Kawaza Village

"Best family cultural experience", The Times, July 2010 

Since 1989 Robin Pope Safaris has supported education of the children in the Nsefu Village area - forming the charity the Kawaza School Fund. Starting with Kawaza School, this project has the reputation in Zambia of being a great example of how tourism can contribute directly to a community.Now there are two government schools being assisted and two community schools being established. 

In 2009, Jo Pope and Robin Pope Safaris were instrumental in setting up Project Luangwa. Project Luangwa aims to improve funding for the schools around South Luangwa as well as managing the Kawaza School Fund. For further information on Project Luangwa visit www.projectluangwa.org

 For a number of years RPS guests visited the schools and then one day someone said "I would have loved to have spent time in a village - even overnight".  So the concept of Kawaza Village developed and now the community run a tourism project where guests can spend a morning, day, night or more with them.  They are delighted to show the guests their way of life and exchange ideas and thoughts.  The village is not a set up - but the home of a family who have opened their doors to the visitors. It is run by the wider community who employ cooks, guides, dancers, drummers and more - up to 20 villagers.

You can stay anything from a night to around seven nights as a guest at the village.  You sleep in a mud hut, on a mattress with a mosquito net and bedding.  The loo is a thunderbox over a hole and you bath using hot water in a large bucket.  Towel, soap provided.  The food is delicious - all local and cooked by the ladies at the village.  A menu may typically include maize meal, curried chicken, spinach and peanuts and when seasonal some fruit.  Water - you can drink from the borehole pump but if you are not comfortable with this then we can provide enough bottled water for your stay.  You will have an RPS guide with you at all times (unless you request not to).

Kawaza Village is the winner of the prestigious Silver Otter Award 2000, given for the Best Overseas Tourism Project by the British Guild of Travel Writers.

For further information visit www.kawaza.org