August has been a whirlwind of activity as we continue our unwavering commitment to uplifting lives and protecting Kenya’s wildlife. From educational initiatives and community-led alternative rites of passage ceremonies to vital conservation efforts, we’re proud to share the highlights of our impact this month. 

EMPOWER 

Oleleshwa Farm 

Governors’ Camp Collection has supported Oleleshwa Farm, a thriving agricultural initiative in the heart of the Masai Mara, for the past two years. To date, we’ve sourced approximately 42 tons of farm-fresh produce for our camps, including a vibrant array of cabbage, kale, spinach, capsicum, onion, tomatoes, butternut squash, and delicious organic strawberries.  

Photo credit – Alisa Karstad

Oleleshwa’s impact extends far beyond our kitchens. Their bountiful harvests also provide nutritious meals to students at the Kisaruni High Schools and Legacy College and patients at Baraka Hospital. In just eighteen months, 39 tons of produce have contributed to over 195,000 meals for the community.

Cabbages are harvested for the local community – photo credit Alisa Karstad

Additionally, Oleleshwa provides meaningful employment for local people. Through our partnership, the farm is expanding its supply to other camps in the Mara, solidifying the farm-to-table movement in the region and ensuring a sustainable future for all. 

Oleleshwa Farm provides employment – photo credit Alisa Karstad

Community Led Alternative Rites of Passage Ceremony 

In the Masai Mara, the alarming reality is that 78% of young (9-14 year old) Maasai girls are still subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The rate approaches 90% in certain areas. FGM often leads to child marriage and early pregnancy. These harmful practices rob young girls of their education and potential. Narok County has the highest rates of child marriage and pregnancy in the country. FGM is now illegal, yet unfortunately, this has only pushed the practice underground, with girls being cut at younger ages.

CLARP Graduation event – photo credit the Maa Trust 

Thankfully, hope comes in the form of a Community Led Alternative Rite of Passage (CLARP) run by The Maa Trust. This initiative replaces the harmful cut with a symbolic rite of passage, empowering girls and fostering community support.  

Governors’ Camp Collection has provided sponsorship towards this event for the past two years, recognising its crucial role in creating a brighter future for young Maasai girls. A one-week residential mentorship program was run at Endonyo Erinka Primary School, culminating in the graduation of 262 girls on August 23rd. The mentorship program focused on education about Maasai culture, FGM legislation, life skills, and adolescent sexual reproductive health. 

Young girls are blessed during the CLARP Graduation – photo credit The Maa Trust 

Through mentorship and celebration, CLARP strives to break the cycle of FGM, child marriage, and school dropout, ensuring girls can pursue their dreams and build a brighter future. Please read the Nation Media article to learn more about the recent event. 

PROTECT 

Mara Predator Conservation Programme and World Lion Day 

Protecting predators such as lions is crucial for maintaining the delicate balance of the ecosystem. In celebration of World Lion Day, we donated predator deterrent lights to five vulnerable bomas in the Masai Mara, helping to reduce Human-Wildlife Conflict and foster coexistence. 

Predator Deterrent lights donation event – photo credit Sam Whitton

Community members, county wardens, conservancy wardens and the area chief all attended the donation event organised by the Mara Predator Conservation Programme. Such efforts ensure a more harmonious coexistence between people and lions in the Greater Mara Ecosystem. 

A Predator Deterrent light is installed on a boma fence – photo credit- Sam Whitton

Mara Elephant Project and World Elephant Day 

In celebration of World Elephant Day, we supported the work of the Mara Elephant Project in protecting elephants and their habitats in the Maasai Mara by helping to expand their drone program. The aim was to enable MEP’s nine ranger teams to have two Mavic 3 thermal drones to operate day and night and train 30 rangers to operate them. 

Elephants roam across the Masai Mara – photo credit Alisa Karstad

When paired with training, this cutting-edge technology allows MEP rangers to rapidly respond during escalating conflict situations to protect both wildlife and communities. 

Grevy’s Zebra Trust 

The preliminary report from the 2024 Great Grevy’s Rally (GGR) has brought cautious optimism for the conservation of the endangered Grevy’s zebra. The census revealed that while the overall population numbers haven’t drastically changed since the last census, the low number of foals and juveniles is a cause for concern, suggesting that breeding was impacted by the harsh environmental conditions of a prolonged drought in recent years. 

Grevy’s zebras on Mugie Conservancy – photo credit Alisa Karstad 

The 2024 Great Grevy’s Rally is a powerful reminder of the importance of community involvement in conservation. With continued efforts, there’s hope that Grevy’s zebras will thrive once again in their natural habitat. 

Mugie Conservancy 

In an unfortunate incident underscoring the challenges of Human-Wildlife Conflict, Esmi, a collared lioness from Mugie Conservancy, was tragically killed during the month whilst outside of the conservancy in community land.  

Esmi before she was collared in 2022 – photo credit Harry Blakey

While her collar helped mitigate conflict during her monitoring period, this loss highlights the urgent need for more significant support in community engagement and coexistence efforts.  

 Kenya Bird of Prey Trust 

Each month, we cover the costs of providing high-quality meat for the rescued birds at the Naivasha and Soysambu Raptor centres. This allows their small team to use their limited funding on other care required to keep the birds healthy. 

A pair of rescued barn owls- photo credit Alisa Karstad

EDUCATE 

Education is the key to a brighter future. At Governors’ Camp Collection, we’re committed to working alongside the next generation through our Children In The Wilderness program. You are directly contributing towards this program by booking a stay at one of our Governors’ properties. We welcome sponsorship of needy students through school. Please get in touch if you may be interested in this.

School teacher salaries 

Education remains at the heart of our mission. We’re proud to support St. Andrew’s Tarabete Secondary School by funding a dedicated teacher’s salary, ensuring quality education for its 774 students. 

Teresia Wanjiru, the Home Science and Christian Religious Education teacher, whose salary we pay in full each month – photo credit Sam Whitton

Additionally, we’re providing monthly stipends to three coaches at the TAFA Community Center who foster youth development through sports and mentorship. 

Erick Ochieng, Judith Akoth and Sammy Kamau are the three dedicated TAFA Community Center coaches – photo credit Frankie Adamson. 

Sponsored Students 

We believe in the power of education to transform lives. A wonderful way to leave a lasting impact following a visit to Kenya is to help sponsor a child through school.  

Primary School is free in Kenya, though parents are still required to pay for essential supplies, such as uniforms and books, which is impossible for some families due to severe financial constraints. Any boarding fees are also paid as extra. Through sponsorships, we’re enabling young people like Dennis (pictured below) to pursue their dreams and break the cycle of poverty. 

Sponsored Student Dennis – photo credit Sharon Muthoni 

It costs around USD 300 per year to pay boarding fees in a primary school. Secondary and tertiary education must be paid for in both public and private schools/colleges; this dramatically limits the number of children who can go on to complete their schooling. 

Mara Rianda Primary School 

On August 16th, we were delighted to welcome guests Zorely Faneite and Douglas Kegler to the Mara Rianda Primary School. Through their Three Sixteen Foundation (@threesixteenfoundation), they generously funded a new, colourful playground, painted the whole school, bought 136 textbooks, and donated an assortment of toys and stationery for the students.  

The joy on the faces of the students was a testament to the impact of the donation – photo credit Zorely Faniete

The donation ceremony held at Mara Rianda Primary School – photo credit Zorely Faniete

Manyatta clean-up event and conservation talk 

EcoMentors and EcoClub members from Mara Rianda Primary School visited a local Manyatta (Masai Homestead) to donate drums for waste collection. Our Governors’ Camp workshop team upcycled the drums from used oil drums before painting and branding them with our logo. They will now support the community by providing a place to safely discard their waste.  

Donation of two up-cycled oil drums for use in litter disposal – photo credit Sharon Muthoni 

Unfortunately, in rural areas of Kenya such as this, there are no government waste collection services. Therefore, most non-organic waste must be burnt to prevent it from littering the countryside and creating a health hazard for wildlife.  

Our team also conducted a community discussion on the importance of proper waste disposal with the EcoClub kids.

Waste disposal discussion with EcoClub members – photo credit Sharon Muthoni 

 TAFA Community Center 

Over the past few decades, there has been an influx of economic migrants into the village of Kasarani on the shores of Lake Naivasha. These are primarily young people seeking better opportunities. Their arrival has strained the region, leading to a rise in illegal activities such as poaching and fishing due to the limited employment options.  

By supporting The TAFA Community Center and investing in the potential of these young people, we can help them to become leaders in their community. 

Conservation Education Field Trip 

Another forty students from the TAFA Community Center visited the Elsamere Conservation Center and The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust’s Naivasha Raptor Center this month. At the Naivasha Raptor Center, Willis, a passionate Conservation Educator, shared insights into the threats facing birds of prey in Kenya. 

TAFA children the Naivasha Raptor Center – photo credits Alisa Karstad

Through interactive presentations, games, and discussions, the students gained a deeper understanding of raptor conservation and the importance of coexistence.  The Kenya Bird Of Prey Trust’s education programs are vital in dispelling myths and fostering appreciation for these incredible creatures. We’re proud to support their work in inspiring young minds to become champions for wildlife!

 TAFA group photo at the Kenya Bird of Prey Trust – photo credit TAFA 

 Away match 

We helped to get the TAFA U19s team to play against Bidco United (a Kenya Premiere League team) at Thika Stadium. It was the first time a team from Kasarani competed in the Kenya Premier League (the highest level in Kenya). Though they didn’t win the match, the trip was great exposure and a significant learning curve for the kids. They ended the day by visiting the Mpesa Foundation Academy, where the coach gave a motivating speech to the players.

Some of the players sporting their new Governors’/ CITW uniforms with coach Sammy during the away match at Thika Stadium – Photo credits – TAFA 

Community Clean up 

As part of their conservation awareness sessions through our CITW curriculum, the youth from TAFA arranged a cleanup initiative around their village of Kasarani. This initiative showcases their dedication to preserving their environment and creating positive change, as well as their resilience and commitment to a better future. 

Through organisations like TAFA, which provide crucial youth empowerment programs, these young individuals are finding alternative paths and taking ownership of their community’s well-being. Such exercises serve as a powerful reminder that positive action and community engagement can pave the way for a brighter future, even in the face of adversity.  

Cleanup efforts by TAFA kids – photo credits TAFA Community Center

August has been a month of progress and impact. We’re grateful for our partners’ dedication, our guests’ generosity, and the unwavering spirit of the communities we serve. Together, we’re making a difference, ensuring a brighter future for both people and wildlife in Kenya. 

By Alisa Karstad, Impact Manager for Governors’ Camp Collection.

If you would like to learn more about any of our Community and Conservation efforts, you can reach out to us via email at info@governorscamp.com

If you would like to support our work, you can do so via our secure online payment platform link below.

DONATE NOW