The newly launched Nyembe Community Resource Hub in northern KZN is a place of transformation where people are developing crucial skills to improve their livelihoods while learning about the significance of marine biodiversity protection.
Port Dunford, South Africa (09 October 2025) – Picture a place nestled in a rural community that provides empowering resources and projects, allowing its people to acquire skills in various disciplines. Here, locals can learn how to contribute to marine conservation efforts, a curious child can learn to use a computer to prepare for a successful future, and an unemployed father can learn carpentry to start his own business and provide for all those who depend on him back at home.
This place exists and has taken root in Port Dunford, northern KwaZulu-Natal. Here, the Nyembe Community gains developmental skills to improve their livelihoods while simultaneously opening their world to the significance of marine biodiversity protection.
The WILDTRUST, in collaboration with the Mkhwanazi Traditional Authority, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW), officially launched the Nyembe Community Resource Hub this week.
The event drew an enthusiastic turnout from the local community, who gathered in numbers to celebrate this significant milestone in advancing community development and marine conservation in the region.
The Nyembe Community Resource Hub was made possible through the successful implementation of the uThukela Marine Protected Area (MPA) Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Project, funded by the Blue Action Fund (BAF).
Over the past three years, the project has worked to enhance marine biodiversity protection and management within the uThukela MPA, while improving the livelihoods of surrounding communities and promoting sustainable fisheries.
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Constructed by trained local community members, the Nyembe Community Resource Hub is equipped with modern facilities, including computer workstations, a library, a kitchen, a boardroom, and a covered common area designed to host community gatherings.
These spaces will serve as venues for climate change awareness, ocean literacy, women and youth empowerment, and other educational and developmental workshops aimed at strengthening community resilience.
“With this community resource hub, it will be a great asset to the community as it will help them, as they won’t have to travel long distances to access the internet, use computers, or visit a library. This is home away from home,” said Makhosi Mkhwanazi, WILDTRUST’s uThukela MPA EbA Senior Project Manager.
“This community is part of the uThukela MPA EbA objectives to ensure that those living within and adjacent to the uThukela MPA are well-informed and well-educated about the importance of environmental conservation.”
During the ceremony, partners and traditional leaders highlighted the significance of the hub and urged the community to protect and sustain it for future generations.
The day concluded on a celebratory note with the awarding of 38 certificates to trainees who successfully completed skills training in fencing, carpentry, plumbing, and other practical trades, marking another step towards sustainable livelihoods in the region.
Sources: Supplied
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