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Support The Nyika Vwaza Trust Support Us


Through your generous support, the Nyika-Vwaza Trust in Malawi works with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to improve the conservation of wildlife in the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve.

The Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust will provide the funding for year on year operational costs and specific projects through the generosity of its supporters.

Our Projects in Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve

Lake Kazuni Bund

Every year during the dry season the water levels in Lake Kazuni drop to a critical level making it difficult for the hippotamus population to survive. In 2005, the Malawi Trust constructed a dam (bund) across the outflow of Lake Kazuni into the South Rukuru River. This helped to stablisise the water levels in Lake Kazuni which in turn helped hippotamus and other species to survive until the wet season. The bund is now reconstructed by the Malawi Trust every year as part of our ongoing reserve management.

Hewe Channel

In 1999 the local communities to the north of the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve diverted the Hewe River, by channelling, for fishing and agricultural purposes. This caused considerable drying of the marsh with subsequent impact on animal and waterfowl species, causing a significant reduction in both.

Through a collaborative management approach the local communities agreed to reverse this harmful effect by re-channeling the flow into the wetland ecosystem. They approached the Department of National Parks and Wildlife with proposals for opening up the original water course for a two kilometre stretch. DNPW approached the Malawi Trust for funding the project to the tune of US$ 1,000. The Trust agreed to provide the funding and the work was carried out during January 2007 by a local contractor, and it continues to this day.

The project helps to:

  • Conserve wetland biological diversity

  • Improve wetland habitat for waterfowl species

  • Improve aquatic species particularly fish, otters and crustaceans

  • Act as a water reservoir for hippo

  • Maintain spiritual links with the surrounding local communities with their ancestors

  • Improve continuous flow of water along the Luwewe river resulting in sufficient water at Lake Kazuni and Zara pool which dries up in the dry season

Find out more about how you can support our Lake Kazuni/Hewe Channel projects.

Working with local communities - Chigwere Cultural Village

The local communities around Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh need help. Theirs is a subsistence way of life. This puts pressure on the resources of both areas. Access to clean water, for example, is in short supply. The Malawi Trust identifies projects that could have an immediate impact on the well-being of local communities, such as the water borehole at Chigwere Cultural Village adjacent to Vwaza Marsh. The borehole has proved such a success that the elders of the village have asked the Malawi Trust whether another borehole could be sunk in the same area.

The Chigwere Cultural Village which the Malawi Trust has supported is going from strength to strength as tourists become more aware of it. The enthusiasm of the local communities that own and run it is infectious!