Tourism is the primary income-earner in the region, and the grant is designed to give people access to skills and jobs arising from the tourism to the Park.
Local people are being trained and then employed to work on roads; upgrade hiking paths, control erosion, eliminate alien plants, maintain the boundary fence and upgrade facilities, the EKZNW reports.
Emerging businesses will benefit through service, retail and construction provision.
The relief program was established after human pressure was identified by the EKZNW as the primary threat to the park - whether through legitimate needs for economic benefit; or through illegal means such as poaching.
This is exacerbated by high levels of unemployment and poverty in the area.
The EKZNW therefore embarked on a Poverty Relief Project in partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), with a view to upgrading and improving the park's infrastructure, and concurrently creating jobs and training for the community adjacent to the park, in order to stimulate the local and regional economy.
The project is expected to expand as the capacity and skills of the participants improve.
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