Kuti is run by a non-profit Trust with the key objective of protecting wildlife and conserving the environment by working together with the local communities.

Thanks to the hard work of the Trustees over the past ten years and the support of donors such as the Beit Trust, Kuti has developed a great deal, with new accommodation, roads and sponsorship of important community projects like borehole maintenance.

As of 2012 Kuti is under new management, and the team will be working hard to develop ‘responsible tourism’ for the reserve, as well as sustainable wildlife conservation, environmental education and community outreach programmes. Kuti has also joined forces with Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, an award winning ‘People & Wildlife’ project based in the capital which has the benefit of bringing in additional volunteers and expertise.

The project also provides jobs for over 30 local staff.

THE CHALLENGE

Malawi has the world’s 5th highest rate of deforestation, and those local to the area will know that Salima District’s population is growing at an astronomical rate – it is estimated that the population will increase a staggering 37% in the next ten years. This is putting huge pressure on natural resources in the area, resulting in both shrinking habitats for wildlife and a rapid decline of resources available for future human generations.

WHAT IMPACT CAN WE HAVE?

With habitats disappearing so quickly, the simple protection of the 2000 hectare reserve itself as a haven for wildlife is a significant legacy. As a community wildlife park we are also committed to supporting the local people. We need to act now by helping to reduce environmental degradation and provide communities with alternatives to destructive practices that benefit both the people and the environment, restoring habitats and promoting sustainable livelihoods.

We are confident that our proposed programmes will have a positive impact. We have identified partners within the NGO community who can help us to deliver our projects, so ensuring that we are building on their success and expertise and not working in a ‘silo’. Furthermore, we believe in ‘community ownership’ and capacity building, meaning that the projects we introduce will have longevity. We have also built up successful relationships with the TA and chiefs of the surrounding communities over the years, who are all in full support of the projects proposed here and have pledged to do all they can to support our work. .