In the spring of 2021, the poaching of six lions from Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) made international news. According to Amoniz Muhumuza, headmaster at the Queen Elizabeth Nursery and Primary school in Kihihi, a community bordering QENP, the lions were poached by men from his village in order, “to sell the lion heads to local witch doctors.
Poaching of sensitive wildlife within and nearby to the QENP was identified to be increasing as a result of the restrictive socio-economic policies implemented under governmental Covid management strategies. Essentially, individuals and families were and are being forced to seek alternative sources of income and some have turned to poaching. Having already been involved in several community development projects in Uganda, Good Sun, deciding that $12 per lion was a manageable expense, began sending monthly donations to the Kihihi community, in care of Mr. Muhumuza head of education department QEMF, with the express goal of replacing any potential income from selling lion heads. The following activities were done.
- Rewarding Conservation team of Kameme and Rwerere Villages therefore 6 young conservationists from Kameme and Rwerere Villages were each motivated with UgX 100,000 for championing conservation work
- Starting Bee Keeping Project for reformed poachers; Eight (08) improved wooden Bee Hives were sourced each at UgX 60,000. This was a great milestone towards improving the Bee keeping project as an alternative source of income for reformed poacher group
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