Stand up paddle now at Malawi's Kaya Mawa

The latest craze in water sports has now arrived at Kaya Mawa – Paddle Boarding. This is one of the fastest growing sports at the moment and is great for paddling to a snorkelling spot or surfing some of the bigger waves of Lake Malawi gets during the mwera season. Kaya Mawa has also started a new community initiative. Due to the lack of firewood on the island they have set up a new tree initiative. During the Mozambique civil war over 40,000 refugees headed to Likoma, living in camps. Settlers all needed firewood, but this resulted in most of Likoma's natural forest being destroyed meaning Likomans need to now buy their wood from Mozambique. In the past Kaya Mawa has introduced a tree planting programme, but sadly have been unsuccessful on three attempts due to goats being released and eating the saplings. Over 10,000 indigenous saplings have been destroyed in this way. It’s now been decided the primary goal should be to save what trees are left, but also to plant a fast growing tree to supplement the need for firewood. Mature mango and cashew trees are being chopped down for firewood dramatically reducing the crop each year. In order to stave this guests are being encouraged to purchase a tree. The trees that they buy are mature trees, some of which are over 70 years old and all fruit bearing. A community trust set up by the lodge will then own those trees, prohibiting the community to cut them down, and hopefully this will help restore the island to its former flourishing beauty. A tree doesn't cost much more than $20 and will become a little piece of Malawi that perhaps you can’t take home, but will always remain in the "Warm Heart of Africa", awaiting your return.