A number of tourism operators in and around the
MMNR have established trusts or foundations
through
which funds donated by clients, or allocated from
their own profits, can be channelled to community
projects.
Typically these social responsibility initiatives
include support for schools, enhancing access to water
or
fuel supplies, or supporting educational
scholarships. These projects not only address immediate
community
needs around the MMNR and help enhance support for
the conservation of the area, but also, if
properly
advertised, can be an important marketing tool for
tourism facilities and can contribute towards their
ecotourism
certification. However, the scope and extent of
these social responsibility activities varies
significantly
between operators; not all initiatives have been
successful either from a community or operator
perspective,
and there remains significant scope in and around
the MMNR for the improvement and expansion of
such
programmes.
As a first step towards addressing this issue,
MMNR managers will raise awareness among tourism
operators
(both inside and outside the MMNR) of the
importance and potential benefits of incorporating social
responsibility
in their operations, and, as appropriate, will
facilitate linkages between tourism operators
and
communities, and the identification of appropriate
projects that can be supported. As part of this
process,
attention will be paid to ensuring that benefits
received are clearly connected to the conservation of
the
MMNR, and do not undermine traditional cultures
around the Reserve. Alongside these projects,
MMNR
management will also encourage operators to employ
residents from Narok or Trans Mara District
whenever
possible (as is already practised at a number of
facilities), and will, as appropriate, support this by
raising
awareness in MMNR-adjacent communities of any
opportunities that may arise. Finally, management
will
also raise awareness amongst facility operators of
the availability of local produce (such as fresh fruits
and
vegetables) around the MMNR, and aim
to
