iSimangaliso wetland park authority officially launched the enkovukeni community resource hub

iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority in partnership with Wild Oceans on the program known as Oceans Alive, together with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Tembe Traditional Authority has launched eNkovukeni community resource hub. This community resource hub is intended to be a valuable resource center that benefits community, provide support for key initiatives such as building ocean awareness, training, micro-enterprise development, employment opportunities for youth, support for community involvement in conservation activities and tourism opportunities, facilitate access to amenities (e.g. library, play area for children, cell-phone charging stations, printers, computers, and internet access), promote craft production and sales, demonstrate projects linked to nature-based solutions and climate-smart agriculture.

eNkovukeni is located on the Northern side of the Park in Kosi Bay. It is one of the disadvantaged community residing in iSimangaliso Park. The community of eNkovukeni use to cross the lake and travel a long distance to Manguzi town just to have computer and internet access to create basic things like CV’s, apply for further learning and employment, do assignments, print documents and do copies. With this Hub up and running, all these community challenges are now over hence no community members to continue pay R60 to go to Manguzi town just to have computer and internet access. This hub is providing them with access to all these services and more without traveling long distance.

The CEO of iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority Mr. Sibusiso Bukhosini mentioned that he is very proud of the strategic relationship that iSimangaliso has built together with Wild Oceans, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Tembe Traditional Council. It is iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority’s Mission to protect, conserve and present its world heritage values for current and future generations whilst benefiting communities living in and adjacent to the Park by facilitating optimal tourism and related development. He further congratulated eNkovukeni community for receiving this facility. Bukhosini also said developing communities such as eNkovukeni community is one of the main concerns of iSimangaliso and it is amongst iSimangaliso’s objectives to empower historically disadvantaged communities.

The representative of the traditional leadership Mr. Vusumuzi Tembe said he is joyful to see such development at eNkovukeni. This hub will make a positive impact to this community because now they will be able to do most of basic things on this hub. He also urge community members to protect the eNkovukeni resource hub. One of the youth from eNkovukeni Ms. Makhosi Mathenjwa couldn’t hold her excitement saying this hub will assist the youth to learn more about conserving nature but mostly they will learn more about animals living in the sea.