Chibememe Earth Healing Association (CHIEHA) is a community-based organisation working in Sangwe communal land areas outside Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTFP) in Zimbabwe since 1998. The aim of CHIEHA is to promote cultural and natural heritage in the area by fostering the spirit of communal participation, sharing information among stakeholders and creating awareness about sustainable use of natural resources. CHIEHA was registered as a Conservation and Development Trust in 2005.
Projects: CHIEHA runs five programmes of earth healing and land care, income generation, sustainable agriculture, environmental and cultural awareness, and the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park Conservation Area (GLTFPCA) Rural Communities Network Programme. To date, the association's extensive conservation efforts have contributed to reforestation, watershed protection, and the conservation of traditional crops and seeds. At the same time, incomes have risen through the marketing of sustainable non-timber forest products, such as fruit-juice and honey. The Community based organisation has lobbied policy makers to enact laws that allow communities to benefit from protected areas (e.g. the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park).
CHIEHA, which is a 2004 UN Equator Initiative Prize Finalist, participates in various policy development processes at local and global level. The organisation is also constructing an Environment and Technological Centre in the GLTFPCA. The centre will be used as a focal point for communities and organisations in the GLTFPCA wishing to participate in Eco-ethno tourism, capacity building training programmes and community or farmer research.