HEEED seeks to foster sustainable projects that promote good health and human well-being, regular incomes, as well as self-sufficiency in both food production and the fuel required for cooking. The goals of both serving humanity and the environment are inextricably linked and Lake Malawi National Park (LMNP), with its increasing population, is challenging us with fundamental questions concerning d
evelopment and conservation. HEEED was established with funding from WWF Finland – the outcome of an initiative to conserve Lake Malawi National Park (LMNP). LMNP lies within the important Lake Malawi Eco-region and was designated by United Nations in 1984 as a World Heritage Site - in recognition of the high fish species diversity and biological importance of its fauna. The formally pristine Lake Malawi is severely over-fished, threatening to drive to extinction many endemic and endangered fish species. A dramatic increase in deforestation is another threat caused by the fuel needs of the rural communities lying within and around LMNP. With an increased population competing for diminishing natural resources, the task of conservation and environmental education necessarily includes a comprehensive programme that addresses social issues related to the local population. Since 2001, WWF Finland has been seeking sustainable solutions for the people living adjacent to LMNP. HEEED is now carrying on these initiatives - having received its first 3-year WWF Finland grant in January 2006. HEEED is promoting a social enterprise related to the tourist sector called Rift Valley Divers and is also collaborating with the Department of HIV/AIDS and Nutrition, Office of President and Cabinet (OPC), as well as with Malawi Children’s Village (MCV), social enterprise TUCKAWAYS (Chembe Village Community Centre), particularly focused on health issues impacting on both communities and the environment.
