Good day to all our Leopard’s Tale readers!
Empowerment in the bush!
The Zululand Rhino Reserve Foundation along with Private Game Lodges such as Leopard Mountain, have been supporting the local communities that surround the reserve for many years. With the upcoming Women’s Day we thought it only fitting to touch on how the work we and the ZRR Foundation do has empowered the lives of not only the community but the Women within these communities!
Currently the Foundation supports two crèches in our neighbouring communities. Mbuzeli crèche in the Vungama community on our Western boundary was built in 2012 by the reserve and Leopard Mountain, this crèche currently has an enrolment of 45 children under the age of Five. uBhejane crèche was built in 2014, and was recently reconstructed due to ant damage in 2016. Ubhejane is on our North Western Boundary in the Sekane community, the enrolment is 16 children under Five years.
How may you ask does this empower the women in the communities? Both crèche are run by a group of local women from the communities. Both crèche are in very rural locations and empower the mothers of these children to be able to work during the day – the crèche allow these women the time to seek employment while their children are being safely minded at the crèche and help them support their households. This is economic empowerment at its best!
Each year the foundation along with the local Game lodges provide the other local primary Schools with educational game drives within Manyoni – this will see Two Grade 7 classes from Oani Primary on our Northern Boundary, and Manyoni Primary on our western boundary experience a game drive within our reserve. This encourages the importance of conservation but makes each child a part of preserving our natural wildlife, fauna and flora for years to come.
Sparking a generation who believe in the natural wonders of wildlife and can hopefully create a brighter future for conservation! If you want to join us in any of these efforts please see the link below.
https://www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/zululandrhinoreservefoundation
Sightings for the Month
To keep you abreast with our latest and greatest sightings we have decided to give you a monthly catch-up of what has been happening at Leopard Mountain! Check out our Facebook page to see these amazing sightings!
• Badger sighting on route to Leopard Mountain from reserve entrance.
• Cheetah sighting at Leopard Mountain
• Family of Barn Owls taking residence at Leopard Mountain
• Lion Warthog kill
Till we chat again next month
