An island of change
Approval and enthusiasm from
Chief Mayuni

Plastic recycling is a passion of Chief Mayuni after a conversation he once had with a tourist on a flight who made a negative remark that “plastic is a flower in Namibia, because it is everywhere” The Chief was shocked and as he drove back to the North he realised the truth of the statement and decided to put his mind to change this in his sizable realm.
When Chief Mayuni learned of Tinolla and Dusty’s plans he released Sijwa – a traditional meeting place within his area in the Mayuni Conservancy of Bwabwata National Park, Zambezi, in the very heart of KAZA (Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area) – for this joint venture with the community. After listening carefully to all the presentations, he gave his personal blessing at a large gathering of dignitaries, international media and conservation role players on 17 November 2018 at Sijwa.
With a surplus of passion in everything they put their minds to, Tinolla and Dusty demonstrate a ‘go big or go home!’ kind of attitude and the Sijwa Project is no exception! They’ve just broken ground (literally and metaphorically) at Sijwa to upgrade some of the derelict buildings into workshops.
“This vision is bigger than us – we occupy a tiny space on this planet – but we know the Sijwa Project will make a real difference and demonstrate how people and wildlife can live sustainably together.” – Dusty and Tinolla Rodgers, owners, African Monarch Lodges.
Could you be a
Sponsor?
Lodge guests will be offered a visit to The Sijwa Project to experience local culture, interact with the community members as they go about creating beautiful recycled objects, buy gifts, plant a tree and show support for this community-driven initiative. Sponsors are sought from corporates, tour operators and individuals to help nurture this Project into a shining example of Best Practice for sustainability in a wildlife area. This fits perfectly with the KAZA objectives of sustainable eco-tourism and communities living in harmony with wildlife.
You can expect to hear good news about the progress of The Sijwa Project. Make sure you are signed up to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.


