visitors and donated vehicles to help with road maintenance.
Stay tuned to Peace Parks TV to see the new campsites from Ngonye Falls Community Partnership Parks.
