Education
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Son of a Poacher, 26-year-old Fulfills Dream to Become Conservation Pilot
By Jane Okoth Always calm and composed in his demeanor, Daniel Zuma is not your regular character. As a gyrocopter pilot at Wildlife Works, the 26 year old is living his dream and even more impressively, is dedicated to inspiring his community. Being the first born in a family of five, Daniel Zuma has come a long way. He was not born in a wildlife friendly household – in fact, his father was a poacher, who was tragically killed by a buffalo. Daniel came to realize the importance of wild animals, and he wanted to take care of them rather than destroying them. “If I had decided to follow in…
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Tackling Barriers for Persons with Disabilities
By Jane Okoth On a rainy day in Mwachabo location approximately 60 kilometers from Wildlife Works’ headquarters, Matei Mtuku is in a jovial mood whilst welcoming staff from Wildlife Works in his home. The cheerful middle aged man who is disabled and wheelchair bound is the Chairperson for Mwachabo Disability Group, a group consisting of disabled people and caregivers who are raising children with disabilities. Groups of women begin to stream in his compound, and after exchanging greetings, everyone is given a chair as they begin their meeting. They are here for a discussion with Wildlife Works about various opportunities available to them. As the meeting starts, the women begin…
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Highlights from our Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
As we approach the end of 2017, we’re reflecting on all the achievements from our Mai Ndombe REDD+ project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Mai Ndombe REDD+ project is one of the world’s largest projects, and the first in the DRC. It is located on the shores of lake Mai Ndombe, and protects over 740,000 acres of threatened rainforest. A vast array of biodiversity live in the forest, including endangered elephants and bonobos, the closest extant relative to humans. Mai Ndombe is an essential part of the world’s largest wetland of international importance as recognized by the Ramsar Convention, and is also home to over 50,000…
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Wildlife Works Nursery School Celebrates its 5th Graduation Ceremony
Any graduation is a big deal and so was the Wildlife Works Nursery School’s 5th graduation ceremony. Towards the end of the year, we make it a family tradition to celebrate our Nursery School students making milestones as they prepare to join primary school. The event was a colorful one with 6 pupils standing out in full graduation attire. Led by their teachers, they occupied the front seats reserved for them in a lively event attended by parents, pupils, and Wildlife Works employees. Since January 2012, Wildlife Works has provided a Nursery school free of charge for employees’ children aged between 2-5 years. This ensures that the young children are…
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Empowering Young Boys Through MAP Training
In rural Kenya, young boys and girls are frequently held back from pursuing their ambitions due to cultural practices and beliefs as well as other vices. To counter such challenges, a series of trainings are held to assist them navigate through life. Wildlife Works has been at the forefront of supporting such community projects in our project area, which among them entail education, women’s empowerment and the rights of the girl child. Recently, supporters of Wildlife Works have facilitated a different kind of training about sexual health education held at Mkamenyi Primary School. The program dubbed MAP (Men as Partners) is specifically tailored to boys above the age of 12…
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It’s All Smiles As Wildlife Works Presents Bursaries To Schools
By Jane Okoth A famous proverb once said, “A child without education is like a bird without wings”. Wildlife Works, the world’s leading REDD+ project development and management company, is committed to ensuring every young deserving student in the Kasigau Corridor communities has access to education. As part of its REDD+ project, Wildlife Works has awarded over $368,000 in scholarship money to students in the project area. These students who come from orphaned or single parent families, receive the funding through the income made from selling carbon credits in consultation with the community. Recently, as part of its wider distribution of bursary funds, Wildlife Works visited Kasigau and Marungu locations…
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Keeping Girls in School: Women Receive Training to Make Sanitary Towels
Wildlife Works, the world’s leading REDD+ project development and management company, is dedicated to supporting and empowering women through community initiatives and specialized training. Women are key pillars of society, and our aim is to ensure that they receive the support they need. This past week, a team from Wildlife Works spent time with the Tumaini Women’s Group, a lively and well-organized group consisting of 24 women. These free spirited women have every reason to smile because Wildlife Works has been a key supporter of their projects. This particular visit was focused on teaching the ladies how to make reusable sanitary towels and how to turn them into an income…
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Meet Protus Mghendi, Wildlife Works Environment Conservation Ambassador
It’s a scorching hot day in Mwatate, in Wildlife Works’ project area, and the region continues to suffer from the current drought. A group of youth and women known as Malezi Bora sit quietly and attentively on the benches in the open air for a discussion about environment conservation. It is just another working day for Protus Tetweni Mghendi, an Assistant Community Relations Officer at Wildlife Works. The 35-year-old husband and father of one is very passionate about the environment. Mwatate area is similar to many other rural places in Kenya where residents are dependent on charcoal production, bush meat poaching and unsustainable agricultural methods to meet their survival. Deforestation…
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Inspiring Local Kids By Hiking Mountains
Mount Kasigau sits at a moderately impressive 1,640 meters. Compared to Mount Kenya the nears 5,000 meters, this mountain may barely set records as a tough climb. However, heat, elevation difference and either dry or muddy condition make this peak noteworthy. The Kiteghe Wilderness and Environmental Club does a big trip at the end of every term, three times a year. Big trips like this one are only made possible through funding and support from Wildlife Works who helps supply guides, adult chaperones, snacks, and water for the trip. Any kid aged 12-16 can join the Environmental Club. They hold a capacity up to 45 members and will fill all…
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Encouraging Bright Leaders Through Educational Scholarships
Ambrose Maundu Gerald is looking forward to returning to school. The fourth year university student had a break while professors were on strike these last two months, his Bachelors in Education in the Arts on hold. “I like studying the environment and land form,” explained Ambrose, who volunteers his free time helping with the Wildlife and Environment Club at his alma mater primary school near his hometown of Kiteghe. The oldest of 3 kids in his family, Ambrose was raised in a single-parent household. His younger brother is starting university this year and the other is in his last year of secondary school. Their mother died when Ambrose was a teenager,…