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| 1. OWNERSHIP - 4 out of 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(1.a) Who owns the Lodge? Please clarify if private, family, public, municipal, NGO, cooperative, as well as the nationality and place of birth of the owner. Herman Erdtsieck, born in Apeldoorn NL and Marion Neidt, born in Breda, married, Dutch.
(1.b) Who manages the Lodge (if different)? The owners together with Ndege Chombo, Tananzian, from Lushoto. (1.c) How many rooms are there? 10 (Ten): 3 cottages, 5 luxury tents and 2 voluntary rooms.
(1.d) How many beds are there? 25 (twenty-five). We can place max 3 beds in one cottage or tent.
(1.e) How many employees are there? 4 (four), later it will be between 15 and 30. We prefer to have part-time workers to divide the jobs among people. (1.f) How many employees are from the same village / city? All employees are from the villages around. (1.g) If applicable, do employees or the community own any shares or share part of the revenue? No. (1.h) What is the total area of the land? 4.5 Hectares (11.12 Acres) (1.i) What is the total covered area of the Lodge including rooms and common areas (in sq. metres)? Unknown (1.j) What is the total building footprint (in sq. metres) – i.e. part of the land covered by buildings Unknown (1.k) Who has access to the Lodge’s facilities and its land and for what uses? Owners, staff, visitors, guests (locals and from abroad), to work or to relax. (1.l) What was the total turnover (total sales) of your last year of operation? 0 (zero). We have been building in 2009
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| 2. ENVIRONMENT - 4.5 out of 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(2.a) Lodge Sitting (how was the lodge location chosen): Because of its beautiful position and the needs of development in the area.
(2.b) Policy followed during construction: We built the lodge as far as possible with local material and with local people. There were no contractors. (2.c) Lighting: All LED lights, solar powered. (2.d) Heating: Not necessary since we are in a tropical climate. Only for cool evenings we have woodstoves which burn on pressed sawdust from sawmills in the surroundings. Water is heated by solar panels. (2.e) Cooling: Not necessary since we are on a high altitude. (2.f) Cleaning: As far as possible with natural soap. (2.g) Water Management: We use water-saving flush basins and try to reduce the use of water by education and information. (2.h) Cooking: On gas. (2.i) Waste management: We separate waste and bring plastics and chemical waste to places where they can do something with it as far as possible. (2.j) Insect, pest control: Not necessary since we are in a mild climate. (2.k) Energy Sources, Use & Saving Measures: As far as possible on solar (electricity and water) only water pumping and bread baking needs a generator.
(2.l) Noise Protection: It is a very quit place here, there is no noise around and we don’t produce it. Except for natural sounds like birds, frogs and other animals. (2.m) Accessible by public transport? If yes, please provide instructions from nearby city. There are daily direct buses from Dar-es-Salaam, Arusha and Tanga. They all pass by Lushoto. (2.n) What is the recommended way of reaching your Lodge from the nearest International airport? By bus from Dar-es-Salaam or Arusha (Kilimajaro airport). (2.o) Distance from nearby village / city: 1,5 KM to Mombo, 60 KM to Lushoto, 350 km to Dar-Es-Salaam or Arusha. (2.p) Architectural Features: The building are fitting into the landscape and in African stile. We have also grass-roof houses which are built in the mountain. (2.q) Construction Materials: Local: Granite stones, bricks, poles, from the lowland: Palmtreeleaves and cement. (2.r) Landscape Management: We try to restore the natural environment like it appears in the near by natural forest.
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| 3. ECONOMIC - 4.5 out of 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(3.a) Initiation or participation in local projects: The lodge is the base for all kind of projects like water supply, education, road construction and a lot more. We invite people with knowledge to stay in the lodge and to do projects during their stay. Contribution to the projects from guests is except for a payment to the village development fund not obliged. The Projects below have been realised with support of MamboViewPoint and guests from MamboViewPoint:
March 2010:
March 2010:
January 2010:
January 2010
December 2009:
October 2009
September 2009:
August 2009
July 2009:
July 2009: (3.b) Contact, cooperation with local organisations: We cooperate with local people, with the authorities, with guesthouses, tour operators and others. (3.c) Direct Donations: None. We believe aid makes people dependant. We cooperate and provide knowledge and if necessary materials but we don’t give just money. (3.d) Who took the initiative to build this Lodge? The owners.
(3.e) Did the local community participate in the decision-making process concerning the founding and creation of this Lodge? Yes, we consulted the village and needed also approval not by paying money but by having a good plan.
(3.f) How are profits distributed, and who decides about it? By the owners, spendings from the village development fund are indirect under control from the village council. (3.g) Are there any national and local taxes to be paid or are you exempt? All the taxes like normal businesses. (3.h) What percentage of consumables are locally sourced, how many are nationally sourced, and how many are imported? Almost everything is locally sourced, only a few things have to come from far. (3.i) Do you cultivate food for the guests? Yes, but the most we get through cooperation with farmers which are growing vegetables on our request on an ecological way. We deliver seeds to the farmers. (3.j) Do you have any agreements with local producers? Yes, see above, on top of that we try to get businesses who produce a surplus value like making juice from pears. We don’t have chares in those businesses but we help them how to go about and can promise them to buy products. (3.k) Have ever you received any funding, state, national, private or international and for what purposes? The project is a private initiative and has no other funds or loans. (3.l) What is the average double room rate (excluding breakfast) per room per night? Average 50 Euros. Breakfast is always included.
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| 4. SOCIAL - 4 out of 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(4.a) Do your employees have health insurance? Yes via NSSF. (4.b) Do your employees have paid leave? Yes leave is included in the contract. (4.c) Are your employees entitled to maternity leave? Yes according to the Tanzanian standards. (4.d) Do you pay your employees above the minimum wage? (Please state minimum wage, and explain) Depending of the nature of the job. The minimum wage (Tzs 80.000 / month) is locally very much so we prefer to employ people part time, so more people can have profit without having the income in the village out of balance. (4.e) What is the total paid for wages last year? (excluding wages paid to yourself and members of your family) We were still building in 2009 and having only a few guests. (4.f) Average and maximum working day, and work hours per week: 8 hours per day / 44 hours per week (4.g) Do you employ your staff all year round? (If not, please explain arrangement) Yes, all seasons are good in fact. (4.h) Do you employ immigrants? Are they offered the same remuneration & benefits? No there are no immigrants around. (4.i) Do you employ trainees? Please explain what type of tasks they perform, how much they are paid, and how many hours do they work and how do you source them? No. (4.j) Do you use volunteers? Please explain what tasks they are given? Yes, but only for projects in the community. (4.k) Do you offer concessions to elderly visitors? No, we don’t discriminate. (4.l) Is there disabled access at your Lodge? No; since the lodge is in the mountains with rough roads this would not make sense. Unfortunately it is not an environment for disabled people unless breath related problems since the air is very clear. (4.m) What measures are in place to protect the local (or the indigenous) population from some adverse impacts of tourism? A strong alliance with the village in which we can direct locals for example not to beg and guests how to behave. (4.n) Do you undertake any poverty reduction initiatives or does your operation contribute to poverty reduction? Yes, we have many projects which encourage people to start their own business and to add value to the products they have (like making pear juice from pears in stead of selling the pears when there are many and the prices are low). (4.o) Do you undertake any inequality reduction initiatives or does your operation contribute to inequality reduction? Yes, we try to employ people part time so more families can benefit. Also we have a village development fund for the benefit of the public interest.
(4.p) Do you undertake any injustice reduction initiatives or does your operation contribute to injustice reduction? Yes we try to contribute to the development of the area since it is not fair that people are poor and have that less possibilities.
(4.q) What is the minimum, average and maximum age of your employees? All ages except children. (remind that elderly have no social insurances except for their families). (4.r) How many employees do you have? Four (4), when we are fully operating the number will be increased between 15 and 30. |
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| 5. CULTURAL- 3.5 out of 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(5.a) Is there a local community / e.g. a nearby village? Yes Mambo village but our influence reaches some more villages. (5.b) Do guests interact with the local community and how? Yes, we have cultural tours, we encourage guest to have a tea with a local family or even to teach at the school. The Mambo people have a great hospitality.
(5.c) What type of information is available to guests at the property: We have a book in every accommodation with detailed information about what they can see, do and about our projects. (5.d) What type of activities are available to guests at the property: Relaxing, A lot of nice spots with different views, for children trampoline and table tennis. (5.e) Local guided tours for guests: Many possibilities, to the natural forest, historical sites, cultural tours, natural healers, mountain biking, natural park, hikes etc. Local guides.
(5.f) Events / presentations held at the facility so far: Our conference centre is just finished. (5.g) Specific programme for children: Playground and natural garden. Children like it very much here. (5.h) Research / Publications produced / assisted by the property so far: Water supply for the ward Sunga ( www.MamboViewPoint.org/projects/Pumps%20in%20ward%20sunga.pdf (5.i) Is the local community at all involved in the operation of the Lodge and how? Yes, before we started we discussed the project with the community. During building we had no contractor but built everything with local people. The utilization is done by local people. On everything we are open for suggestions from the workers and others which gave in the end the maximum result. |
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B. OTHER SUPPORTING EVIDENCE |
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(B.a). Please send links of videos from your Lodge backing one or more of your answers, along with brief description (50 words maximum) of what each video shows. n/a(B.b). Please state any green certificates won by the property and provide scanned photos of these. n/a (B.c) (Optional) Please propose up to three Tourism Academics who have visited your Lodge and are ready to publically back your statements in this application. Please provide their full title (Professor, Lecturer etc), University/College/Department Name & address, and their contact email details. We have no contact with tourism academics but they are welcome. Since our origin is Dutch a Dutch academy would be nice and can lead to improvements with the help of them. If needed we can search for a Dutch academy and ask them for support. Also there is a academy for tourism in the Usmabara mountains. We did not have contact with them yet. (B.d). Please sign to indicate your agreement with the following: I hereby declare that all my answers are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and understand that I and/or my company will not have the right to veto or 'hide' our ECOCLUB Rating, which will be decided in the manner specified at http://ecoclub.com/ecotourism/rating if we find it unfavourable. I also understand that the rating will be valid for a minimum of 1 Year, and a maximum of 3 Years. By submitting this questionnaire I indicate acceptance of all ECOCLUB.com Rating terms, conditions and procedures as stated at http://ecoclub.com/ecotourism/rating and understand that these may be modified at any time without notice. Please enter (paste) your signature below or type your initials to indicate acceptance: Your Name: Herman Erdtsieck Date: 17 March 2010 |
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| ECOCLUB.com Rating: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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4.1 out of 5