Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I'm Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
For hundreds of years, native people in Africa lived in balance with nature. Then colonists from Europe came to parts of Africa. Europeans took control of some cities and countries. They made new laws. But over time people saw that it was important to protect the animals and natural areas all across Africa.
Voice 2
But the Europeans were not sure how to protect these natural areas. So, they decided to follow the example of national parks in the United States. In the United States, national parks protect large areas of land. The government does not let people farm this land. No one can build homes or businesses in these areas. And to enter a national park a person must enter through a special road with permission from the government.
Voice 1
To create these parks, the government forced people off the land - even people who had been living there for many years. This is also what Europeans did in Africa. They forced thousands of native people from their homes. It was difficult for these native people to change the way they lived. For generations, these people had lived in balance with nature. They hunted animals for food, but not for sport. The Europeans made this illegal.
Voice 2
Europeans had a particular idea of what "wild Africa" should look like. They thought that animals should exist separate from humans. The Europeans changed the native African people's opinions about nature. Even after the European governors left, African governments still forced people to follow these laws. Native people were not permitted to hunt animals for food. And they were not allowed to live in national parks.
Voice 1
But there was a problem with the government's plan. Seventy percent of the animals in Africa do not live in national parks. People grew crops for food but elephants and buffalo would destroy the plants. Native antelope would eat the grass meant for people's livestock, or cows. And sometimes, predator animals such as lions killed farm animals.
Voice 2
Over time, African people began to see native animals as "white man's property." That only caused them problems. They were not permitted to kill the wild animals that damaged their crops and livestock. Then problems with lack of water happened. And African farmers became more angry. People would break the law and kill wild animals. Something had to change.
Voice 1
This was especially true in the village of Il Ngwesi in Kenya. The Maasai people are a cattle culture. They lived by raising cows for milk and meat. When there was no rain, the Maasai people hunted wild animals. This was because the wild animals competed for water and food with the Maasai people's cattle. And some animals attacked the cattle and even children. But the Kenyan government banned all hunting of wild animals.
Voice 2
The Maasai were hurt by the government protecting the wild animals. The Il Ngwesi Maasai community did not know what to do. But then a white land owner who lived near the village had an idea. Ian Craig's family had lived in Kenya for three generations. He owned a cattle farm but decided to turn the land into a wildlife sanctuary, a place where native animals could live freely.
Voice 1
The Maasai did not understand why anyone would stop raising cattle and give the land to wild animals. The grass was growing strong on Ian's land. It was perfect food for cattle. But Ian had bigger plans. He asked the Maasai if they wanted to join him. He asked them if they wanted to sell most of their cattle and use their land for wild animals. In return, Ian would help the Maasai people make their land into a business where people could see what Africa is like.
Voice 2
The business plan included buildings for people to sleep and areas to eat and prepare food. But it was important for Ian that the Ngwesi people owned and managed the business. Ian wanted the Maasai to support themselves by running an eco-lodge.
Voice 1
Eco-lodges are a growing business. They are part of the eco-tourism industry. People who live in big cities visit these eco-lodges to experience nature. They get to live comfortably in wild areas for a short period of time. Ian wanted the Maasai to be part of this industry.
Voice 2
The Il Ngwesi people were not sure about this idea. The village elders feared that Ian would take their land from them. They worried that people from outside the community would control the land. It took much discussion before they decided to join Ian.
Voice 1
The Il Ngwesi lodge is the first tourist lodge in Kenya that is owned, operated, and helping the native people. The lodge has improved the environment in the area. And more wild animals are going there.
Voice 2
Before, if there was a lack of rain the cattle would die and the Il Ngwesi people would suffer. But now, visitors come to see the wild animals if there is rain or not. And wild animals can live through dry times better than cattle. The new eco-lodge system is more stable. The Lodge is also helping the Il Ngwesi community to grow. The lodge provides jobs, money for schools, transportation, and medical care.
Voice 1
A similar thing happened in Namibia. Namibia became a country in 1990. The country was able to make new laws to protect the environment. Before this, white people were permitted to hunt animals, but native Africans were not. But with the new government, these rules changed.
Voice 2
Native people in the Kunene region are working with aid groups to use their land wisely. The groups help the people to make money from the plants and animals native to their land.
Voice 1
One of the new ways people are making money is by helping create nice-smelling liquid perfumes. In November of 2004, an aid group saw an opportunity for the people living in Kunene. The commiphora plant grows in this area. They could collect the thick liquid resin inside these plants in the dry season.
Voice 2
In 2007, the Native women were collecting this resin for a French company. The women made sure that they collected the resin in a sustainable way. They collected it in a way that made sure the plants would always be around for them to use.
Voice 1
When the men in the villages saw the money the women were making, they joined in the harvest. At first the women were not sure that the men could collect the resin as well as they could. But together the native men and women have worked to collect about 30,000 dollars worth of resin each year.
Voice 2
All across Africa, native people are working with aid groups and businesses to make their lives better. They are once again living their lives in balance with nature.
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