The eco view
We appreciate the fact that we enjoy a unique privilege: we have the honour of hosting one of the few Lodges permitted in this unique eco-sphere. We also appreciate the support of the human community that surrounds this wilderness area, on whom we rely for the provision of staff members, guides, dancers and entertainers. Consequently we host a number of eco-programmes, all of which are designed to support and sustain the natural and human community of which we are a part. Such programmes vary according to need, but presently they are as follows:
- We offer subsidized medical care to the local community - particularly in relation to maternal care and child-immunization; also in relation to HIV/AIDS sensitization.
- All our rooms are thatched using makuti and using traditional methods and local workers.
- We operate an out-reach programme to the orphanages of the area which allows for visits from our staff, the provision of funds, the hosting of seasonal events and the provision of clothing and foodstuffs.
- We work closely with the local Mbu Cultural programme in the promotion of cultural dance, music, traditional practices and in the promotion of local handicrafts.
- We create both temporary and permanent jobs for the local community. We also offer training and work-exposure programmes for school leavers.
- We encourage interface between our guests and the local villages - hosting tours and promoting the sale of handicraft items.
- We showcase cultural dance, costume, singing and cultural craft as part of our corporate undertaking to support and sustain the cultural heritage of our nation.
- We work with a number of local schools, both by providing educational materials and by hosting environmental training sessions for the pupils.
In terms of its own ecological ‘foot' print, the lodge abides by a code of responsible practice in relation to: energy conservation (inverter systems have recently been installed so as to reduce the camp's use of diesel-fuelled generators), waste recycling (glass, plastics, ‘wet waste' and the distribution of food-waste to local pig-farmers), sewage disposal, air emissions, non-CFC use, pesticide-use, noise reduction and visual pollution. Wherever possible, local produce is featured on the menus.
In order to promote the overall health of their workforce, Serena has also established the Employee Wellness Programme, which aims to address the holistic health needs of not only Serena's staff, but also of the communities that surround their camps and lodges. In essence, the programme is devoted to reducing the incidence of accident and illness in the workplace, promoting healthy lifestyles, maximizing potential and promoting optimum quality of life.
