The Sunday News
SAVE Conservancy in Masvingo has poured about $200 000 into a trust belonging to chiefs from Chiredzi and Bikita as part of their contribution to community development, an official has said.
The trust which is called Save Valley Community Development Chiefs Trust (SVCDCT) comprises four chiefs; Tshovani and Gudo in Chiredzi, and Ziki and Budzi in Bikita whose areas borders Save Valley Conservancy. The initiative is part of the conservancy’s contribution to the community.
In an interview yesterday, SVCDCT chairman Chief Hebert Chimene Budzi confirmed the development saying they have already finished working on a deed of trust and opened trust account with a commercial bank. He said besides the conservancy contributing to the trust, the trust would also receive money from independent hunters as and when they operate.
“We have registered a deed of trust and we have an account now. We will receive 60 percent of what the conservancy gets per year and the initial deposit is not less than $200 000,” said Chief Budzi.
Chief Budzi said the money would be deposited into the trust’s account through the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority which would retain 40 percent. He said the money would benefit all the communities represented by the four chiefs who were all part of the trustees to the initiative.
“This has been long overdue and the communities have come of age in terms of claiming what rightly is theirs,” he said. Another trustee Chief Tshovani from Chiredzi said the move was welcome as the people would now be benefiting from the conservancy proceeds.
