The Eco Lodge & It's Community

The Hara Langano eco lodge in Ethiopia has been designed to have a positive effect on its surroundings. A key part of our philosophy is to ensure that the local community benefit the most from our presence. We train local staff and when we do employ a specialist from further afield we ensure that they are teaching their skills to the local workforce. Our lodge requires a diverse range of skills; reception staff, chefs, waiters, guides, mechanics and maintenance staff. We run an apprenticeship scheme to teach skills to young people over 6-12 months to help them gain employment.

We have our own kitchen garden, tree nursery and workshop employing local staff to support the hotel and develop their skills. Having these facilities close by we can minimise our carbon footprint.

We believe that the long term success of the lodge is tied in with the next generation and have worked closely with the local school, Kimphe, where we have provided clean water and staff accommodation. We share our water supplies with local families saving them the need to walk several kilometres each day.

We are proud of our relationship with the local community and our staff would be delighted to show you around their community and to help translate for you. We encourage our guests to meet the local residents and take the opportunity to experience their way of life.

Part of protecting the community is to ensure that we protect the environment in which they live. Being a focused Eco Lodge, we have taken every care to reduce our environmental impact. Our electricity is primarily supplied by solar power, with the generator only used when necessary. We try to use equipment that minimises our use of electricity and water so as not to overuse the local environment.

Hara through ‘Friends of Haban Hara’ helps provide additional resources to improve the living conditions and education in the area.  This charitable foundation is administered from the Lodge and all donations are passed directly to the community and are used on their direction.

More information about the Friends of Haban Hara charity

Wildlife

The local wildlife is a large part of the appeal of the Hara Langano eco lodge, and it’s crucial to us that the diversity and sheer amount of plant and animal life around us is conserved. We have recently cleared a section of the shoreline that had misguidedly been planted with non-indigenous trees to return it to its previous state to encourage the local hippo population. All our guides are passionate about their environment and are keen to educate visitors and protect it for future generations.