A lease agreement is signed between Chem Chem and the Burunge WMA, for an area to the west of Lake Manyara that had been lost to illegal settlements and decades of overgrazing, poaching, and deforestation. Devoid of wildlife and overrun with domestic animals and invasive plant species, the area’s ecosystem is on the brink of collapse. During this time the Association is founded and the first anti-poaching unit is formed.

CCA’s anti-poaching units combine forces with WMA rangers to promote the relocation of illegal settlers off of the protected wildlife area. And, although Tanzania officially declares the Kwakuchinja Corridor extinct, zebras are spotted at the lake’s shore for the first time. In the meantime, construction begins on Chem Chem Lodge, creating over 300 jobs for people from nearby communities in the process.

Educational meetings take place between the WMA team and leadership from 10 surrounding villages. The goal is to raise awareness of the ecological importance of the corridor and highlight the benefits a new investor will have on their communities. CCA builds three boreholes for nearby communities. And, for the first time in over 10 years, a herd of wildebeest crosses to Burunge West to graze on the plains in front of Lake Manyara.

The first of Chem Chem’s safari properties, Chem Chem Lodge, opens its doors to the public, allowing international guests exclusive access to this protected wilderness area between Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara. 75 residents get trained in hospitality and the anti-poaching unit is expanded to 40 rangers.

The Chem Chem Association builds its first classrooms at Mdori Primary School for over 300 children. The first of many projects committed to making a meaningful and sustainable difference to the local communities surrounding the lodge.

In 2013, Chem Chem is awarded the final piece in the Burunge Wildlife Corridor puzzle: a 16,000 ha former hunting concession. This begins the road to rehabilitation for the mismanaged land and diminished wildlife populations. Little Chem Chem opens and enables the company to create 50 more jobs. The hospitality group now employs 120 people.

One year after its establishment, the Chem Chem Soccer League is now a fully-fledged tournament involving 20 local football teams from 10 different villages. Promoting social involvement and community interaction within a much-loved sporting framework, the 6-week-long tournament draws approximately 1,000 people from nearby villages and regions.

The first Women's Club is founded at Mdori, where a marketplace literacy course is introduced to teach the fundamentals of business and how to start a small entrepreneurial enterprise.

Our dedicated conservation efforts begin to yield success, with the first returning elephants seen in the corridor, followed by herds of giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest. The scars begin to heal.

Research projects begin with rangers continuously collecting data on the movements of the last big tuskers of Tanzania. A lion is collared to properly monitor its movements and prove that the Tarangire-Manyara corridor is working. During this time, 3 more Women's Clubs are founded.

As the ecosystem continues to flourish under our guardianship, elephants are seen near the lodge for the first time in 30 years, and a joint anti-poaching patrol team consisting of 38 male and female members is formed. Forest Chem Chem opens its doors to guests, pushing the total number of staff to over 200.

As our partnerships with local communities continue to strengthen, the second Mdori Primary School is built to provide environmental education in villages to encourage local people to become ambassadors for their environment. One of the local football players from the Mdori village team, Rajabu Athumani, is selected to play for the Tanzanian national football team.

Despite the global pandemic, Chem Chem manages to keep its doors open, albeit in a reduced capacity, supporting the livelihoods of our staff and their families in times of need. With the sudden loss of tourism leading to a significant reduction in the number of joint anti-poaching patrols from partner agencies, only those supported by the CCA remain operating on the ground.

As a result of persistent anti-poaching efforts and continued advocacy among key stakeholders and local communities, elephants use the corridor for the first time in 40 years, travelling from Tarangire National Park to bathe in Lake Manyara.

15 years of commitment towards rehabilitating, restoring, and preserving the Kwakuchinja Corridor finally results in national recognition. The Corridor is ranked third of out twenty prioritised corridors in Tanzania – a testament to the resounding success in the work we’ve done so far.