Esiteti Primary in Amboseli – The boys dormitory construction is on course and almost 80% complete. We hope to have our first ever group of boys boarding at the school at the beginning of term 2 2019!   The school’s shamba project is also doing well. They have purchased cabbage and kale seedlings and now the new school year has begun, planting is set to commence. A new water tank is being delivered to supply water to the shamba and ease pressure on the main school water supply. 

 

Embiti Primary in the Maasai Mara – The huge new concrete water tank is basically complete, giving the children onsite access to clean drinking water for the first time . Funds to construct a new classroom are arriving in the bank in the next couple of weeks and construction will begin in the second quarter of the year – Land & Life is in discussions with a number of contractors to ensure the best job possible for the school. The school received donations of maths sets and crayons to the delight of the youngest children.

Ololomei Primary in Mara North is excited about the new kitchen project which is finally starting to take shape.  We have raised funds and are entering into discussions with a number of contractors with a view to starting excavations as soon as we can once we have found the right group for the job.  Ololomei has also been the recipient of the Giving Tuesday Donations collected by the staff of Elewana and Cheli & Peacock in November 2018 – toys and books for preschool and primary students were collected and are to be delivered to the school for student use.

Ura Gate Primary in Meru is looking forward to the first project of this new year, in which the administration block will soon be powered. We are installing a solar system that will enable the teachers to catch up with marking, prepare lesson plans  and complete administrative tasks should they wish to work after office hours. The reliable power source will also ensure that the photocopier and computers which have been donated to the school by guests and Land & Life  can be put into good use.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

Land & Life Foundation (L&L) is very pleased to announce a new partnership with the Loisaba Community Trust (LCT), supporting our mutual efforts in conservation education outreach and initiatives. Together we hope to reach more children than ever before; to instill deeper and more comprehensive understanding of and love for the natural world than ever before; to lift and support the communities in which we work, giving people and wildlife the help they need to build themselves a better life; and to maximise the impact of the funds we raise, together, and make each dollar go further.

 

Loisaba Conservation Education Centre

Loisaba Community Trust is a leader in the conservation industry, known for the great success of their conservancy model and the strides they have taken in community support and involvement alongside science and wildlife protection and natural habitat preservation. They currently support the development of high quality education in the Loisaba area by working with 10 local primary and secondary schools. They have put in place an extensive bursary programme, provided infrastructural and resource developments for the school facilities and campuses, and introduced school visits for local children to the newly completed Loisaba Conservation Centre to help embed a love for the wild world in the hearts of the local youth. These visits are accompanied by game drives within the conservancy, and they also run adult literacy programs, school competitions and wildlife club activities in partnership with San Diego Zoo Global.

Paul (LCT Community Officer), Lori Denooyer and Caroline (Land & Life Project Manager in Loisaba Conservancy

 

This partnership is yet another example of our mutual commitment to improve and enrich the lives of people living alongside wildlife and ensure that they continue to receive tangible benefits from wildlife tourism. To kick off the new year, we will start by introducing Wildlife Warrior Clubs at Ewaso and Morijo Primary Schools; we will issue the children with membership cards and the Wildlife Warrior Pledge. We also plan to deliver the first ever WWP interactive club activity on ‘Animals and the world around us’ using our brand new resource pack.

 

Later on in the year, we will roll out the Wildlife Warrior Scholarship program whereby two bright youngsters attending Ewaso Primary will be awarded with a secondary school scholarship. We will fundraise for Ewaso and Morijo Primary School’s priority needs and give guests staying at Loisaba Tented Camp an opportunity to visit the schools and see how they too can get involved. Our plans for Ewaso dispensary will be to find ways to support essential capacity building through training for the clinic staff.

Ewaso Primary School (by Ami Vitale)

This strategic partnership will ensure that we harness the expertise and experience of both entities, creating a shared vision and giving us more power to reach our goals. This new venture will help grow the Wildlife Warrior Program, benefiting communities that we would otherwise not reach.

At Land & Life we are all thrilled about this new adventure. We believe that the ‘do-it-alone’ approach is not the best strategy for growth – our desire has always been to nurture as many conservation ambassadors as possible and what better way to do it that partner with LCT! Loisaba sees this as an exciting way to increase their footprint and make a greater impact, bringing additional benefits to their community and strengthening the existing extensive activity network. Both organisations hope that this partnership will open up new doors and a whole new world of opportunities. The community will benefit by having access to more resources, fundamental in the longevity and sustainability of any community projects.

So let’s toast to the New Year and to this new wonderful journey together!