-
Ground Breaking Ceremony Marks Construction of Classrooms for New School
By Jane Okoth Wildlife Works Kasigau REDD+ project has benefited thousands of members of communities in rural Kenya through the distribution of carbon revenue. Local people in the Kasigau project area face a lot of challenges, ranging from marginalization to poverty and illiteracy. The intervention of Wildlife Works’ projects has brought a lot of positive change into the lives of these communities, especially in education. For example, the construction of classrooms for schools has ensured that vulnerable children in our project area have a chance to fight the inequalities that stand in their way. In the month of November 2018, Wildlife Works was invited to officiate a groundbreaking ceremony held…
-
Education; Meet Some of Wildlife Works Bursary Recipients
This week, we wanted to introduce you to a few students who got the chance to receive Wildlife Works bursaries and what it means to them. This is Joseph Mboya, an 18 year old student at Moi Boys High School in Kasigau, located in one of our project area. Joseph comes from a single parent family and is the second born in a family of four. His mother works as a farmer and cannot cater for his tuition and his siblings forcing him to stay at home because of lack of school fees. Now at form four, Joseph has been receiving wildlife works bursaries since form one. “Thanks to Wildlife…
-
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…
-
The Efficiency of Carbon Credits: Wildlife Works’ REDD Project Gives Hope to Families in Kasigau
Only someone who has never witnessed first-hand the plight of a developing nation would dispute the effectiveness of carbon credits. According to a report by the UN-REDD Programme, deforestation and degradation of forestlands account for more than 20% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the transport sector. Forest communities that lack an alternative source of income are forced to decimate the surrounding environment and wildlife to make a living. But what if they were empowered to conserve forests instead of destroy them? The Wildlife Works REDD+ Carbon Project in Kasigau, Kenya, exemplifies the role that carbon credits play in combating global warming and ensuring a safer existence for…
-
Kileva uses carbon credits to construct new classroom
Kileva Eastfield Primary School is thrilled to announce the construction of its new classroom, thanks to proceeds from their conservation efforts. The stone and iron structure is able to accommodate 40 students, and was built using funds from the sale of carbon credits in the Kasigau REDD+ Project. The new construction is especially welcomed by school-going children, who previously walked up to 6 km to access neighboring primary schools. This long trek was through wildlife-dense landscape and made even more treacherous by the early morning hours in which the children were traveling. Apart from being dangerous for pupils, the frequent journey between villages was a source of constant conflict between…
-
Getting to know Daniel Munyao: Wildlife Works EPZ Factory Manager
In our latest who’s who profile series, we caught up with Daniel Munyao, production and quality control manager at the Wildlife Works EPZ factory as part of our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project. Daniel was born in Machakos County and recalls his early life as a constant struggle for survival. He frequently went to school hungry and without shoes on his feet. At a young age, Daniel was forced to stop attending due to the high financial stress it put on his parents. Fortunately soon after, a humanitarian organization called World Vision that had begun to form a presence in the area, was sponsoring young people to study vocational courses in…
-
Kenyans tell poachers to keep their “Hands off Our Elephants”
On the 24th of August, after enjoying a period of relative peace, armed poachers struck Rukinga Ranch part of our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project, slaying a male elephant for its valuable tusks. Within days, our rangers made another gruesome discovery at Amaka Ranch: two more elephants amid rifle cartridges. A short time later, when two additional elephants were killed for their tusks at Washumbu Ranch, the entire camp was left shaken. Conservationists and Kenyans alike are infuriated by the ruthless massacre of endangered wildlife, such as the estimated 2,500 elephants that call the Kasigau corridor home. Recently, Kenyans participated in a sensitization campaign on twitter and other media outlets urging poachers…
-
Ijema Returns to Work after an Incredible Recovery
On July 10th, Ijema was welcomed back into the Wildlife Works ranks after a nearly 18-month recovery following a gruesome poaching-related incident in which he received a bullet wound to his shoulder. The catastrophe, which was the first time in Wildlife Works’ 15 years of operation that an employee was lost to a poaching-related incident, also lead to the death of ranger, Abdullahi Mohammed. Ijema and his family are happy to report tremendous improvements to his health after undergoing an operation to have a replacement titanium plate fitted to increase the mobility in his shoulder. Those working close with him report a jubilant Ijema who has come back with renewed vigor. “Ijema is…
-
Eco-Factory Expansion Progress
By JAMIE HENDRIKSEN-Carbon Operations Manager- 7th July 2011 The construction for our second eco-factory at our Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project has begun. All supporting pillars have been cast, ready to receive the roof trusses and verandah shades. Roof trusses have been fabricated and are ready to go up as soon as the floor slab is laid. Drainage, plumbing, steel ring beams and ventilation are all ongoing. The slab for the factory floor is being laid today. Reinforcing mesh and spacers have been laid. The entire slab has to be poured in one day to avoid cracking from temperature changes. Forty locally employed staff are working on site today to ensure…
