Who They Are
Sindabezi Island
Tongabezi is a small, owner-operated luxury lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River. There are five gorgeous chalets set on the river, and five open-fronted houses built into the landscape, some with trees growing through them, creatively using the natural environment to make stunning rooms. Each one has its own butler to take care of every need.
Sindabezi, a sister property, is located on a private island in the Zambezi, about a five-minute boat ride from Tongabezi and fifteen kilometers upstream from the Victoria Falls. This more remote camp has five open-sided chalets under thatched roofs. Activities at both properties include game drives in the Mosi-o-Tunya National Park, trips to the Victoria Falls, village visits, canoeing, guided bush walks with picnics on local islands. The romantic San Pan dinners are served on a pontoon floating in the river.
Tree House at Tongabezi
What They Are Doing
Education
Tongabezi owners Vanessa and Ben Parker originally started the Tujutane School for the staff and owners’ children but it now has 170 local kids at the primary level. The school is self-financing and is run by Vanessa, who employs personnel and does fund-raising and everything needed to run the school. Tongabezi provides logistical support, such as electricity and housing for visiting teachers. The school employs over fifteen people.
Tujatane School
Medicine
Tongabezi supports the USAID/SHARE AIDS program. It has an internally appointed staff welfare committee that, among other things, assists staff who are HIV-positive. Tongabezi gives the committee a monthly donation that it can spend at its discretion, and it is currently helping at least four HIV-positive staff members with treatment. Tongabezi sends several staff to Share AIDS programs, where they learn about AIDS in the workplace and receive training in counseling.
Other
Tongabezi has several smaller projects that include helping staff with soft and interest-free loans to purchase and develop land. As a result, at least twelve staff members now have plots of land in Livingstone.
