"Shompole
wins UNDP Equator Initiative Prize"
Representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Natural
Resources in collaboration with Ms Elizabeth Lwanga UNDP-Kenya Resident
Representative presided over an award ceremony that honored two organizations.This
was done on 18th September 2007. United Nations Development Programme
UNDP Equator initiative recognized the communities for their efforts
in the field of conservation in Kenya. Shompole Community Trust, the
winners received USD 30,000 whilst the Kipsaina Crane and Wetlands Conservation
Group (KCWCG) the runners up,received a certificate.
Shompole Community Trust
Since 1979, the Shompole Ranch, spanning over 62,000 hectares of Kenya's
grasslands and savannahs, has been dedicated to preserving and restoring
the local environment. Re-emerging and thriving wetlands and the establishment
of a 10,000 hectare wildlife conservancy have resulted in a three-fold
increase in animal populations which have in turn attracted an increasing
number of tourists. Shompole community members are employed as ranch
operators and game scouts. Revenue from ecotourism has been invested
through the Shompole Community Trust in protecting and restoring the
environment, as well as in funding healthcare services, education, water
supply, and school fees. The Trust, a legally recognized corporation,
is owned by the Maasai people and benefits over 12,000 people by addressing
issues of socio-economic development on behalf of the community. www.shompole.com
Kipsaina Crane and Wetland Conservation Group
The Kipsaina Crane and Wetlands Conservation Group (KCWCG) formed in
1990 as a partnership of local communities to conserve and restore the
Saiwa Swamp National Park in Kenya. Through protecting and restoring
wetland areas, this initiative has ensured that neighbouring communities
have access to a reliable and clean source of water year round. To avoid
continued damage to existing wetlands, KCWCG has introduced sustainable
practices such as the harvesting of exotic species as opposed to indigenous
trees, the distribution of livestock fodder as fertilizer, and the adoption
of organic farming techniques. As a result of the conservation group's
efforts, community members are now engaged in new types of business
such as beekeeping, eco-tourism, and agro-forestry. These efforts have
resulted in a fivefold increase in the grey crowned crane population
as well as increased income from honey, fish, and produce sales.
Newspaper clips
Kenya Times
Standard Newspaper
Nairobi Star
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Kenya
