Hello from Zimbabwe

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourself Here' started by Laurie Simpson, Jun 21, 2012.

  1. Laurie Simpson

    Laurie Simpson Junior Member

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    Hello there,

    I have been interested in permaculture for some time and I took part in an introduction course a few months ago. I am currently building a cob home on the edge of hwange national park in Zimbabwe which is the first step on my permaculture journey. Until now I have been living inside the wildlife area with my husband and son. we took the decision to go and live with the communities living on the edge of the park who face difficulties with wildlife, elephants raid crops, lions and hyenes killing livestock. We want to live a sustainable life style and help the communities find simple solutions to live alongside these animals. We want to try a chilli fence and beehive fence for elephants and better kraal designs for livestock, anyone with any experience in this area any help and advice would be great.

    I have made a blog about the progress of the house and this project if anyone is interested have a look. https://dancelikeanelephant.blogspot.com any natural builders feel free to give any advice!!

    Also if there are any permaculture people in Zim who have any information on the full design course that would be great, as far as I know there are no courses being run here.

    Thanks

    Laurie
    :)
     
  2. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Laurie

    Welcome to the PRI Forum.

    What motivated you to take 'the decision to go and live with the communities living on the edge of the park'?

    The photos and text on your blog are excellent! Thanks for sharing.

    Cheerio, Mark.
     
  3. Laurie Simpson

    Laurie Simpson Junior Member

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    Hi Mark,

    Thanks for the reply and the welcome! My husband works for a project studying lions inside the park so we have been living inside the wildlife area which is amazing and we love it. We want to not only live with wildlife in this way but live a truly sustainable life grow our own food etc and within the park this isn't possible. We would like to try and help the community find solutions to the problems of living with animals who can destroy their livelihoods without in turn harming the wildlife. I really want to do a full permaculture design course to help to design the plot but at the moment there are none running in zim, hopefully in future!

    All the best
    Laurie
     
  4. Finchj

    Finchj Junior Member

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    Love the blog!

    Be sure to do some experiments with elephant dung. I'd love to hear its virtues as a fertilizer/worm bedding!
     
  5. mouseinthehouse

    mouseinthehouse Junior Member

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    hi from a Hwange NP fan!

    Hi Laurie!

    I was so excited to read your post! In 2003 I spent some time as a volunteer research assistant for the Spotted Hyena Research Project in Hwange and during that time met with lion researchers in the park and also the Painted Dog crew and other wonderful people!
    It is a very special (and challenging) place with amazing, resilient people of which I am sure you are one :)
    We have been back to Africa every year and a trip to Hwange is definitely in my plans in the near future.
    I will check out your blog in a moment - can't wait to see it. :))
    I read of a project in Lesotho with key hole family gardens - it was proving very successful on marginal, difficult terrain and soils.
    Anyhow, best of luck and I will try to keep in touch.
     
  6. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Laurie

    Great stuff, thanks again, Markos.
     
  7. Laurie Simpson

    Laurie Simpson Junior Member

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    Thanks!!

    Thanks for the interest and the support!!
    Finchj: re the elephant dung as a fertilizer I have tried this in a small fenced vegetable garden where we live at the moment it does have good qualities but termites were a problem. my little vege garden wasn't a great success as despite the fence the monkeys and baboons still found ways to get in and eat or pull up everything!!

    mouseinthehouse, that's great to hear from a Hwange fan!! And that you know the park and the projects here. what a small world!! for sure keep in touch if you are coming to Hwange in the future.

    All the best Laurie
     
  8. Dean125

    Dean125 New Member

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    Welcome to forum.
     
  9. P.A.T.H

    P.A.T.H Junior Member

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    Hey there Laurie, Chris Wright here from Harare. I've recently signed up... I know your thread is from ages ago but I thought I'd respond anyhow. I had a look at your blog - you're doing some really interesting things there - Kudos. I had a similar issue getting my PDC - the courses are not run consistently here and the only one I know of is at Fambidzani, but not sure when last they ran one. I did mine through PEA (permaculture education africa) in the Western Cape at The Klien Karoo Sustainable Dry-lands Permaculture Project. Since posting have you managed to get qualified? If not you should connect with them... being on Hwange national park boundary and all - with a focus on dry lands you get a lot of direct beneficial knowledge and practical experience. If you're ever in Harare let me know.. we could link up. I've just been developing a demonstration site here in Harare you can see the early stages here :https://www.facebook.com/permaculturealternativetechnologiesharare
    Anyway nice to know there are other permapeople around.
    Peace.
     

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