The tourist industry has introduced many new catch phrases designed to promote environmentally friendly travel, but at TIKO this has become a reality. We are taking Eco-Tourism to the next level by promoting responsible travel that highlights and values the traditional culture and conditions of the local district, while at the same time contributing to a sustainable future for the people of this community. All income generated by these activities goes directly back into the project itself and benefits the community.  

Objectives

Tikondane Community Centre was registered as a CBO (Community Based Organisation, a small version of an NGO) in Lusaka in July l999. It is a grassroots venture started by Zambians who adopted Elke's mission of fighting the poverty in Katete poverty through education, especially targeting women. The initiative is structured around the fact that every person in Katete is either infected or affected by HIV/AIDS and the fight against this disease must be fought on a multi-dimensional front that incorporates both community and individual development.

Tikondane is a gem for the tourist interested in finding the real Africa outside the usual lodges or hostels. There have been many new catch phrases within the tourist industry today, promoting environmentally friendly travel, but at TIKO you are able to see this become a reality; taking Eco-Tourism to the next level by promoting responsible travel that both highlights and values the traditional culture and conditions of the local district, while contributing to a sustainable future for the people of this community, as all money made goes directly back into the project itself.

Democracy

Democracy is fundamental to Tikondane, a community centre run by and for the local people of Katete. There is a thriving community school and adult education program, various income generating activities such as our thriving garden and skills training initiatives, as well as important community development work that Tikondane has been pioneering in implementing.

The introduction of democracy has always been fundamental to the Tikondane. The Management Committee Meetings are held every Monday at l4.00 hrs and are based on this concept. In the beginning, members were rather shy, but it has now the accepted become basis for the main decisions taken at the Centre. Meetings can be very lively in that every success is being acknowledged with a proper group handclap.

All groups at TIKO are represented at the Management Committee meetings including the students, the headmen/women of the villages, the Community School chairman, and the Nyasha chairman. At our 2006 Annual General Meeting we hope to decide on a more professional constitution. There are also monthly general meetings for all staff, where again, new modes of interaction are practiced (for example men and women have to mix, rather than sitting in segregated groups).

 

We are told that our group of 25 or so is far too big, and in fact, meetings may last 3 hours, but this is our chance to speak of goals and learn from one another. What TIKO lacks is middle management; most departments are struggling with their administrative tasks. However, there has been great progress over the years. 

Democracy is not a feature of Zambian family life, where just like the chief, the father is obeyed. However through the above mentioned initiatives as well as the formation of a school council, Tikondane hopes to make the democracy a reality for the Katete community.

Today there are 84 people from the surrounding mud huts working in some 20 income-generating activities, getting their skill training on-the-job and acquiring various formal qualifications that will make an actual difference directing not only their own lives, but also those of their fellow Zambians towards a positive future. This website created with the cooperation of the community to show their achievements and to encourage communication with the wider world is a prime example of the desire to achieve sustainable betterment and to share their enthusiasm for progress with all who visit the site. We hope that they will choose to take part is this marvellous venture, either from afar as one of the many donors who help to keep this place alive, or on the here at Tikondane as volunteers sharing in our efforts and successes.