Ngomzamo wokukhuthaza ezokuvakasha ezindaweni eziningi ezisemaphandleni enyakatho yeTanzania, inhlangano engenzi nzuzo inikeze i- Uhlelo lweLongido Cultural Tourism (LCTP) ngemishini yokuqinisa ukusebenza kwayo.
I-Oikos East Africa, ngokusebenzisa iphrojekthi ye-European Union exhaswa yi-Conservation Neighboring Ecosystems eKenya naseTanzania (i-CONNEKT) ithumele iphakethe lesimanje lobuchwepheshe bezokuvakasha ukuxhasa ingubo yezokuvakasha yamasiko eLongido ukwenza ngcono ukuhlinzekwa kwezidingo kubavakashi.
"Sithathe isinqumo sokuhlomisa uHlelo lweLongido Cultural Tourism ngamakhithi ezokuvakasha emvelweni wethu wokuthuthukisa ukusebenza kwawo kanye nokuhlinzeka ngezinsizakalo kubavakashi abahlose ukuhlola iLongido," kusho uMqondisi Omkhulu wase-Oikos East Africa, uNks. Mary Birdi.
Izinto zihlanganisa imishini yokukhempa yamatende ayi-10 okungamatende ama-5 osayizi abahlukene, izihlalo zekhempu ezigoqekayo eziyi-10, amayunithi ama-3 wamatafula wekhempu yensimbi, amayunithi ama-2 wamatafula ekhempu ye-aluminium, amayunithi ayi-10 omatilasi bekhempu abanezembozo zekhanvasi, imishini yekhishi yabasekhempini abangu-12, Amalambu amane elanga, isitofu esincane segesi, kanye nesiqu esikhulu sokugcina.
Ohlwini kunamayunithi ama-3 wamabhayisikili asezintabeni azoqashwa kubavakashi abahlose ukuzihlolela indawo esehlane yaseLongido bebodwa.
"Inhloso yokwedlula yonke yomnikelo wezinsizakusebenza zokuthuthukisa ezokuvakasha ukukhuthaza ukukhula kwezokuvakasha esifundeni saseLongido, ukuze sikwazi ukungenisa imali kubantu abavamile nakuhulumeni wasekhaya," kuphawula uNksz Birdi.
Umxhumanisi wohlelo lweLongido Cultural Tourism, uMnu. Alliy Ahmadou Mwako, uthe ukwesekwa kwemishini ye-eco-tourism ye-Oikos EA kuza ngesikhathi esifanele, njengoba izivakashi ezomele uhambo lokuzijabulisa bezilifuna ngegiya.
"Le mishini ngeke iqashwe kuphela izinkampani ezizimele ukuletha imali kulo msebenzi, kodwa izosetshenziswa nabavakashi bethu abanentshisekelo yokuhlola iLake Natron," kusho uMnu Ahmadou ngemuva kokuthola igiya.
Ngakolwakhe uhlangothi, uMphathi Wezemidlalo Wesifunda saseLongido, uMnu uLomayani Lukumay uncome i-Oikos EA ngokuba phambili ekuncomeni imizamo kahulumeni ngokusungula nokuxhasa amaphrojekthi wokuthuthukisa umphakathi ngenhloso yokufeza uhlelo olusimeme lwezenhlalo nezomnotho.
“I-Oikos EA ibe ngumlingani wethu weqiniso mayelana nokongiwa kwemithombo yemvelo. Isibonelo, ikwazile ukugqugquzela nokunikeza amandla umphakathi ukuthi ubambe iqhaza ngqo ekulondolozeni nasekuxazululeni izingxabano phakathi kwabantu nezilwane zasendle, ”kuchaza uMnu.
Unxuse abahlomuli bohlelo lweLongido Cultural Tourism Programme ukuthi basebenzise imishini ye-eco-Tourism njengesihluthulelo hhayi kuphela ukwenza ibhizinisi lezokuvakasha, kodwa futhi babe ngamanxusa amahle omkhankaso wokongiwa kwemvelo.
"Sikholwa ukuthi lezi zimpahla zokuvakasha kwe-eco-Tourism ngeke ziqinise kuphela ingubo yakho kwezomnotho, kodwa futhi zizoba yisikhuthazo kuwe sokuqinisekisa ukuthi i-Wildlife kanye ne-ecosystem ziphephile ukuhweba okusimeme kwezokuvakasha" waphawula.
Uhlelo lweLongido Cultural Tourism Programme (LCTP) olunenkaba yalo esifundeni iLongido, esifundeni i-Arusha, ngokubambisana nabakwaLongido Tourism Trekkers basebenza ngaphakathi nangaphesheya kwesifunda esinamasiko aseLongido.
UMnu Ahmadou uthe uhlelo lwakhe lukwazile ukudala amathuba okuvakasha ahloniphekile angama-15 kubantu abasha bendawo futhi manje usebenza isikhathi esengeziwe efuna imakethe yezandla yabesifazane.
AmaMaasai endawo, ukuze kuzuze umphakathi wawo, aqhuba uhlelo lwamasiko eLongido ngaphansi kweTanzania Association of Cultural Tourism Organisers (TACTO) kanye nokuqondiswa okuseduze kwophiko lukahulumeni lweTanzania Tourist Board (TTB) lweCultural Tourism Program (CTP).
Ihlela ukuvakashela emathafeni abanzi azungeze izintaba zaseLongido, amakhilomitha angama-80 enyakatho ne-Arusha, futhi ifaka ukuqonda amasiko esiko lamaMaasai. Indawo enothile iyikhaya lezinyoni nezilwane ezincelisayo ezingavamile.
Uhambo lufaka umzila wemvelo wokubona izinyoni, uhambo lokuhamba oludabula amathafa aseMaasai emithambekeni yentaba yaseLongido, ukuvakashela amadolobhana endabuko aseMaasai, ukuvakashelwa kwezindawo zomlando ezisukela ezikhathini zamakoloni aseBrithani, kanye nokuvakasha kweLake Natron, phakathi kwabanye.
