Kataara Women’s Poverty Alleviation Group
The enterprise works with women to make paper from a unique local product - elephant dung. The innovative paper is used to make handicrafts like cards, menus, and notebooks that are sold to tourists. Women are also trained to construct energy-efficient cook stoves, which the enterprise markets locally.
Women work as paid employees and contribute a small membership fee to the enterprise. Profits are reinvested back into the enterprise as well as a micro-loan scheme that serves members. Using the dung is also creating a strong sense of community cohesion; people see the benefits in looking after the elephants and work together to better their habitat and the overall environment.
- Improving livelihoods through the sale of handicrafts and elephant dung paper, thus generating profits for enterprise members.
- Fostering a sense of community cohesion by showing how locals can work together to create innovative products that
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the sale of energy-efficient cook stoves.
- Helping minimise deforestation and land encroachment surrounding the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
- Setting incentives for the conservation of the local elephant population.
- Creating a local industry through the sale of cook stoves, handicraft products and elephant dung paper.
- Helping provide low-interest loans for members; available because a portion of the group’s profit is invested into a savings scheme held by the enterprise.
Partners
Kataara Women's Poverty Alleviation Group manages and operates projects that minimise environmental impacts on Queen Elizabeth National Park while maximising community benefit in Kataara Parish.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) provides technical and funding support to the enterprise. They also provide media, marketing and communications support – helping the enterprise to share its messages with international audiences.
Rubirizi District Local Government provides the enterprise with the services of one of its staff members, whose role is to provide technical support and training to members of Kataara Women’s Poverty Alleviation Group.