Bilimungwe Bushcamp

Bilimungwe is home to delicious local and international food that can be consumed in some of the most stunning settings in Africa. Wake up and eat your breakfast at the secret spot that houses incredible views of the river, and in the evening, enjoy your dinner under the Milky Way itself in the elegant boma. Dining will be yet another aspect of your trip that you simply will never forget.

Game drives offer guests the chance to witness some of Africa’s most impressive wildlife with their own two eyes, and possibly take stunning shots that will forever serve as reminders of the time they stayed at Bilimungwe. With a variety of wildlife on offer, the game drives allow you to explore far and wide, taking you much further than the walking safaris will. Drives usually take place in the early morning or late afternoon, to avoid the worst of the sun’s blazing heat.

Night drives are also available, with views of both nocturnal creatures and the unspoilt African sky, which clearly shows the Milky Way.

ln 2009, Luangwa Conservation Community Fund was founded by Andy Hogg of Mfuwe Lodge and the Bushcamp Company, spearheaded by a knowledgeable group of photographic tour operators in South Luangwa. These dedicated and passionate people had a long term vision of sustainability for the South Luangwa Conservation Society and local community projects.

They realised that without the wildlife and habitat in Luangwa, there would be no business and a special place would be lost. They also knew that without involving local communities and focusing on education, there would be no hope of protecting Luangwa’s amazing wildlife for future generations.

Funds are split evenly between conservation and community projects. Guests are normally satisfied to know they have contributed directly to ensuring the ongoing survival of the wildlife and environment, as well as the development of the local community.

Over the past few years, TBC’s primary and secondary sponsorship programme has increased remarkably from 100 pupils to over 350. Primary and secondary school pupils remain an important focus, with many pupils being sponsored throughout their education by generous guests and donors. Guests who are interested in assisting to educate a pupil are encouraged to donate to the Education Fund. Donations are pooled in order to ensure that the fund has the necessary resources to support a selected pupil throughout their schooling.

One-to-one sponsoring of an individual pupil by a donor is not supported for several reasons; for example, the donor may have to pull out of the sponsorship if their circumstances change, leaving the pupil without a sponsor, which is obviously distressing for both the donor and the student.

The intention is to commit to sponsored students from an early age and see them all the way through tertiary education where possible. Consequently, the costs and commitment to an individual become higher as they progress, and it is often difficult to predict the future course of a student’s progress.

To avoid these stresses and complications, donors are encouraged to send what they can to the central Education Fund. Sponsorships are then individually tailored to the pupil rather than trying to fit a pupil’s needs around what a donor can commit to.

It is very rewarding and motivating for the donor to follow the progress of particular individuals in order to experience what their support means, so news of students’ progress is regularly passed on to donors. Donors are also most welcome to visit the local schools and meet students from the Education Fund.

This way of giving means there is a lot more flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the students. It allows us to sponsor students who otherwise may not attract sponsors and also allows the donor to change and adapt their giving without being stressed about what such a change would mean to an individual child.

As part of a commitment to providing educational opportunities to local children, 2,500 meals per day are provided at Chiwawatala Primary School, Mfuwe Day School and Aunt Mary’s Academy. Some students get up at 5am to walk 15km to school, do a full day of lessons, then walk home with nothing to eat. The mental and physical challenges the pupils face are obvious, as focus, energy levels, and concentration decrease. Correct nutrition is a vital part of a child’s development.

Attendance and academic results have increased significantly as a result of these meals. During the first year of the programme, Mfuwe Day School had the highest number of Grade 12 final exam passes in the District, an increase of 40% in one year.

A full and nutritious lunch of the traditional nshima with a variety of either beans, soya pieces, vegetables, or meat, provides the necessary energy for the afternoon session of studies that so many pupils used to lack. It allows them to focus on studies and extra-curricular activities, with much-improved results as a result.

In 2014 , an ambitious project to provide safe, clean water to villages in the local community was launched. Most of us take our safe, clean water for granted. Whenever we feel thirsty, need to wash, or water our gardens, it requires little thought or effort. Unfortunately, half of the world’s population lacks this most basic of life’s necessities.

It is estimated that, in Africa alone, over 345 million people are without access to clean water. Women collectively spend 200 million hours a day collecting water, and more than 3.4 million people die each year from water-, sanitation-, and hygiene-related causes. 99 percent of these deaths occur in the developing world. In the Luangwa valley, local communities are growing rapidly in size, and the majority of villagers lack convenient access to safe, clean water.

Safe, clean water is available, but it is stored underground. To reach it, deep boreholes must be drilled and central pumps provided. This is not a difficult task, but it does require funding and planning. The Bushcamp Company, in conjunction with its donors, has already embarked on an ambitious project to provide a number of boreholes in various villages. Each borehole costs around US$7000 to construct, but with continuing donor support, the plan is to continue extending the project.

By the end of 2019, TBC had provided 115 new boreholes, with 20 more planned for 2020. This is a project considered to be vital for the well-being of the local communities, providing tangible benefits to thousands of people.

The rapidly growing community around the South Luangwa National Park lives with wild animals on its doorstep. This co-existence can be a real challenge and even life-threatening. It is vital for the survival of Luangwa’s wildlife that local people benefit from this wonderful resource and do not suffer.

The Bushcamp Company is committed to ensuring that the community around the Park has a reason to conserve it. Education is the key to a successful future and much-needed help is provided to three local schools. With generous donations, TBC have been able to pay teachers’ salaries, build classrooms and staff houses, provide access to clean water, and take schoolchildren into the Park on game drives.

Through the ‘Charity Begins at Home’ programme and with support from guests and other charities, TBC also currently sponsors over 350 school children. As well as providing long-term support for the Kakumbi Community Clinic, they also support a local theatre group which performs plays for the guests about human-wildlife conflict.

The local staff are considered TBC’s most important asset; some of them have worked for the company for over 20 years. They are trained to be the best that they can be and encouraged to progress and develop their skills and responsibilities. Staff and their families are entitled to assistance with medical costs and have access to a programme that pays for one of their children to attend school. TBC also runs programmes on HIV and AIDS awareness for their staff. The Bushcamp Company played an integral role in setting up the Luangwa Conservation & Community Fund (LCCF) in 2009; this Fund helps provide vital funding for many of these community projects.

TBC runs a number of tree planting initiatives at local schools each year. These programs provide fun and motivation for pupils, simultaneously teaching them about the importance of the environment, primarily focussing on the issue of deforestation. The pupils take great pride in their trees and the programs have been very successful in educating them and helping the environment.

Zambia’s Luangwa Valley is the country’s main destination for wildlife-based tourism, but it is threatened by a multitude of problems, such as poaching, rapidly growing human economies, lack of adequate information on wildlife species, and a lack of training, education, and employment opportunities for local people who need to learn how to conserve their wildlife resources. In a time of pressing environmental and social problems, sustainable wildlife-based tourism is of paramount importance for ecosystems, wildlife, and local communities that depend on them.

During the 1970s and 1980s Zambia lost the majority of its elephant population and the entirety of its rhino population to poaching. However, the elephant population has started increasing again as a result of increased and improved law enforcement. Despite being one of the most wildlife-rich areas in Africa, its natural heritage remains under threat from poaching and other illegal activities.

To help combat these threats, The Bushcamp Company is a proud supporter of three local wildlife organisations – Conservation South Luangwa (CSL), the Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. These organisations work together on various conservation efforts to address issues and conserve the Luangwa Valley’s wildlife. TBC substantially increased its support for these organisations by providing a light aircraft for aerial anti-poaching and research activities.