Sustainable ecotourism explored in Soshanguve

Posted on April 15, 2015

Students in the Tourism Management Division recently visited Soshanguve and the Tswaing Crater as part of their Sustainable Ecotourism module, lectured by Prof Felicite Fairer-Wessels.
 
In Soshanguve/Winterveldt the church community of Pastor Samuel Moshweu was visited, including a nursery school. Children between two and four years of age are cared for and taught basic literacy and numeracy skills through play by two teachers. The school is currently housed in a zinc building that doubles as a church and and Pastor Moshweu is seeking support to build a community hall that can serve a dual function. The students donated cement towards the new building as well as fruit, drawing paper and crayons for the children.
 
The aim of the visit was to raise awareness among the students of the needs of this community, as well as the basic and educational needs of the nursery school. The students were tasked to come up with innovative ideas to engage the community in sustainable activities in order to boost their economy. As the school is adjacent to the Tswaing Nature Reserve, suggestions included the production of authentic curios to sell at the Reserve, since not even a gift shop exists.
 
The nearby Tswaing Crater was also visited to ascertain whether the adjacent communities were in any way involved in the management or activities of the site. This proved not to be the case, although communities are allowed to harvest medicinal plants in the reserve – another set of products that can be sold in the gift shop. Individuals working at the site were from the Soshanguve/Winterveldt communities.
 
Obtaining the trust of a local community is problematic and a long term process as many communities suffer from research fatigue and are not always prepared to welcome strangers in their midst.
 

 
 
- Author Tourism Management Division

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