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Kasim the gardener creates works of living art
Kasim has been a gardener at the Wildlife Works Rukinga Sanctuary Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project for only a few months, but already his work speaks volumes. Kasim is a true artist, blessed with an innate sense of beauty that allows him to create imaginative landscaping including fun, natural signage that create a warm welcome for staff members and visitors to the sanctuary. The 47-year-old father of seven never got to finish his studies, due to lack of funds to pay school fees. He managed to get by, working security jobs at various institutions until he began working for Wildlife Works. Kasim doesn’t let his lack of formal schooling interfere with…
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Madam Colleta: Caring for the future of the community
One of the greatest comforts to a working mother is knowing that your child is safe and happy while you are away. No matter which corner of the globe you’re in, there is a constant need for affordable and reliable childcare. For Wildlife Works staff members in Rukinga, the free on-site preschool has been a blessing. Madam Colleta leads the team of 2 dedicated teachers who spend their days entertaining and educating 21 children aged 2-5 . Madam Colleta has been with the Wildlife Works preschool since it opened in January, 2012. The widowed mother of three spends her days teaching and feeding young children, while simultaneously providing for her…
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Save the kale: How one leafy green is changing lives
For some of us, eating vegetables is a chore. For others, it is a means of survival. In Kenya, kale is referred to as “Sukuma wiki” which means “to stretch the week” in Swahili. The green leafy plant serves as a staple of the average person’s diet, especially for those living on less than a dollar per day. During periods of drought, the demand for water becomes crucial for plant, animal and human use. Water shortages can cause food to become scarce, and what does reach the markets is priced exorbitantly high. The inflated prices leave families without enough food to feed everyone. In these desperate times, the youngest children…
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Orphan Elephant Rescued at Mgeno Ranch
While patrolling the sanctuary on September 24th, our rangers discovered an elephant calf lying helplessly near a watering hole. They approached it carefully, unsure of whether the animal was dead or alive. A closer observation revealed that the elephant was only about three weeks old, and possibly abandoned by its family. Hoping that the calf’s mother was out in search of food nearby and on her way back, the rangers decided to hide out and wait for her return. After about 30 minutes, with no sign of an adult elephant in the vicinity, the rangers determined that the calf had been abandoned. They alerted Eric, the head ranger, who advised…
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Rescued Lesser Kudu
The lesser kudu is an ancient species of forest antelope found in East Africa, the most primitive of all spiral-horned antelope. They live in dry thorn bush and forest, and are one of the many protected inhabitants of our Rukinga Sanctuary, Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project. Kudus, which range between 90 to 110 kg, are quite nimble; they can jump distances of more than 30 feet! Despite their agile nature, these beautiful creatures are on the decline due to illegal poaching, and have been marked as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). While patrolling the sanctuary on Sept 24th, a team of Wildlife…
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Getting to Know our Female Rangers: Grace
One of Grace Manga’s favorite activities as a wildlife ranger is tracking the footprints of poachers. She tells us that the team of rangers is almost always able to catch up with the culprits, regardless of the distance they have covered. When footprints or bicycle tracks are discovered, the rangers jump into their car and head in the direction of the tracks. In most cases, the poachers initially try to outrun the rangers, but eventually give in and surrender their weapons. She finds this process very exciting, explaining that “It always looks like a bush movie!” Grace, 21, was born and raised in Kasigau, where her mother, grandmother, and 3-year-old…
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Growing Responsibly Through the Use of Sustainable Material and Means
The battle between development and environmental conservation can often be a fierce one. With the natural progression towards growth, the environment is often left tattered in the wake. Wildlife Works at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project has certainly grown in the last few years, and will hopefully continue to do so. We’ve increased the number of jobs in the local area twofold from a year ago. We are very aware of the effects of development on the environment, which is why we’ve opted to use simple, eco-friendly architecture wherever we can. The newest sector in the company requires a base from which they can run their field operations. The concept…
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Three Elephants Killed in Taita Ranch as Asia’s Thirst for Ivory Grows
We’re saddened to report that three elephants were killed this past Sunday in Taita Ranch, at the far end of our project area. The poachers, four armed Somalis, were discovered by Kenya Wildlife Service and Wildlife Works rangers as they were removing the tusks from the dead elephants. They immediately fled the scene, with a brief exchange of gunfire aimed at a Kenya Wildlife Service vehicle. The poachers were pursued following the attacks but have yet to be caught. The incident reflects a growing demand for ivory in East Asia, and China in particular, where the material is considered a symbol of affluence and prestige. Despite the efforts of Wildlife Works and…
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Scholarship Beneficiaries Give Back to Wildlife Works
Wildlife Works sponsors a scholarship program called the Kelimu Trust, a fund that aims to uplift education standards for underprivileged students in Kenya. As the school term closes, many beneficiaries of these scholarships spend their vacation time volunteering at the Wildlife Works greenhouse as a means of giving back to the community and of showing their gratitude. We interviewed 17-year-old Emmanuel Mulewa, a 12th grader at Ribe Boys High School in northern Kenya. Emmanuel applied to the Kelimu Trust after completing 8th grade when he lacked the money necessary to pay for secondary school. Due to his impressive academic performance (among other various aspects of the application process), he was…
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Meet Willy Kanyeki: Greenhouse Supervisor
Willy Kanyeki is a young and energetic employee who has been with Wildlife Works Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project for seven years, and our permanent greenhouse supervisor for four. During his childhood, Kanyeki was passionate about planting and watering trees, and hoped to study Environmental Science as a career. Though he could not proceed with his education due to lack of funds, he did not let go of his passion, and was optimistic that he could do something for the environment irrespective of his academic background. Inspired by what Wildlife Works does to conserve the environment in his home area of Kasigau, Kanyeki decided to volunteer at the our greenhouse back…