S<\/span>ustainable conservation of natural resources throughout the Serengeti ecosystem depends on the livelihoods of the surrounding communities. Without the involvement of local communities in working to reduce the dependence on natural resources, the efforts taken to conserve the wildlife and environment in general will not be achieved. Community Conservation Banks, or COCOBAs, are based on community savings and banking loans model and provide people living in natural resource-rich areas with alternative income generating activities.<\/p>\n Since 2008, FZS, together with our partners and with support from the European Union, has facilitated the formation of more than 40 COCOBA groups in several districts throughout the ecosystem with the aim of improving household income and reducing the impact on natural resources in villages adjacent to Serengeti National Park.<\/p>\n<\/div>