A conservation project launched a decade ago to protect the endangered white rhino and wild dogs is now an assert to the villagers surrounding the Mkomazi national park.

Elisaria Nnko, the project manager in the newly-established national park told journalists who visited the area last weekend that they had spent Sh 500 million in recent years to support various community projects there.

Projects being supported include education, health, and water supplies in four districts surrounding the park which was last week elevated from a game reserve status.

The villages are in the four districts surrounding the protected area--Lushoto, Korogwe in Tanga region and Same and Mwanga in Kilimanjaro. This year alone some Sh. 17m has been budgeted by the project to support the local communities, he added.

Mr. Nnko said the support extended to the local communities have enabled them to supplement what the park authorities are doing to protect not only the two endangered animals but other animals and the entire ecosystem.

He could not reveal the number of villagers supported but said assistance given also included bags of cement for construction of schools, health facilities and local administration buildings.

Recently some 200 bags of cement were given to the villagers although he admitted that the demand for support from the park authorities has been rising continuously.

Among the schools which have been supported  by the project Kivingu and Lunguza primary schools in Lushoto district and  Vudee, Marindi and Kisiwani secondary schools in Same district.

Others are Pangaro primary school and Shighatini secondary school in Mwanga and a secondary and primary school at  Mapanda village in Korogwe district.

Mr. Tony Fizjonh, the director of the  rhino and wild dogs conservation project said the number of rhinos brought there for proection from South Africa has increased. However, he gave no statistics.

He said poaching has also declined in the vast park which became a protected area in 1970 when the government made it a game reserve.

Last week, the minister for  Natural Resources and Tourism Prof. Jumanne Maghembe told the parliament that Mkomazi has been upgraded to a national park under the Tanzania National Parks which manages 14 other parks across the country.

http://www.arushatimes.co.tz/local_news_7.htm