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Umbono News:<\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/SPAN>
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\niSihangwana <\/FONT><\/FONT>and Tembe Camp Updates<\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/SPAN>
<\/FONT>Posted: 01.05.08<\/FONT><\/EM>

Umbono continues to increase utilization of the buildings at iSihangwana and recently started manufacturing wicker-type furniture made with a welded steel-frame and woven ilala palm fronds. This effort employs dozens of local people from the Tembe area and complements the sewing operation Claire Vaughan-Jones started in 2005.<\/SPAN> \n
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Improvements to the Tembe Elephant Park Camp are underway. The promotion of tourism provides jobs and hope for the locals, and the camp must compete with similar ventures operated for profit throughout South Africa. Along with the addition of new matriarch tents and construction of new dining and lounge areas, the camp is replacing game drive vehicles this year. In July King Israel Tembe came to the camp to personally thank Umbono workers for their love and contributions to his people.<\/SPAN><\/P>\n
While visiting the clinic and daycare in mPembeni, we toured the government complex at Hlabisa. There we saw a beautiful new library which, unfortunately, has no books and no money to purchase books. Terence Rose\'s oldest daughter, Alexandra, has concluded a book drive here in the states and will be shipping approximately 4,000 books to the library.<\/SPAN><\/P>\n
Crossroads Church, a mission-minded church in Concord, NC, has initiated a trip this October. The purpose of the trip is to see firsthand the work Umbono is involved in and to work on projects in the Tembe area. These projects include the rebuilding of a small house which was destroyed by fire, for a 52-year old blind man, and work at several area schools.<\/SPAN><\/P>\n
Jim Lefler, recent graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and son of Dr. Rufus Lefler, is investing a year of his life in Umbono and South Africa. He will work at the Tembe Camp and on projects that he and Nic Vaughan-Jones identify.<\/SPAN><\/P>\n
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<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN>Elephant Culling<\/FONT><\/FONT> \n
\n<\/SPAN><\/FONT>[below is background which has been formulated in regard to the recent announcement that elephant culling will soon become a reality once again in South Africa if more land is not made available to elephants. This can be done through Community Conservation Areas (CCA\'s) in which Umbono is involved and which Umbono has been championing since it’s inception in 2000.] <\/FONT><\/STRONG><\/FONT>\n
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Amazingly enough a portion of the elephant culling dilemma is manageable within the framework of the Umbono vision and that is what has consumed much time - convincing the communities who neighbor on these big game reserves to use their land for conservation expansion, and by doing this we do not only expand the much needed elephant habitat, but also create sustainable jobs in ecotourism.<\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/P>\n
These ecotourism jobs are the only jobs which can be created out in the bush, there is no gold nor oil under this sand, and there is no big business about to move into such a desolate and isolated area!<\/SPAN><\/FONT> <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P>\n
What is required to take this process forward is a lump sum of money in a trust account where a dividend can be paid monthly to the communities so that the people earn a benefit out of setting their land aside for conservation. There is no doubt that when correctly motivated, people will be willing to support a cause whereby expanded elephant habitats can be secured which would allow elephant management not to have to resort to culling, <\/SPAN><\/FONT>AND<\/SPAN><\/FONT> with the simultaneous advantage of sustainable socio-economic upliftment of the destitute local people. TWO BIG BENEFITS FOR THEIR BUCKS! <\/SPAN><\/FONT> <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P>\n
Culling is a hot issue, but park managers are left with no alternative as elephants have the ability to modify habitats so rapidly to the detriment of other animals, the vegetation, and the soil.<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P>\n
In the past, as it will surely come to the fore again now, the animal rights groups have come up with money to expand the elephant’s habitat range to alleviate the need to cull. The problem is that they then have certain criteria attached to their funding, which stipilates how to manage the whole area. This obviously leads to an untenable situation. So we need to raise the money without strings attached. I know that if Umbono can raise the money to lease community land then Umbono (with our present position and relationships with the communities) can easily expand elephant range and keep the pressure off elephants, at least for a while, while creating sustainable job opportunities.<\/SPAN><\/FONT> <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P>\n
This has always been the Umbono model. Umbono’s focus must remain on how we can help create an economy so we can pass the stage where we have to continually and eternally request a handout. Umbono must be able to offer people an opportunity where they can be proud of earning their own income and sustaining their families and get past the situation of hopelessness in which these people live. Let\'s help build their self esteem. This comes through pride and self-sufficiency.<\/SPAN><\/FONT> <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P>\n
[Culling for population control has been common in wildlife management, particularly on African game farms. In the case of very large animals such as elephants, adults are often targeted. Their orphaned young, easily captured and transported, are then relocated. Without proper elephant socialization, young male elephants are believed to become unruly and dangerous to other elephants, wildlife and humans. Culling is controversial in many African countries, but reintroduction of the practice has been recommended in recent years for use at the Kruger National Park in South Africa, which has experienced a swell in its elephant population since culling was banned in 1995.]<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><\/SPAN><\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT>");