Kyela Envirocare and Cultural Tourism (EnviCulture) is a Registered Non-Governmental Organization, registered on December 13, 2006, reg.#11NGO/1852.

 

EnviCulture was founded by Newton Weston, a native of Kyela, who, among other activities, has been in the tourism industry since 1995: as an employee of a tour company Ker and Downey, Mashado,Kibo Safaris, as a freelance tour guide worked with Nomad Guides,George Mavrudis and later on as the founder of a tour company, Newton Safaris.

 

EnviCulture was formed with the desire to expose to the outside world the virgin land of Kyela, both for tourism purposes, as well as to guarantee its conservation by Eco tourism enriching the village livelihoods with profit making lives from the natural resources around them. EnviCulture has as an underlying principle that these two goals are inseparable.

 

MISSION STATEMENT: 

To increase income by 60% to villagers by 2025 through improved environmental, cultural and Eco tourism activities.

 

VISION:  

To strengthen the capacity of the community livelihoods through Environmental Conservation, Cultural Tourism, gender mainstreaming, HIV Aids awareness and economic development.

 

OBJECTIVES:

1. Introduce and implement the concepts of Environmental Conservation and Cultural Tourism advocacy to the community for profit making lives.
2. Make Environmental Conservation and Cultural Tourism profitable in the community.

 

STRATEGIES:

1. To build a framework that will enable people to use the local human and natural resources to make the transformation from economic dependence to profit making using banana plantations,bamboos etc as raw materials,which are within everybody's reach
2. To encourage participation of tourists within local communities through Cultural Tourism, with the aim of profit making and alleviating poverty. 
3. To apply participatory theater,Memes in Cultural Tours, exhibitions, festivals (e.g. visual Arts & Crafts sales) trade fairs, and cultural events (e.g. Traditional Dances),organized by the villages with an emphasis on environmental conservation and Eco tourism.

 

EnviCulture is working hand in hand with:-

      1.KYENGONET(Kyela district NGOs Network)

      2.MBENGONET(Mbeya region NGOs Network     

4.NACONGO

5.The Kyela District Council and the government of the United Republic of Tanzania  

6.Domestic and foreign tour operators.

Our contacts are:

Email:enviculture@gmail.com 

Phone: +255 765293710

              +255 787167976

     

 

 

DECEMBER 2022

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 KYELA ENVIRONCARE AND CULTURAL TOURISM(EnviCulture)

1.1 OVERVIEW 

1.2 EnviCulture RELEVANT EXPERIENCE 

1.3 Board members

2 EnviCulture BUSINESS 

2.1 VISION 

2.2 MISSION STATEMENT 6

2.3 AREAS OF FOCUS 6

2.4 TARGET GROUPS 6

2.5 MEMBERS 6

3 PROFILE OF OUR TEAM 

3.1 OUR TEAM 7

1.Rev Clement Mwaitebele Board Chairperson            Member

2.Newton Mwakabambo Managing Director, Founder  Board Secretary              Member

3.Allan Mwangwale Director of Finance                  Member

4.Tulimbumi Koroso Administrative and Human Resources Director        Member 

5.Newman Newton Agribusiness Director Member 

1 KYELA ENVIROCARE AND CULTURAL TOURISM

1.1 Overview

EnviCulture - a registered non profit making with its head office in Kyela, Mbeya Tanzania provides economic development and advocacy services to support environmental and cultural tourism enhancement in Tanzania. Over years, EnviCulture works with grassroots entities and self help groups on exploiting environmental, cultural and tourism opportunities and participate actively in the social, cultural and economic development.

EnviCulture interventions are in several broad services and product categories. These are:

• Capacity building and advocacy

• Climate Change and Cultural  tourism research and development

• Capturing and disseminations of environmental and natural resources information and climate change and food chain 

• Training solutions for on the job application

• Alternative sources of energy development 

• HIV Aids awareness

• Gender participation

For EnviCulture, the client relationship is paramount.  EnviCulture works tirelessly to meet customer expectations, clarify the purpose and process of engagements, and assess satisfaction levels.  We create consummate project teams and ensure systematic communication among team members.  Above all, we make certain that contract terms are met, that flexibility is demonstrated in the way client needs are responded to, and that communication with the client is continuous and seamless.

1.2 EnviCulture Relevant Experience

Nurseries prepation Tree Planting and nurturing the trees 2007 - 2022

EnviCulture has been participating on various tree planting projects as Environmental Conservation. The projects aim at emphasizing the establishment of plantations planted  with fast growing species in schools, villages, open spaces that would serve as an alternative source of  raw materials  while producing pressure on natural forests and source of sink all green house gases.

EnviCulture is responsible

 (i) To establish tree nurseries and prepare land for planting, 

(ii) Pilot plantation – establish pilot block plantations 

 (iii) Sensitize the villagers to participate on the project. EnviCulture has planted 100,000 trees on the Mount Livingstone, 300,000 trees in different primary and secondary schools, 700,000 trees in different open spaces and side roads for shade, garden and decorations,with a target of planting at least 500,000 trees every year.

Drama Group 2006 - 2022

 EnviCulture formed drama groups comprised with young people, fired with enthusiasm to do something unique and dynamic for on stage awareness creation,performance in festivals and exhibitions at large. Enviculture Drama group formed by 19 artists who sensitize the public to Cultural Tourism and Environmental Conservation in Kyela. We also work with 13 different groups from different villages, the groups’ travel to various villages in Kyela to give presentations. We intend to develop the group to the point of creating audio cassettes, video cassettes and DVDs, for income-generating purposes. The main focus of the arts and culture program in Tanzania is to promote a creative expression and  strengthen the independent cultural dances, arts, crafts, festivals, exhibitions, pottery, book and film sectors for sustainability.

 

Arts & Crafts

EnviCulture encourages its members as well as other residents of Kyela’s towns and villages to use the resources surrounding them (e.g. Bamboo, clay, etc) to create art-pieces for sale. This work is intended to revive their creativity, preserve culture and move them from financial dependence to sustainability. It also has the effect of keeping residents (including youth) occupied and away from destructive activities such as drug, alcohol, and sex abuse, activities which can endanger their own lives as well as those of others. 

EnviCulture uses a broad definition of the arts and culture, including activities in the spheres of artistic and cultural production, distribution, debate and exchange, without differentiating between "low" and "high" arts or "academic" arts and "popular" culture. For EnviCulture, local traditional art forms, urban popular art, mass commercial culture and academic artistic productions all have their specific qualities. Central, from the perspective of the earlier mentioned objectives, are independent artists and their organizations, cultural centres, art schools, publishers, art festivals, etc.-that are primarily motivated by the communicative and critically reflective role of the arts and culture. EnviCulture will remain open to all sorts and combinations of discipline :the performing arts, the visual arts, film and literature, and new forms of creative expression that use ICT and new media. While recognizing the critical, thought-provoking role of the arts, will not regard art and culture as "instruments" or as a nice package for the communication of a certain message, as of  the case in the development sector. While giving extra attention to specific issues and themes important for reflection and debate ,EnviCulture respects the independent position of artists and cultural workers.

Cultural Tourism activities 2010 todate

In 2007 we explored all tourism attractions in Kyela district,identified all cultural tourism stakeholders and in collaboration with the Kyela District Council we officially started cultural tourism activities as a whole.From 2018 up to now we yearly attend Southern Highlands tourism trade fairs to promote and sell our products and Cultural Safaris.

Products for Sale

In addition to developing and promoting Kyela’s tourist attractions and arts and crafts products, we also provide market linkages for souvenirs, hand-made by our members and other groups.  The products we sell include mats woven from banana leaves, wood carvings of jungle animals, products such as mugs made from bamboo, clay sculptures, and more.  Currently, we support artists to our office as a selling centre for their produce, we also facilitate and participate exhibitions, festival and competitions in the country, and in the future we plan to link them to the international market. 

The main idea of this is to expose the artists to Kyela itself, the country as a whole and international markets to create source of income and profit making to the lively hood of villagers.

Tours

EnviCulture offers cultural tours around the Kyela District, as well as the neighbouring districts Tukuyu, Ileje,Busokelo Makete and Mbeya.  Tours can also be organized to regions in the northern circuit, including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha National Park, Katavi, Mahale,Udzungwa,Mpanga Kipengere,Kitulo,Gombe, Mikumi national parks and JK Nyerere national park

Our guides are trained by our organization to cater to clients’ needs.  Our tours include visits to the Matema,Ilondo,Lugombo,Kajunjumele,Bujonde,Ngonga all of Lake Nyasa which are classic, Mwalalo,Mwalisi river waterfalls of Kyela but also Kaporogweof Rungwe, and other geographical features with the culture and traditions, tribal cultural dances like kibhota,ing'oma,mang'orong'ondo, magosi, samba historical areas,traditional foods,bird-watching, and an appreciation of nature in general. 

 

Each tour includes a major attraction as well as visits to nearby villages.  The options for transportation are walking, cycling, or motor vehicle (motorcycle or car), depending on the distance, and the client’s preference. 

The tours may be half day, full day, or overnight, depending on the specific tour and the client’s preference. Accommodation could be in lodges or cultural hygienic homes as well as camping 

1.3 BOARD MEMBERS

1. Rev Clement Mwaitebele Retired World,Tanzanian Moravian Church Chairperson.Board Chairperson             Member

2. Newton Mwakabambo  Managing Director Founder                                        Member

3.Allan Mwangwale Director of Finance                  Member 

4. Miss Tulimbumi Koroso  Administrative and Human Resources Director                    Member

5. Newman Newton  Agribusiness Director Member

2 EnviCulture BUSINESS

2.1 Vision 

By the end of 2025 participating households will have sufficient income to profit making type of livelihoods. 

2.2 Mission Statement

To increase income by 100% to villagers by 2015 through improved environmental and cultural activities 

2.3 Areas of Focus

To strengthen the capacity of villagers on Environmental Conservation, Cultural Tourism, gender mainstreaming, HIV Aids awareness and economic development.

2.4 Target groups

Rural youths, women and girls, children, men, people involved in drug/alcohol/ sex workers and time abuse, orphans, widows and disabled.

2.5 Members

220 Members (dancers, choir singers, environmentalists, arts and craft men and women). 

5 Management team

1.Board Chairperson 

2.Managing director,

3.Director of Finamce

4.Administrative and Human Resources Director,

5.Agribusiness Director 

6.Internal auditor 

7.Tourism and Cultural advisor Manager,

8.Agribusiness Director,

9.Database Manager, 10.Advocacy and Field Manager)

3 PROFILE OF OUR TEAM

3.1 Our Team

Rev Clement Mwaitebele Chairperson of the Board

Newton Mwakabambo – Managing Director

Newton has been in the Environment, Culture and Tourism Industry from 1995-1997 as an employee with Ker and Downey a U.S based company, 1997-1998  Kibo Safaris, 1998-2000 Freelance Tour Guiding, 2000 2004 registered and ran his own Tour Company Newton Safaris and 2004 started the mission of starting the Kyela Envirocare and Cultural Tourism and registered it in 2006.

The idea of starting this organization came after having been in the industry for sometime he experienced tourist coming to Tanzania more than once and wanting to see something different from the animals and this led to wanting to meet the people of the country in their cultural home.

 

A Dutch NGO in Arusha named SNV started the Cultural Tourism Program in Arusha and Newton saw how the rural people benefited from it.and from that experience came the thought of wanting to do the same in his home area where poverty was and still is a problem and this would be a way take the rural people out of it to certain extent after a certain time.  

Allan Mwangwale – Director of Finance 

Miss Tulimbumi Koroso Administrative and Human Resources Director

Newman Newton Agribusiness Director