Mkuru Camel Safari



Members Mkuru Camel Safari Project is a joint venture between Mkuru Camel Group and Oikos East Africa. Mkuru Camel Group

Mkuru Camel Group is a grassroot organisation based in Northern Tanzania provided with a Constitution and a Regulation signed on 24 November 2005 and with an original logo. The Headquarter of MCG is at Mkuru Camel Camp. The camp is set in the heart of the savannah, is provided with an office, a living and eating area, a resting area, a kitchen, toilets and can host groups of 8 people in simple but comfortable tents. Accommodation for bigger groups can be arranged on request. MCG is run by 16 members (14 men and 2 women), all from the Uwiro village, either Maasai or Meru people. Membership criteria are regulated in the Constitution. Membership is open to all villagers, men and women, of Ngarenanyuki ward who fill certain requirements. The number of members can not exceed 25. Most of the 16 members received specific training as tourist guides. Some of them are able to speak English, drive a car and have some form of schooling. The MCG Leadership is elected every three years and includes the Chairman, the Assistant of the Chairman, the Co-ordinator/Cashier and the Secretary. The Chairman of the group will be supervising all activities of the group and he will make sure that all the decisions made by the group members are implemented. The Assistant of the Chairman will be assisting the Chairman in the decision-making-process for all group activities. The Co-ordinator and Cashier will be responsible for the internal organisation of the group, camp management and relations with tourists, Oikos and/or tour operators. He will be responsible of the financial management (accounting, payment of salaries, bank management, etc.) The Secretary will be responsible for group activities such as keeping the minutes of meetings, announcing the meeting dates to all members, etc. At present, MCG Co-ordinator is Mkuru sub-village leader and is therefore representing the interests of the whole community. The former Mkuru sub-village leader is also a member of MCG. The MCG ordinary development activities are decided in the group meetings which take place every month. The highest decision-making body is the Annual General Meeting where all members come together for the general work plan and for the business development evaluation. Oikos East Africa

Oikos East Africa is a NGO based in Arusha and registered in Tanzania since 1999 (Registration Number SO. NO. 10035). It manages development projects which focus mainly on technical assistance in environmental conservation and management, improvement of water supply, education and awareness on environmental issues, support to community-based tourism and other initiatives of poverty alleviation. Since 2003 Oikos East Africa is managing the Mkuru Training Camp in co-operation with the Mkuru Maasai community to run conservation and development projects aimed at alleviate poverty through a better natural resources management. It has organised several courses for village leaders, Village Game Scouts, Community Animal Health Workers, tourist guides and women groups. Oikos East Africa supported MCG through grants from Donors such as Alpi Marittime Natural Park, Lombardy Region, Cariplo Bank Foundation (Italy) and European Commission, which have been used, so far, to build the new Mkuru Camel Camp and infrastructures; to prepare brochures; to market the camel safari product locally and abroad; to provide training to local guides on natural resources conservation and management, interaction with tourists, customer satisfaction, first aid and basic English class. In addition to grants, Oikos East Africa staff assisted the Mkuru Camel Group in building its financial and management capacities and provide on-site training on how to use and implement the Camel Safari package. The joint venture between Oikos East Africa and Mkuru Camel Group

To address the several constraints and problems faced by the MCG in the management of the tourism activities, in October 2006 MCG and Oikos East Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding in order to join efforts to further develop the initiative named "Mkuru Camel Safari Cultural Tourism Project" (from now on MCS-CTP). In the framework of the initiative, MCG commits itself to run the Mkuru Camel Camp and the Camel Safari through a participatory decision making approach and the involvement of local community. Oikos East Africa commits itself to seek collaborations and funding to offer further training opportunities to the MCG staff, set up a project web site, produce up-dates brochures, promote the project in media, participate in trade fairs and expositions in Tanzania and abroad, upgrade the camel camp facilities and equipment, provide management, technical and logistic support to ensure that the tourism products meet the required private sector standards. According to the MoU a MCS CTP Management Board (from now on Board) composed by the Chairman of MCG, the Co-ordinator of MCG, the Secretary of MCG, the President of Oikos East Africa, the Director of Oikos East Africa and the Director of Mkuru Training Camp. The Board is in charge for two years, and automatically renewable to five years. It is responsible for the development and business plan of MCS product and also for the improvement of the management capacity of MCS. Main goal of the Board is to make the camel safari a viable income generating activity, capable to contribute to the poverty alleviation of the Uwiro community at large. To achieve that goal the Board is now working on strengthening the relationships with public and private sectors such as Tanzania National Parks, tour operators and safari companies in order to integrate MCS into the mainstream tourism industry.