Positive Impact.

Together.
‘Nawiri’ is Kiswahili for ‘to flourish, thrive’, reflecting
our vision of creating a future where vital ecosystems
and local communities thrive together.
Responsible Travel.
Positive Impact.
Reimagined Together.
Dear Reader,

In this publication, we are thrilled to share with you a collection of inspiring

stories and insights from the Nawiri Group. Together with the local
communities and expert partners we are all working on realising one vision: to
protect and restore some of the most vital natural ecosystems in the world
and to improve the opportunities and livelihoods of the people living in and
around these amazing wilderness areas.

Our group is more than just a travel company. We are a platform that
connects responsible travellers with impactful initiatives, creating positive
change at scale. For over 25 years, we have taken our guests along on our
journey; not only immersing them in the awe-inspiring beauty of some of the
world’s last great big-game ecosystems, but also giving them a first-hand
Helen Gichochi, MBS, OGW
experience of the challenges and initiatives of how to protect these areas and
Board Member, Chair of alleviate poverty in these wild areas.
Impact & Sustainability
Impact is in our DNA. Since inception, we’ve supported national parks,
Committee
community-led conservancies, local communities and governments with many
Nawiri Group
initiatives and millions of dollars in their efforts to safeguard and manage these
natural ecosystems that are essential for our planet and improve the livelihoods
and opportunities of the people living in and around these areas.

Habitat loss, climate change, and rural poverty present more persistent,
urgent and existential threats than ever before. We, along with our partners,
are uniquely positioned to respond. With the backing of long-term impact
investors, we have embarked on a new chapter in our journey since COVID.
We are scaling up our work with expert partners to drive a paradigm shift that
structurally improve the future prospects of these great ecosystems and their
custodian communities.

We’re poised at a critical juncture, where community agency can catalyse

lasting change. Many of the stories within these pages reflect the
transformative experiences that beckon us to act, and the vast opportunities
for impact at scale that await.

I invite you to join us on this journey, engage with these stories, and become
an advocate for the change we’re fostering. Together, we can shift the
trajectory toward a future where ecosystems and communities don’t just
survive — they thrive.

Yours,

Helen Gichochi
 006
A Brief History
008
Positive Impact Together
010
Conservation reimagined
014
Challenges
028
Vital Ecosystems
036
Rewriting the rules
042
Female change makers
050
The cost of conservation
056
Carbon beyond emissions
060
Carbon Tanzania
062
Books aren’t enough
070
Kamitei Foundation
072
People and wildlife together
080
Honeyguide Foundation
 082
Maa Trust
084
The silicon savannah
088
The lifeblood of the Maasai
094
A path forward in the wilderness
100
Six Rivers Africa
102
Innovating for coexistence
112
Keeping the peace
124
Conservation credentials
126
The impact of safari travel
128
Asilia Africa
130
Invitation to engage
A brief history
With over two decades of experience in community driven
conservation, Nawiri Group brings together travel companies,
communities and expert partners to improve the prospects of
some of Africa’s most iconic natural ecosystems, making both
nature and people thrive.
2012
Asilia became a Cerified B
1992 Corporation as the first hospitality /
Oliver’s 2009 travel company in Africa. First
Camp Honeyguide sustainable safari/lodge company
founded Foundation in Africa to receive a 5-star rating
2004 founded, with for sustainability from GIIRS
1987 Asilia formed through merger of support of Asilia
Rekero
Camp
upscale family-owned safari
companies with a combined 115
2013
Norfund joins Asilia as
founded years of operating experience
an investor

1990 2010
Sokwe
founded as
2005 Asilia were founding
partners in the
Formation of the first Guiding
mobile camps
outfitter for
School in the Maasai Mara,
Mara Naboisho
Conservancy, a
2013
Koiyaki Guiding School Asilia is founding
1998
Ker & Downey partnership
partner and seed
,
safari guides between over 500
funder of MMWCA
Go2Africa formed as local community
- Maasai Mara Wildlife
leading online resource landowners
Conservancies
for safari travel
Association
 2022
2014 Nawiri Group established as impact
Asilia is winner of the
prestigious global `Tourism
2020 and collaboration platform,
including long-term financial
Covid crisis funding stakeholder/
for Tomorrow’ award by commitments by Norfund, LGT,
partner for the Mara together with LGT
the World Travel & Tourism Indahl Family, Sinding Family and
VP, Band Foundation, Conservation
Council co-founders.
Internations, GIZ, TNC, Tusk, Virgin
Unite, Lion Recovery Fund, Oak
Foundation, and Maliasilli
2017 2023
Usangu wetlands
research project
2022 Nawiri Foundation
secures funding for
Usangu Expedition
started with Norfund impact-at-scale
Camp launched
and Six Rivers Africa

2022 2023
2019 Opening of Wildlife Tourism Nawiri Group and
Arrival of first electric, College of Maasai Mara, with individual brands
solar-powered safari key Nawiri Group financial certified as B Corps
2018 vehicle which joined
the fleet at Ol Pejeta
backers leading funding
Technology
partnership Bush Camp in
with Bazaruto, northern Kenya
Go2Africa
and Asilia
Positive
impact
together
Key individuals
working on Sam Shaba
the frontline PROGRAMS MANAGER
of community- HONEYGUIDE FOUNDATION
led initatives in
Conservation in Africa is already
ecosystem protection rooted in community. These
share their views. natural ecosystems still exist
because people have looked
after them for generations. We
can’t teach communities how to
be guardians of the land, they
already know that better than
anyone. The issue now is one of
space; despite the vastness of
these ecosystems, we can’t divide
these landscapes into separate
areas for humans and wildlife. If
communities are really in the
driving seat, they take ownership
of the challenges and the
solutions; they see the value of
conservation in their lives; they
will protect the natural resources.
And we know community-driven
conservation solutions are always
cheaper and more sustainable
than the alternatives. One of the
biggest barriers we face is a
negative narrative around
community led conservation, and
the misconception that we need
to intervene. We need to take
success stories as proof of
concept, then fund and support
community approaches.
8
Phoebe Nadupoi
CHIEF COMMS. & FUNDRAISING
OFFICER, MARA CONSERVANCIES
It’s not just important, it’s essential
for communities to directly benefit
from conservation for it to be
sustainable. Kenya is a signatory
to the High Ambition Coalition
and is committed to setting 30% of
land aside for conservation. Right
now, there is no additional land
that the government can set
aside without including areas that
are owned by individuals or
communities. They have to be
beneficiaries. A recent study
showed that 83.4% of wildlife in the
Mara was found outside of the
National Game Reserve
demonstrating how important
community land is in terms of
conserving wildlife and
biodiversity. Working together with
communities we can balance the
need of protection with
maintaining traditional lifestyles,
whilst also providing them with
guaranteed income from leasing
the land and other benefits.
Currently we are working to
increase the land area protected
by the conservancy model, and
bring in further benefits, and
revenue diversification to the
people who live within this space.
Godson Mollel
POSITIVE IMPACT AND
SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, ASILIA
Benefiting people through
education, decision-making, and
financial benefits, has the
greatest impact for positive
change. It’s important to engage
with communities in all
conservation activities because it
is people who can choose to
destroy the environment around
them or build a sustainable future
for it and in doing so, themselves.
They must be involved in the
conversation and direction of
action to ensure that nature is
protected. When people are not
involved, they are less inclined to
look after the wildlife because it
has less value to them. Barriers
include a lack of knowledge
about conservation, reliance on a
traditional pastoralist life style,
and lack of finance. We need to
provide the right information
about why nature is so important,
so they want to become its
guardians. When this is done
successfully, communities
become involved. We must keep
meeting with people, leaders,
and government organisations to
ensure everyone benefits.
Sheila Makindara
HEAD OF COMMUNITY, SIX
RIVERS AFRICA
Centering local communities in
protecting the ecosystems fosters
a sense of ownership and makes
them beneficiaries. When people
feel connected to and responsible
for their local environment, they
are more likely to actively
participate in initiatives and
adopt sustainable practices.
Additionally, local communities
possess valuable knowledge
about ecosystems, resources, and
challenges. Engaging them allows
us to tap into this expertise, and
not engaging them risks the
long-term sustainability of
conservation efforts. In the
conservation sector, an absence
of diversified revenue will intensify
threats to natural resources from
park encroachment. For work to
be sustainable there are also
many other issues to address,
including human-wildlife conflict,
improvements in local services
such as health, education, and
running water. Ensuring the
community directly benefits from
any work to protect ecosystems is
how we can ensure people and
wild spaces can thrive together.
9
Supuk Olekao
MANAGER, MAKAME WILDLIFE
MANAGEMENT AREA
Rural communities need to be
trained on conservation, good
governance, and involved in all
the decision-making. Over the
next 10 years I think the biggest
positive impact on the future of
people and wildlife in East Africa
will be understanding how to
manage resources sustainably. At
Makame, we have established an
integrated and self-financing area
in which nationally important
biodiversity is protected, essential
ecological processes are
sustained, and local people and
stakeholders fully support and
benefit from the wildlife. We have
challenged the perceived cost of
protection and are able to do it
for significantly less than
traditional models because the
community are our eyes and ears
on the ground. When they see
something suspicious, they alert
the rangers, who then respond.
This way, rangers don’t need to be
constantly patrolling, making
protection very cost-effective over
such a large area. This is only
possible when the community
benefits from wildlife protection.
Conservation
Reimagined
The Nawiri Group is working towards shifting the paradigm,
the underlying thinking and approaches towards creating better
prospects for some of Africa’s most iconic natural ecosystems and
the people living in and around these areas.
Protecting Africa’s wild spaces, while at the same
time ensuring the communities living in or around
them are part of the process, is a complex issue that
doesn’t have a quick fix. Historically, conservation
efforts have overlooked the integral role of human
communities living alongside wildlife.
When money was provided, it was generally from
non-African donor funds, and left communities
excluded from the decision-making processes that
had a direct impact on their lives. Of course, there
have been some success stories, but the reality is
initiatives that neglect the link between nature and
people, often falter.
In partnership with local communities, Nawiri is
pioneering a new approach, and it will be
sustainable and community focused to create a
healthy and scalable long-term future for some of
the continent’s most important ecosystems. The old
ways, with their absence of community involvement
and lack of financial sustainability, must be
consigned to the history books.
Timing for this new direction has never been more
important. The effects of climate change are already
threatening the ancient cycles of life, and the lack of
an economically viable alternative to subsistence
farming is placing ever greater pressures on the
landscapes. Positive and effective action is critical to
the future of East Africa, its people, and wildlife.
We believe it’s only possible to make a lasting and
effective difference when ownership of conservation
sits with the local communities who inhabit the
ecosystems that need protection. If you can make
wilderness into an asset that generates more money
in its natural state than not, and you equip the
communities that live in these spaces to manage
them effectively, then you have the right recipe to
ensure conservation works.
However, it’s essential to support these communities
in building the structure to manage their own natural
resources and help them generate enough revenue
through diverse sources to be make conservation of
the land financially viable. →
12
Community governance
Long term success can only happen when local
communities want to protect the natural assets
surrounding them and have the ability to do so
through the revenue generated and an infrastructure
that ensures it’s used to benefit the community. It is
important to work collaboratively with experienced
partners, such as Honeyguide Foundation in
Tanzania, who help communities implement a
comprehensive management programme and
strong governance structures.
The long-term success of conservation also lies with
education. Through education it’s possible to equip
individuals with the knowledge and skills to actively
participate in decision-making, drive local
development and promote community ownership of
the solutions needed.
In partnership with organisations like the Kamitei
Foundation, who help improve the education
standards and opportunities for children in rural
Tanzania, Nawiri want to pave the way for more
self-reliant, and thriving communities. In the longer
term, education has a strong and positive impact on
the standard of living of individuals and will create the
foundation for effective self-governance structures.
Financial viability
Conservation is expensive. Setting land aside for
wildlife and managing the protection of that space
comes at a cost. Traditional funding models, that rely
on short-term grants or single revenue sources like
ecotourism, have failed to deliver sustainable
conservation for these areas.
International travel is often seen as a contributor to
climate change, but Nawiri want to show the world
how nature-based leisure travel, done well, also
helps to address this global challenge. Tourism can
and does contribute as an important revenue stream
in threatened ecosystems, but it’s important to
recognise that it isn’t enough on its own.
The solution must focus on growing revenues for
communities through multiple funding streams. It’s
critical for success that we change the economic
model and incentives of these areas. Ultimately,
13
Nawiri advocates for diverse, sustainable funding
streams beyond ecotourism to ensure the long-term
viability of conservation areas.
Nawiri Group partner, Carbon Tanzania, recognise
the need to get more capital into these large
landscapes where tourism can’t meet all of the costs,
and believe carbon credits offer a financial way to
add value to large, important conservation spaces.
Carbon Tanzania say: “It is really important to be
mindful of the price of living alongside wildlife, such
as lions and elephants, because crop destruction
and livestock predation can be devastating to
families living in rural communities.”
While tourism can contribute, it’s
important to recognise that it isn’t
enough on its own.
“While our goal as conservationists is to see an
increase in wildlife numbers, we have to be genuine
and honest with local communities if we want them
to become active participants in the protection of
wildlife,” adds Sam Shaba who is the Programs
Manager for Honeyguide.
“More wildlife can result in greater conflict, and it’s
our responsibility as conservationists to deliver
solutions that will help them to protect communities’
farms and livestock from attack.”
The future of conservation in East Africa is a
symbiotic relationship between long-term
commercial investment, nature-positive travel, and
thriving ecosystems. Already Nawiri and partners are
engaged in action at many levels.
From projects that enable women to start their own
businesses, to the more complex issues of managing
sustainable grazing on wildlife areas, there is a
determination to create a better and more
sustainable future for conservation in Africa. ■
IMAGES: Top left, a class being taught at Mahuninga Primary
School, Tanzania. Bottom left, Mswakini Juu Village Leader,
Solomoni Emanueli, talking finances in Randilen WMA
Challenges
Faced Together
If wild areas are to be governed by the communities that live
there, education and capacity building are essential, while for
wildlife populations to grow, solutions need to be found to
resolve human-wildlife conflict. In order to change the long-term
picture, we need to address these challenges.
Educating a growing population
A stream of chattering children gather on the dusty
ground outside a school in Tanzania, their neat
uniforms in stark contrast to the dilapidated
classrooms nearby. Peer inside, and you’ll see up to a
100 boys and girls crowded into a single room, with
just one teacher at the front. The walls are cracked,
windows broken, and the blackboard is worn thin from
years of use. It’s not typical of all Tanzanian schools of
course, but in rural districts this is often the reality.

Africa has the youngest population in the world, and

it’s growing fast. There are multiple challenges facing
the education system in rural areas bordering East
Africa’s protected spaces, including a shortage of
qualified teachers, a scarcity resources, and the
run-down nature of the environment where learning is
taking place. Yet, the importance of education in rural
communities cannot be overstated. It’s the key to
self-reliance, environmental stewardship, and
community ownership of the business of conservation.
Changing the economic value
A growing human population is having to survive on
ever-squeezed parcels of land, and the need to eat
and make money can result in habitat loss and
poaching. A large part of creating a sustainable
conservation solution lies with changing the
economic model and putting a value on wilderness
and wildlife. The creation of Wildlife Management
Areas in Tanzania and Conservancies in Kenya
provide an opportunity for local communities to
derive economic benefits from their land, while still
allowing the controlled grazing of livestock to
maintain pastoralist lifestyles or other traditional
economic activities.

Tourism can and does generate significant income

but is rarely enough to fund both livelihoods and
conservation. Projects aimed at diversifying local
incomes, alongside new revenue streams created
through carbon and biodiversity credits, offer new
ways to change the economic value of wild spaces.
Building Capacity
The knowhow to manage the business of
conservation needs to be installed at a local level if
communities are to lead the future of conservation
on their doorstep. The ability to manage the natural
resources of Africa’s wild spaces can only be
achieved through training in essential areas such as
business, accounting, law, and communication.

With the right skills installed, it’s possible to build a

community’s capacity to manage its own
conservation and deal with the administration and
infrastructure that goes with it. This is the most
effective way to ensure that community ownership of
its local environment is sustainable and rewarding.

Meshurie Melembeki (pictured), Manager of Randilen

WMA in Tanzania says, “Every village needs to be
able to plan their own development projects, and
importantly, every village is capable of doing so with
the right support.”
Keeping wild spaces open
The serpentine path of life and death that the
migration traces is a crucial element of the
ecosystem’s health, sustaining countless species in its
wake. Yet this this expansive canvas is under threat.
The unchecked spread of fencing and land
fractioning endangers the natural rhythms of Africa’s
wild landscapes, notably in Kenya’s Greater Mara.

Conservancies and Wildlife Management Areas are

pivotal in curbing this trend and preserving migratory
routes and biodiversity, although fences continue to
be erected within and along boundaries, often at
alarming rates. The Maasai Mara Wildlife
Conservancies Association have facilitated the
removal of fences on approximately 2,025 hectares
to enhance habitat connectivity in Kenya. Through
community-led conservation policies and initiatives,
alongside the expansion of protected areas, it is
possible to slow down the trajectory of physical
enclosures in these ecosystems.
Living with predators
Tanzania has the highest population of lions in
Africa, and the communities who live close to their
territories often struggle to co-exist harmoniously
with the apex predators on their doorstep.

There are approximately 24,000 lions in Africa,

down from 200,000 a century ago. East Africa
remains one of the last strongholds for the species,
with Tanzania home to about 50% of the remaining
population. Lions navigate a precarious existence,
sharing their territory with growing human
populations. Their domain often crosses with the
expanding footprints of human settlements. As a
result, lion populations encounter problems, as
livestock naturally trigger their predatory instincts,
creating a flashpoint for human-wildlife conflict.

Balancing their preservation with the needs of local

communities is a complex, delicate dance. The
spaces they inhabit need to remain wild, while
people must be able to farm their livestock too.
Farming on the edge
The people living where wild protected areas and
human settlements meet, come into contact with
large species such as elephants, often with disastrous
results for both.

It’s inevitable that communities living on the edges

of protected spaces, and who are reliant on farming,
will come into conflict with crop-raiding elephants.
Interactions can be problematic on many levels.
Farmers defending their crop can be killed or injured,
the crop itself can be destroyed, and the elephants
may also be hurt by farmers trying to scare them off
or killed in revenge attacks. If conservation is
successful, then the problem is further compounded
as elephant populations grow.

It is critical to ensure that the cost of living alongside

wildlife is mitigated for the people who rely on
small-scale farming in rural areas, and human-
elephant-conflict reduced if they are to engage with
and support conservation measures.
Globally Important Ecosystems
Kenya Tanzania
Biodiversity Richness: Over 35,000 Biodiversity richness: 20% of Africa’s large
species of flora and fauna. mammal population.

Species Diversity: 4,623 plants, 393 Species Diversity: 310 mammal species ,
mammals, and over 1,000 bird species. 960 species of birds

Protected Areas: 12.42% of land and 0.76% Protected Areas: 43.7% of land in Tanzania
of marine area under protection. is somehow protected or conserved.

Economic Dependence: Tourism Wildlife tourism: Contributes 9% to GDP

$ generated over 10% of GDP in 2017. $ and 25% to foreign exchange earnings.

Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem

TOTA L LAND AREA

40,000 km2
BI O DI VERSITY
Over 500 bird and 100 mammal species

Greater Ruaha Ecosystem

TOTA L LAND AREA

50,000 km2
BI O DI VERSITY
Over 578 bird and 140 mammal species

Greater Selous Ecosystem

TOTA L LAND AREA

90,000 km2
BI O DI VERSITY
Over 440 bird and 130 mammal species
 TA N Z A N I A

Ruaha
As dawn breaks over the Greater Ruaha Ecosystem, the first rays of
sunlight bathe the landscape in a warm, golden hue. A lion pride,
silhouetted against the awakening sky, stirs in the cool morning air.
This is a typical start to the day in one of Tanzania’s most diverse
and expansive ecosystems, a place where nature unfolds in its
most primal form.

Spanning approximately 50,000 square kilometres, the Greater Ruaha Ecosystem

is a vast and vital ecological expanse. At its heart lies the Ruaha National Park,
covering 22,000 square kilometres of untamed wilderness. This area, larger than
Wales, is a critical sanctuary for an astonishing array of wildlife and flora.

Showcasing the diversity of this region, in the Usangu Wetland area a large flock
of yellow-billed stork suddenly lifts from the shallow water they’ve been wading in.
For a moment their brilliance lights up an otherwise dark sky, while lilies add a
splash of unexpected lilac into an otherwise verdant landscape.

Ruaha National Park is Tanzania’s largest, and despite its vastness and rich
biodiversity, it doesn’t get the same attention or tourist traffic as the more familiar
national parks, such as the Serengeti.

This ecosystem supports a rich tapestry of life, with over 1,700 plant species
providing sustenance and shelter to the parks inhabitants. The birdlife is
particularly remarkable, with more than 570 species making their home here, from
tiny sunbirds to African fish eagles. Nearly 200 species of mammals, including
large populations of elephants, giraffes, and rare African wild dogs, roam these
lands, each playing their role in the delicate ecological balance.

The Ruaha Ecosystem, with its meandering rivers and vast grasslands, is not just a
haven for wildlife; it serves as a significant carbon sink. The diverse plant life and
extensive grasslands absorb carbon dioxide, playing an essential role in mitigating
climate change. This natural process mirrors the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem’s role in
reducing wildfire risks and carbon emissions through the grazing habits of its large
wildebeest and antelope populations.

Ruaha faces many challenges, the encroachment of human settlements on the

periphery of the ecosystem disrupts migration routes and increases human-wildlife
conflicts, while the global climate crisis poses an existential threat, altering the
region’s weather patterns and disrupting the natural rhythms that have dictated
life here for millennia.

The Greater Ruaha Ecosystem is home to 10% of

the world’s lions, and has the highest number
of bird species of any African national park.

31
 TA N Z A N I A / K E N YA

Serengeti-Mara
The sun isn’t yet fully over the horizon but its effect on the vast
grassland is mesmerisingly beautiful. Partially obscured by backlit
grasses, a cheetah probably no more than a year old is standing
motionless, its eyes fixed intently on a group of Thomson’s gazelles
in the distance. A new day has just begun in the Maasai Mara,
Kenya’s showpiece national park, and for the young cheetah,
who has been joined by his two brothers, it will be another day of
survival on the open savannah.

The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem encompasses both the Serengeti and Maasai

Mara landscapes and covers a vast area of approximately 40,000 square
kilometres. The Serengeti, which stretches across northern Tanzania is by far the
larger of the two landscapes, although it’s important to note the two areas are
effectively part of the same continuous wilderness.

At about 14,740 square kilometres, Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park dwarfs the
1,510 square kilometre Massai Mara National Park in Kenya. The Mara River creates
a natural border between the two, as well as a barrier for the vast wildebeest herds
that migrate through the whole ecosystem in search of seasonal grazing.

This annual migration is one of the greatest mass movements of animals on earth,
and scientists have recently concluded that a large population of grazing animals
like the wildebeest of the Serengeti-Mara, helps to fight climate change by eating
grass that would otherwise provide fuel for wildfires that can run unchecked,
releasing vast quantities of carbon into the atmosphere.

The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is rich in wildlife of all kinds, from industrious dung
beetles to the herds of elephants and buffalo that keep them busy. No fewer than
70 species of mammal carve out an existence here, with topi, eland, and impala
grazing on the vast grassland, and leopard, lion, and cheetah predating on the
antelope species. Hippopotamus and Nile crocodile rule the rivers, and birds like
the African fish eagle, secretary bird, and lilac breasted roller, the sky.

The Serengeti-Mara area faces many challenges. Increasing human populations

around the edges of the national parks but within the greater ecosystem arena,
brings increasing conflict between man and wildlife. Around 80% of Africa’s wildlife
roam outside the invisible borders of national parks, meaning crops are raided by
elephants and cattle taken by predators. Human habitation can also disturb
natural migration routes, while global issues around climate change are altering
weather patterns that dictate the natural cycles of life.

Home to the world’s second largest terrestrial

mammal migration of 1.5 million wildebeest,
250,000 zebra, and 400,000 gazelles.

33
 TA N Z A N I A

Selous-Nyerere
The miombo woodland weaves a tapestry of dappled sunlight
within this corner of Africa’s largest wildlife reserve as a solitary
giraffe emerges through the trees. Its elongated neck arches
skyward as it plucks tender shoots from a nearby tree. Nearby a
pack of wild dogs sleep in the warm sand of a dried-out river bed.
One, ever vigilant, gazes upwards, its amber eyes light up at the
sound of a startled bird before settling back down with the pack.
As dusk falls they will stir for a hunt, but for now they rest in this
slice of undisturbed wilderness teeming with life.

Covering an immense 90,000 square kilometres, the Greater Selous-Nyerere

Ecosystem is a tapestry of diverse habitats, known for potentially harbouring
Africa’s largest populations of lions and African wild dogs.

The vastness of Selous-Nyerere is augmented by Nawiri’s work in the Wildlife

Management Areas (WMAs) in its southern reaches. This effort not only bolsters the
protection of the ecosystem but also forges a vital link to Mozambique’s Niassa
Game Reserve. Together, these areas form a continuous transfrontier conservation
zone that spans an astonishing 154,000 square kilometres, surpassing the size of
the U.S. state of Iowa. This expansive area represents one of Africa’s most
ambitious conservation endeavours.

Within this vast ecosystem a large-scale hydropower project is taking shape. The
Stiegler’s Gorge Hydroelectric Dam, part of the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power
Station, is expected to generate significant renewable energy, addressing nearly
60% of Tanzania’s planned energy demand. Its completion symbolises a major step
towards a grid powered fully by renewable energy and economic development for
the nation, although isn’t without controversy as the need for renewable energy is
balanced with the imperative to preserve the natural ecosystem.

In safeguarding the Selous-Nyerere Ecosystem, the focus extends beyond

protecting individual species. The collaboration between conservation groups,
local communities, and transnational partners underscores a collective
commitment to preserving this remarkable landscape for future generations.

The connection to the Niassa Reserve presents an opportunity for strong

collaboration in tackling challenges such as poaching, habitat encroachment, the
impacts of climate change, and the delicate balance of protecting an important
ecosystem while allowing the communities who live on its periphery to thrive.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site containing

globally significant populations of African
elephant, black rhinoceros and wild dog.

35
Rewriting the Rules
Community-led conservation in East Africa is changing the path of
wildlife protection. The success of these areas offers deep learning
and a roadmap for the future of ecosystem protection.
In the sprawling savannas of East Africa, a quiet
revolution is underway. Local communities are
rewriting the narrative of conservation, while local
stewardship and innovative approaches are driving
ecological and economic success in the Maasai
Mara and Tanzania, reshaping the landscape of
wildlife conservation.
Traditional efforts to protect the natural word often
prioritise policing and don’t address the needs of
local communities, leaving them on the margins. In
doing so, they fail to address the primary cause of
habitat loss - poverty. However, in recent years, a
paradigm shift has been observed, with community-
led initiatives gaining traction and showing
promising results.
In the Maasai Mara, community conservancies are a
beacon of success. Over 83% of the region’s wildlife,
including key species like elephants and lions, are
now thriving within them. The model has brought
tangible benefits to local communities too, with
conservancies paying millions of dollars in leasing
fees to households. The inclusive governance model,
where local residents have a say in management,
has been a game-changer.
Similarly, in Tanzania, Wildlife Management Areas
(WMAs) like Makame and Randilen have shown
remarkable progress. In Makame, revenue increased
by a staggering 980% in just three years, while
Randilen saw a 45% increase until 2019. These WMAs
have reduced poaching by 94%, indicating a
significant turnaround in wildlife protection.
The success of these models lies in their ability to
align the interests of wildlife conservation with those
36
of the local communities. By involving residents in
decision-making and ensuring they benefit
economically, these initiatives have fostered a sense
of ownership and responsibility towards conservation.
Moreover, these models have introduced sustainable
land and wildlife management practices, balancing
the needs of wildlife with those of the community.
Unlike traditional conservation models that often
result in conflict and alienation, the community-led
approach in the Maasai Mara and Tanzania has
fostered cooperation and mutual benefit. These
successes stand in contrast to less effective
conservation efforts in other regions, highlighting the
importance of local engagement and benefit-sharing.
The triumphs in the Maasai Mara and Tanzania offer
valuable lessons for global conservation strategies.
They underscore the potential of community-led
initiatives in achieving sustainable conservation
outcomes and improving the livelihoods of local
populations. As the world grapples with the twin
challenges of biodiversity loss and socio-economic
development, these inclusive models offer a hopeful
pathway forward.
The conservancy model in East Africa is more than a
conservation success story; it’s a testament to the
power of local action and the potential for
harmonious coexistence between humans and
nature. As these models continue to evolve, they
offer a blueprint for conservation that is as much
about benefitting communities as it is about
protecting wildlife. The future of conservation may
well lie in the hands of those who live with the land
and its creatures.
Randilen WMA, Tanzania
Randilen stands as a testament to effective community-led governance,
ensuring the viability of critical wildlife corridors. 92% of the community
feel included in its governance, while 93.5% view it as a success.

16,000 312 800

People supported Square kilometres Volunteers in
in the villages of community- human-wildlife-
who make up the owned and managed conflict teams
conservation area conservation area. protecting crops

The WMA offers employment,

provides grazing lands for
livestock, protects farms from
elephant raids, and
generates tourism revenue.
This mutual benefit has
resulted in community
support for the wildlife
Randilen WMA management area.

Key financial achievements

Serengeti National Park
include generating
Tarangire National Park $1,145,000 in tourism
revenue. Additionally, the
WMA has made significant
capital investments, such as

.
constructing airstrips, ranger
posts, entrance gates, offices,
vehicles, radio stations, and
boreholes.

Randilen WMA has seen a year-on-year elephant population

growth of 6%, sustained over multiple years. It is also a
critical migratory corridor for wildebeest and zebra.

37
Maasai Mara Conservancies
The conservancies are anchored on a partnership between the landowners
and tourism investors. The landowners commit their land to conservation in
exchange for guaranteed income derived from tourism revenue.

16,530 178,668 24
Landowners Hectares of land Conservancies
receiving income under conservation at various
from conservancy in community developmental
lease payments conservancies stages

Conservancies offer a
Maasai Mara Conservancies guaranteed income for
landowners totalling over 7.5
million USD annually.

Additional benefits include a

Maasai Mara National Park
Serengeti National Park Tarangire National Park
contributory bursary scheme
that allows the landowners’
children in secondary school
or tertiary level to access
partial financing for their
education. Other benefits
include managed grazing
schemes, allowing the
continuation of traditional
pastoralist lifestyles.

.
The landowners recognise
that expanding conservation
areas creates sustainable
economic avenues for their
community.

1.2 million migrating wildebeest are a keystone species in

the ecosystem. Their grazing prevents wildfires which would
otherwise release significant carbon into the atmosphere.
Makame WMA, Tanzania
Makame is the largest community conservation area in Tanzania, and an
example of how rural communities can come together to protect their
wildlife, while benefiting from financial initiatives such as carbon-trading.

21,000 268,000 1000

Residents of Mature trees Of Tarangire’s 4,500
member villages protected from elephants migrate
who benefit from felling by a carbon- through Makame
the WMA offset scheme WMA seasonally

Five pastoralist communities

combined to form Makame
Wildlife Management Area,
which serves to protect the
globally important wildlife
and nature within the
371,900-hectare zone.

Communities have legal

jurisdiction over the land, so
they can make their own
Serengeti National Park Tarangire National Park decisions on how to manage
farming and conservation
activities to the benefit of the
rural economy.

This allows traditional

.
pastoralist lifestyles to
Makame WMA continue but ensures wildlife
can also thrive.

Makame is projected to generate over $500,000 in annual

revenue, out of which $265,000 will be from its 30-year
contract with Carbon Tanzania.

40
Change makers
The women carving out a career in a male dominated industry to
fight stereotypes and change societal perceptions.

Across East Africa, determined women are
overcoming societal expectations and tough
challenges in-order to carve out careers in a male
dominated industry. These female guides and camp
manager are change makers, who are setting an
important precedent in gender equality, proving to
other young girls that with perseverance and courage,
it’s possible to walk a different path in life.
Zawadi Dominic
Safari Guide at Namiri Plains Camp, Tanzania
Zawadi Dominic (pictured left and on page 46) grew
up on the shores of Lake Victoria in northwestern
Tanzania. As one of twelve children family life was
busy, but from an early age she knew she wanted to
be a safari guide. Zawadi tells her own story…
“Growing up as part of a large family in a small rural
village was tough. I went to school but I also had to
fetch water, collect firewood and help my mother with
my siblings. She didn’t have a job but was keen that I
had a good career, however safari guide was
definitely not what she had in mind.
I always loved nature and animals, but it was a school
visit to Mikumi National Park that sealed it for me.
Going on a wildlife safari and meeting the guides; I
knew it was what I wanted to do. My parents were less
keen, because like many they viewed it as a man’s job
and refused to support me in pursuing this path.
Thankfully my cousin in Uganda offered to intervene
and give me the support I needed. He told me not to
be discouraged and actually eventually helped talk
my parents around. I went to the National College of
Tourism in Dar Es Salaam where I studied for two years.
Out of my 20-strong cohort there were five girls, and
I’m the only one who made it into being employed in
the industry.
After graduating I was warned it would be hard to find
a job as the message was still, “this is not for girls”. I
was told to go home, there are no roles for you. I sent
off many applications and one was to a small safari
company. By coincidence, I had the same first name
as the owner’s wife who happened to see my
application and told her husband, you should employ
this girl. I ended up working there for two years as an
assistant guide, gaining great experience.
I remember the excitement felt when I heard there
was an all-female camp opening in the Serengeti. For
once we weren’t being told that girls can’t do this job,
that this isn’t a female industry. I sent in my
application for a role there the very same day.
I still had a lot of gaps in my knowledge but was
determined to develop my skills. It’s uncommon for
women to learn to drive in Tanzania and my previous
guiding role had been one as a passenger in a vehicle
only. This was just another gender barrier to overcome
and I completed my training and started as a guide at
Asillia’s Dunia Camp.
It was inspirational to work in an all-female team,
although not always easy in the early days as we
found our feet. There were some very physical tasks
we had to undertake, but we found by working as a
team it got easier.
There are still challenges to being a female in this
industry, and some men still try to discourage us,
sometimes being hesitant to share information, or →

43
telling us we won’t be able to navigate our vehicle
through a bit of tough terrain. We just need to keep
proving them wrong. Over time, as more females
enter the industry, it will become more accepted.
When you ensure equal education for girls, you make
sure you are educating the whole world. I’d love to see
companies be more open and give females a chance.
We need to change the mindset of our society as
there is still an expectation that girls will get married,
have children and stay at home to look after the
family. The world is changing though, and we need to
change how people think about female roles.
One of my favourite things as a guide is to take part
in Twende Porini, which means “Let’s go to the bush”
in Swahili. This initiative gives children from local
villages the chance to experience a safari. For me, it
is going back to where I started; that moment that
inspired me to become a guide. I see the children fall
in love with the bush like I did. Maybe some of them
will one day enter the industry as a result of this
experience too.”
44
Precious Senewa
Safari Guide at Encounter Mara, Kenya
Precious Senewa (pictured above) grew up in a small
rural village called Mararianta. An only child, her
mother was a single parent and day-to-day life was
focused on the necessities. Collecting water involved
a walk of 15km to their nearest source, and she would
help wash their clothes in the Mara River. It was during
excursions into the bushy areas around the village to
collect wood that Precious first encountered wildlife,
although elephants in the area were more a cause for
concern rather than wonder. Here is Precious’ story…
I became very interested in wildlife. My uncle was a
guide and would sometimes take us on game drives,
which is where my own career aspirations came from.
However, I was told that this wasn’t a job for females.
In fact, societal belief was that girls don’t even get a
say in their future, but I wanted to be different.
My uncle didn’t approve, and he warned me I was
wasting my time. He didn’t even think I should go to
school. Instead, the expectation was that I would get →
married, have children, and stay at home as a
housewife. Thankfully, my mother saw things
differently. She wanted me to be a change maker in
society and gave me her full support.
I had to move from my village to the city in order to
attend secondary school. My mother struggled to pay
the fees and sometimes I was sent home due to lack
of money. I’m so grateful she persisted. She taught
herself how to use a computer and managed to get a
job, although the salary was low. To make up the
money she developed a side hustle, selling fruits and
porridge to fund my tuition costs.
The head of my school told me there was a scholarship
programme; Asilia were looking to sponsor a student
and I was determined to take this opportunity. They
came to the school to do interviews and offered me
an internship at one of their camps. I was then able to
attend the Koiyaki Guiding School on a scholarship,
sitting the Kenyan National Guide Certificate Exam,
learning about guiding, nature management and
guest relations. The level of training is exceptional.
School trips took us to different parts of Kenya, and we
45
learnt about history, visited pre-historic sites, studied
wildlife behaviour and so much more.
After graduating I returned to Asilia to work for them
and have remained with them ever since. Their training
programme has been amazing and I have learnt so
much. It has changed my life and now I am one of the
few female guides within the tourism industry.
Young females who want more in life and want a
career, should never lose hope. Everything is
achievable when you have patience, and nothing is
impossible when you put your mind to it. Guiding
remains very male dominated and sometimes as
females we do face challenges of disrespect. I’ve been
told I should know my place, that this isn’t my job and
that soon I will get tired and give up. I just ignore this
though and don’t let it get to me.
I want to be the best I can be and show what women
can do; I kill these comments with kindness and hard
work. The industry needs to give more females a
chance and offer more scholarship opportunities to
address the imbalance. Women are great at this job. →
Roslyn Assey
Camp Manager at Oliver’s Camp, Tanzania
Roslyn Assey (pictured top right) is from a loving
family of two parents, five brothers and five sisters.
Being the youngest in her family, everyone was
involved in looking after her as she grew up in the
Kilimanjaro region in northern Tanzania. She was
raised to respect her elders and value the hard work
of her parents. Roslyn recounts her journey…
“After seeing my brothers taking tourists up and down
Mount Kilimanjaro, I started dreaming of working in
tourism myself. This soon became my burning desire,
and I shared my passion with my siblings. However, to
them my hopes were just a fairy tale because they
didn’t see women working in tourism.
I finished at high school and wanted to join a
university that offered Tourism and Wildlife
Management training. Unfortunately, my parents
couldn’t afford to pay the fee. Instead, I did other
government programmes. Several years later, when I
was teaching children, a friend of mine who knew
about my ambitions, showed me an advert from a
tourist company for a receptionist job. I applied and
managed to get the work. After six months of working
in the bush, the company recognised my hard work
and passion so promoted me to management level. I
stayed with them for four years, but then felt I wanted
to grow my skills further, so I joined Asilia. I’ve been
with the company for three years now.
My family have come to realise that something that
seemed impossible, is possible. They support me 100
per cent with their love and prayers and are always
wishing the best for me. I am now able to support
them back because as they are older, they cannot do
so much for themselves now. I am able to send them
money for food and to help with home bills.
Over the years I have noticed that many females
have low self-esteem. This develops into a feeling that
they can’t do something because they don’t have the
ability as women. However, it’s important that we find
our identity and value within society. I believe that
education brings opportunity, and this is how we
empower more women to find their place in the
working environment. Women have a lot of energy,
ability, and talent, and we must all realise that what a
man can do, we can do as well.
46
Lailatu Kivuyo
Safari Guide at Dunia Camp, Tanzania
Lailatu Kivuyo (pictured bottom left and page 43)
grew up Sambwa Village in the Dodoma region of
Tanzania. One of four children, her early years were
typical of a child growing up in rural East Africa. A
chance encounter while fetching water saw her
become the first recipient of the Asilia Africa
Scholarship Fund changing the trajectory of her life.
Here is Lailatu’s story…
“It’s fair to say my early years were representative of a
lot of children growing up in this part of Africa. My
mother was a farmer, although left our village to seek
work, leaving us with our grandmother. We’d help
tend the crops, fetch water and collect firewood to
cook over. Now, when I see the fire lit in camps, it
makes me smile as we gather round it to tell stories,
because for many years it was a critical part of our life
and we had to be so fuel efficient when burning wood.
I attended school but it wasn’t all about learning in
the classroom. We’d help cultivate the school farm,
collect wood and clean the classrooms. I remember
being so thankful that we had food at school through
donations, even if we did have to take time out of the
school day to fetch water in order to prepare it.
I moved away from the village for secondary school
and live with my father. I completed my O Levels and
thought about different career options, but they all
seemed very hard to get into. He wouldn’t support me
going to college, so I returned to the village where I
grew up to live with my mother. Together we started a
small restaurant which only served black tea and
chapatis. It didn’t generate much money, and when
my mother got sick, I couldn’t run it by myself.
During this time, I went to fetch water one day and
met a friend there. She told me there was a tourism
company looking for people to work in the bush. She
didn’t know who they were or what the job was but
knew how much I loved nature so she thought I might
be interested.
Intrigued by the opportunity, I rushed back to the
village to talk to the Chairperson’s office (village
leader) who had the information. He wasn’t there,
because he was out tending his cattle, so I sat and
waited for hours. I couldn’t get the idea out of my →
47
head. After a long wait, during which I sat dreaming
of what might lie ahead, he finally returned and said
yes, there was an opportunity for five people and they
were leaving for Arusha in a few hours’ time. As they
only had four people there was a space and it was
mine if I wanted it. I was so excited. I rushed home to
pack a bag and at 3am we left for an overnight
journey to the city. I still wasn’t actually sure what the
opportunity was, but it was potential work in nature,
so I was very excited.
Our group arrived and were told it was an interview.
There were five of us, four men and one female, and
one of us would get a scholarship to train to work in
the tourism industry. The interview seemed to go well,
and we all returned back to the village to await the
news as to who was successful. My grandmother saw
how important this was to me and performed a
blessing, spitting into her palms before taking my
hands to wish me good fortune. The next morning, I
found out I was the successful candidate.
I can’t explain the feeling I had. I knew it was life
changing. Without this opportunity I would just be
somebody’s wife, probably with three or four children,
spending my days cultivating the land. When I return
to my home village, I see my friends in the fields and
think, that would have been me.
I headed back to Arusha to start my training and was
placed in paid accommodation where my fees were
covered, and I even had a little pocket money as I
began my training. Once trained, I headed to my first
camp, Sayari Camp in the north of Serengeti National
Park, to take up a role as a waitress. I remember
being so nervous when I first met guests, but
gradually relaxed and really enjoyed my work.
When an opportunity came up to work at Dunia
Camp, I was excited. It is run entirely by women, and I
was able to secure a role working in the kitchen,
where I learnt a whole new set of skills. It was here
that guiding came to my attention.
I’d always thought that only men could be guides but
at Dunia I was inspired by the females taking on this
role and realised it was possible for a woman to have
this job too. I spent all my spare time exploring
around the camp, learning the names of the trees,
plants and animals around us.
49
Asilia offered everyone access to an online training
programme for the hospitality and tourism industry
and I spent a lot of time using this to upskill. On my
days off, I learned to drive the safari vehicles. When
there was an in-house advertisement for guide
training, I jumped at it.
After the interview process, I was selected and sent
for a month’s training. On completion of this I was
placed with a senior guide for a full year to train,
learning in the bush. This was an incredible
experience and later I was so proud to return to
Dunia Camp as a guide myself.
My career with Asilia really has been life-changing in
more ways that one. One of the company benefits is
healthcare for you and your family. My mother
became very sick and that healthcare saved her life.
As you can imagine she is very proud of my work and
has become a big advocate for protecting the
natural resources we have that attracts visitors.
I was inspired by the females
taking on this role and realised it
was possible for a woman to have
this job too.
I’ve recently changed role and stopped guiding,
switching over to doing customer services for new
arrivals at the airport as I’d love to start a family. Asilia
have been very supportive and it shows that it is
possible for females to have it all; you can have a
good career and a family too. I think it’s important for
young girls to realise this.
I’d say to any young girls wanting any career in a
male-dominated industry, trust your instinct and you
can achieve your dreams. It’s important to go to
school and complete your education, because
without it, life will be difficult, and your options will be
limited. Work hard and you really can do anything.
For my birthday each year I celebrate by going into
schools to donate some books and inspire a new
generation of girls. I want them to know what can
be achieved. ■
The cost of
conservation
While protecting natural ecosystems holds a certain idealistic
appeal, it also requires substantial investment, so clarifying the
cost and sources of funding is vital.
For most tourists visiting wildlife areas, the obvious representation
of the cost of conservation is a ranger at the entrance gate. They
are vital to manage the wildlife and protect the people visiting, but
the infrastructure around them is so much more costly than simply
putting their boots on the ground.

Money is needed to pay salaries, provide equipment, administration staff, the

maintenance of buildings, roads, and in the case of conservancies and Wildlife
Management Areas, paying the respective government too. Of course, the local
community should also benefit financially from the protected land, whether that’s
to compensate the landowners or contribute to the infrastructure of local villages
by helping fund schools, health centres, or provide access to clean water.

Balancing the books isn’t easy. The truth is that despite the popularity of Africa’s
wildlife with visitors from around the world, they are rarely balanced. There simply
isn’t enough money flowing in to ensure it can pay for everything needed. For
example, most WMAs in Tanzania don’t generate enough to cover their operating
costs, let alone finance future development plans. Wildlife zones – whether large
or small – must have a commercial value to the communities around them. It’s
this value that keeps them in existence, and ultimately will ensure their survival.

Rangers Juliana Haghai and Lomnyaki Toronley welcome us to their camp in

Randilen WMA, Tanzania. More than gatekeepers, Rangers are pivotal in
ecosystem management, their role extending far beyond visible patrols. Juliana
loves being a ranger because her work protects the wildlife and in particular lions,
her favourite animal.

Her family feels the financial benefit of her efforts in their everyday lives and
therefore the protection of the environment is now personal to them. A wildlife
guardian at work but mum at home, she is passing on her love of the
environment to her children while having the opportunity to fund their education.

Lomnyaki explains the job is sometimes difficult because they lack equipment.
“We don’t have enough binoculars, rifles, or vehicles,” he says. “There is never
enough funding for protection.”

In a dark office lit by a single, north-facing window we meet Onesmo Kilamlya,

executive officer for the village of Mahuninga, Tanzania. He explains they see
some financial benefits from tourism, but funding is still a challenge. They want to
build a health centre that will serve his and other nearby villages because the
one they use now is too far away, and he’d welcome better compensation for
local farmers when their crops are damaged by elephants. There is a strong
desire to see a better quality of life for people living in the village.

In isolation, tourism revenue cannot fill all these funding gaps. Greater
investment is needed to make the progress already made more sustainable.
Nawiri partner, Carbon Tanzania, recognise the need to divert more money into
these large landscapes. “Carbon for conservation projects are so impactful,” they
say. “They drive economic benefit to people in rural areas, and therefore help to
protect the natural ecosystems” →

53
Other approaches are aimed at advancing
community resilience by diversifying incomes. These
facilitate educational opportunities, entrepreneurial
training, or support building up micro enterprises.
Each one helps to shift the direction of rural income,
taking pressure off the land and an over-reliance on
the tourism dollar.

In the future, these large East African ecosystems

need to be better self-funded, and this is precisely
what we are working towards. Running costs are
inevitably large, but the greater cost to the planet of
not finding sustainable ways to put an economic
value on them is even bigger, because climate
change is happening now. Without protecting these
spaces, the future looks challenging for both people
and wildlife. However, eco-tourism, as well as
carbon and biodiversity credits, can generate the
income needed. These should then go towards
funding area management and providing direct
benefits for local people.

Revising economic models to link conservation with

community welfare is crucial for sustainable
ecosystem management. Working towards the
creation of recurrent income streams that are directly
linked to the good health of our natural eco-systems,
can tip the balance. By finding ways to sustainably
monetise these ecosystems, we protect individuals,
rural communities, animals and plants, and the
planet as a whole. ■
Through our commercial & impact
coalition we are uniquely equipped
to drive impact within key domains
& strategies.
Carbon
Beyond
Emissions
Carbon-funded conservation promises a more
sustainable future, but not all projects are equal.
Can conservation focused carbon projects offer
benefits that reach beyond their climate benefits?

Critics compare carbon credits to environmental indulgences, questioning their

efficacy beyond appeasing consciences. Yet, if these credits incentivise
decarbonisation, their broader impact merits consideration.

Originating from the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, carbon credits were envisioned as
market-driven solutions for climate change, trading saved or removed CO2
emissions. However, their effectiveness remains debated. The integrity of carbon
projects, from reforestation to renewable energy, faces scrutiny for transparency
and real environmental impact.

The Guardian newspaper took the industry to task in a probing investigation,

calling for a critical reassessment of carbon credit projects, and delving into the
ethics and validity of the carbon offset market. While this report shed light on
some legitimate concerns, many felt it was not without its own biases and flaws.
The newspaper’s coverage has been criticised for disproportionately emphasising
the negative aspects of carbon credit trading and focusing on isolated cases of
bad practice to create sensationalism around the reporting. →
58
IMAGE CREDITS: Carbon Tanzania
To ensure a more productive conversation and equally important that the money they generate is
encourage constructive reform, there needs to be fair distributed and managed by the communities.
discussion around a sector that, despite its
Carbon Tanzania emphasises community governance
shortcomings, is playing a critical role in addressing
in revenue allocation, ensuring local voices guide the
climate change and protecting nature.
use of funds for culturally relevant solutions. “The
Carbon Tanzania exemplifies an ethical approach in whole point here is for the communities to take
the carbon market, focusing on verifiable credits and ownership. Communities face their own challenges,
direct community benefits, challenging the industry’s and are far better positioned to understand cultural
status quo. Generating verified forest carbon credits in subtlety, and what the real issues are.” Jo says.
Tanzania, which are sold as offsets on the voluntary
“We’ve seen development programmes introduced
market, revenue is paid directly to the communities for
with good intentions that run over a three- or five-year
development and livelihood needs.
period, where good things are implemented. However,
“There is a more ethical end of every market, and the a lot of it ends up being neutral in the long term
carbon market is no different,” explains Jo Anderson, because the priorities and needs didn’t emerge from
one of the founding partners of Carbon Tanzania, the communities themselves.”
“There will always be rogues in every industry, but it
doesn’t mean the whole industry is bad. Many articles
decrying the sector frequently question the difficulty Wild places like the ecosystems of
and challenge of accurately estimating the amount of East Africa must have a financial
emission reductions that have been achieved by any
single project. There is ongoing scientific research on value to the people who live there.
this, and multiple ways to estimate a figure.
An example of how community-controlled carbon
“It’s not that these projects don’t work, they do, but
revenues can solve locally specific problems occurred
different measurement techniques produce different
when money was allocated to fund more girls
results. It’s very easy to pick it apart because it’s not
attending a secondary boarding school, but the
perfect and work is ongoing to increase the accuracy
actual uptake remained low. It turned out that while
of calculations. At the most basic level, it’s a financial
the intention was positive, many parents were
tool that’s been created in order to attract money
reluctant to send their daughters into an environment
into landscapes that otherwise have no value and
where they would be sharing with male students. After
attract little or no investment. This can significantly
further discussions at a village level, it was agreed to
increase the protection of wild habitats and do it in a
allocate some of the carbon revenue to building a
way that allows lots of people living in rural
female-only boarding house, solving the issue locally,
communities to improve their livelihoods.
and directly by using funds from carbon credits.
“If we stop obsessing about the fact that we can’t be
“As investment partners, we must be supportive,
certain that it’s 100 or 101 carbon credits because we
honest, and rigorous in holding people to account.
are using best estimates, the fact remains that it is a
Having the correct mechanisms in place for financial
demonstrably powerful way to drive economic
accountability and reporting allows us to build long
benefits to local people.”
term partnerships, which ensures that the protection of
Wild places like the ecosystems of East Africa, must Tanzania’s forests can bring about positive and
have a financial value that not only keeps them in measurable economic, social, and environmental
pristine condition, but ensures that those living in or benefits to local communities,” Jo concludes.
around them, are able to gain financially from their
Beyond offsetting emissions, well-implemented carbon
existence. It’s important these wilderness areas have a
projects can protect forests and yield tangible benefits
bigger financial value to communities in their natural
for local communities, despite ongoing debates over
state, than they do when they’re used for farming or
measurement accuracy. ■
other uses. This is when real impact happens, and it is

59
 N AW I R I PA RT N E R

Carbon Tanzania
Carbon Tanzania is a social enterprise specialising in linking
forest conservation with community upliftment in Tanzania. They
operate by producing nature-based carbon credits, enabling local
communities to monetise the preservation of their landscapes. This
innovative approach benefits not just the Tanzanian economy, but
also supports global climate and wildlife conservation efforts.

In 2022, Carbon Tanzania expanded its reach, notably with the Ruvuma
Wilderness Project in southern Tanzania. This initiative protects extensive
miombo woodlands, crucial for biodiversity and connecting significant wildlife
reserves across Tanzania and Mozambique. Their Yaeda Eyasi Landscape Project
also stands out, demonstrating the direct impact of carbon revenue on
improving local livelihoods.

The organisation is a key player in the global voluntary carbon market, which is
valued at around $2 billion annually. Through their initiatives, companies and
individuals committed to net-zero carbon strategies can contribute to verified
emission reductions. Carbon Tanzania redistributed nearly $3 million to its
community partners in 2022, delivering a direct financial benefit with
considerable impact for marginalised communities.

Their work is grounded in scientific rigour. Partnerships with global experts ensure
that their carbon credits meet international standards. This strategy is pivotal in
the larger battle against climate change and deforestation, incentivising
communities to value forest preservation over deforestation. Carbon Tanzania’s
approach also includes guiding land use towards sustainable practices. A crucial
aspect of their strategy is working with local communities and government to
foster support for forest conservation.

Looking ahead, Carbon Tanzania is exploring the potential of a global market

for biodiversity credits. This initiative aligns with their commitment to enhancing
the value of critical conservation areas, furthering their mission of integrating
nature conservation with community development. ■

For more information on Carbon Tanzania visit www.carbontanzania.com

61
Books aren’t
enough
Education is known to have a strong positive impact on the
standard of living of individuals and their communities; in rural
areas of Kenya and Tanzania this has never been more important.

33
In a narrow office at Mahuninga Primary School, on
the edge of Ruaha National Park, we sit with
headteacher Petro Simu to discuss the challenges he
and his colleagues face. The walls of the office are
covered with educational posters and charts. One
phrase leaps out: Teachers make all professions
possible. It’s just five words, but it sums up the
importance of education with precise clarity.
Access to education in Kenya and Tanzania has been
significantly improved in recent years. It’s importance
in driving social and economic development forward
is widely recognised throughout East Africa, and there
is a genuine desire to see children enrolled at school.
However, there remains a distinct divide in the
educational quality between urban and rural areas.
Alongside our partner, the Kamitei Foundation, we
have undertaken a project to improve education
opportunities for children in rural schools bordering
National Parks and key wilderness ecosystems. Here,
the distinct rural/urban educational disparity is
influenced by living standards. Differences in income,
64
and access to services such as electricity and water is
all too evident. The project primarily focuses on
enhancing basic facilities, providing teaching
materials, offering training, and granting
scholarships to bright children.
The Tanzanian educational structure starts with two
years of pre-primary schooling, followed by seven
years of compulsory primary education. Children
then move onto secondary education which is
divided into four compulsory years at Ordinary Level,
followed by two years of Advanced Level. Beyond this
level, students may enter vocational training or study
for a university degree.
Primary education is free, but the schools rely on
parents and the community to fund supplies, building
maintenance, and other associated costs. Many rural
schools lack teaching and learning materials,
including curriculum books and other materials used
as teaching aids. International book donation
schemes are often well meaning but misguided.
Often the books provided are out of date or depict
Western people and lifestyles unrelatable to the
students. What schools need are textbooks designed
for their curriculum as an essential resource to
facilitate effective learning.

Even then, books alone aren’t a complete solution.

Billy Marandu, a Field Officer for Kamitei, who has
been visiting schools to assess the impact of having
donated teaching and learning materials explains the
issue. “The project has successfully delivered books The benefits of education
and other learning materials to 20 schools so far.
While some schools are using the materials, including tend to be structural and
textbooks well, we found in some the materials long lasting.
provided were just being stored on the shelves.”

Mahuninga Primary School headteacher Petro Simu

acknowledges this is a problem he has heard of. “In
some schools they are afraid to use the books in
case they get dirty and damaged. Mostly though,
there aren’t enough teachers trained in modern
methods, effective use of teaching or learning
materials.” In his school they are making good use of
the materials provided but face other challenges. →

65
“We have so many students and the numbers are
growing,” he explains. “What we need are desks;
ensuring the quality of education is high is a challenge
when classrooms are overcrowded and children are
sitting on the floor, or we have four students crowded
onto each desk. One of our classrooms is falling down,
meaning that more children are squeezed into the
remaining one,” he adds.
Part of Kamitei’s focus is to improve the unfinished
classrooms that lack essential infrastructure like proper
floors, windows, and doors. Their aim is to transform
incomplete classrooms into fully equipped spaces that
can support effective teaching and learning.
Of course, in all this, teachers are key. The
recommended pupil-to-teacher ratio in primary schools
is 45:1, but in many of the rural schools this can reach
100:1. A lack of available trained teachers is
compounded by poor transport and insufficient teacher
housing. This is an area Kamitei are facing head on,
providing funded voluntary teacher courses that train
participants in modern teaching methods, including how
to use materials and teaching aids, and how to
communicate well with students in the classroom.
Leonce Burra is a volunteer teacher at Kilimatembo
Primary School in Tanzania, who participated in the
teacher training. “I learnt a lot of new skills on how to
make lessons engaging,” he said.
“We also learned teacher-student interaction skills, and
how to use the teaching resources to deliver the lessons
in a creative way. It all increased my confidence, and in
the future, I’d like to learn further skills to develop my
teaching career.”
Educational continuity in rural villages is often
hampered by economic constraints. Although secondary
school fees have been abolished, indirect costs remain a
significant barrier for many low-income families. As a
result children, particularly in these rural areas,
frequently transition to agricultural or livestock work
post-primary school.
The burden disproportionately affects girls, who are
often expected to take on caretaking responsibilities for
younger siblings, limiting their access to further
education. These circumstances highlight the complex
interplay between poverty and limited educational
opportunities in these communities.
69
To address this, Kamitei also provides individual
scholarships to children spanning a number of years to
ensure that the education leads to a point, like the
completion of a secondary vocational degree, so the
individual has good job prospects.
In Kenya, the new Wildlife Tourism College of the Maasai
Mara (WTC) has opened its doors to its first students. The
WTC is the successor of the very successful Koyiaki
Guiding School, famed for training world-class safari
guides. However, there was a need to diversify skills and
offer new courses beyond the scope of what the Guiding
School was able to deliver.
Now, on the smart, new campus, students are pursuing
various academic programmes, including tour guiding,
front office, housekeeping, food and beverage services,
environmental management, and wildlife management.
The college also has an on-site hub for researchers in the
heart of one of the most important wildlife areas in the
world and this is attracting participants from
international universities.
College principle, Morris Nabaala, brings 20-years of
experience to overseeing the academic programs.
“Education opens the door of opportunity and enlightens
people,” he enthuses. “We’ve looked at where there are
demands for employment locally and found most jobs
were going to communities outside the Mara region,
due to skill shortages.”
“We needed to look at what other jobs, outside of
guiding, graduates could do and devise programmes to
meet those needs. For example, in addition to guides,
tourism employers have expressed a requirement for
graduates trained as front office staff, so we now run a
hospitality management course,” Morris adds.
The long-term benefits of improved education will
further enable communities to benefit from the natural
resources they live close to, run ongoing projects, or
make informed decisions on how to protect the
environment sustainably for the good of all. In
classrooms across East Africa, there are brilliant young
minds who will be integral to this future. ■
IMAGES: Pages 62-65, Pupils of Mahuninga Primary
School, Tanzania. Pages 66-67, Mahuninga Primary
School Headteacher Petro Simu. Page 68, The Wildlife
Tourism College of the Maasai Mara, Kenya.
 N AW I R I PA RT N E R

Kamitei
Kamitei Foundation
“The Kamitei Foundation aims to improve education opportunities
for children in rural Tanzania. We primarily focus on improving
the academic performance of primary schools through teacher
training and support, school management support, teaching
materials and equipment and granting scholarships. We believe
the benefits of education has a strong positive impact and can
change lives.” — Billy Marandu, Kamitei Foundation Field Officer

Established in 2002, the Kamitei Foundation is focused on enhancing the

education of children in rural Tanzania. Named after the late Mrs. Maria Motika,
whose nickname was ‘Kamitei’, a Maasai woman who, despite not receiving
modern education herself, ensured educational opportunities for her children.
Now the foundation embodies her legacy. Kamitei operates in various rural
communities in Tanzania, impacting over 5,000 children, through support to
primary schools and scholarship programs.

The foundation’s ethos is rooted in the belief that education significantly

improves living standards and offers indirect benefits in areas like health and
community empowerment. Kamitei’s field activities, informed by years of
experience, include teacher training & support, increasing the number of
teachers, supplying teaching materials and equipment, as well as building
school facilities.

Adopting a business-minded approach, Kamitei views the communities and

individuals it supports as partners and co-investors in education. The foundation
aims to develop result-oriented programs that encourage communities to invest
in their childrens’ education, avoiding aid dependency and respecting existing
government and community structures.

Governed by independent boards, the foundation ensures efficiency and control,

with board members serving voluntarily. Kamitei’s work is a testament to the
power of community engagement and sustainable development in education. ■

For more information on the Kamitei Foundation visit www.kamitei.org

71
People and
wildlife thriving
together
In Tanzania, Kenya, and many other African countries,
it’s essential that local communities are at the heart of
the narrative to protect whole ecosystems. We find
out why.
Imagine a scenario where you live on the
edge of a vast wilderness brimming with
wildlife, some of which are the most iconic
species on the planet. Each week, people
from other countries arrive to see the
animals. The wilderness on your doorstep is
admired and treasured across the world, but
you live on the breadline, making a living off
the land with your cattle or perhaps some
goats and sheep.
Sometimes a lion or a leopard takes one of your
livestock, or an elephant comes in and destroys your
crop, and you’re powerless to do anything about it.
You look across at the land and see areas where
there is grass that your livestock could eat, but you’re
not allowed to venture there. Your livestock has to be
herded further in the opposite direction, often to
places where the grass is poorer.
In short, the landscape in your backyard doesn’t
benefit you in any way. It doesn’t feed your children
or help educate them. Worst of all, you have no say
in how this land is managed or who benefits from the
money you know it generates. How would you feel?
We think you would be indignant, frustrated, and
perhaps a little angry. While you might still have
pride in the wildlife and the fact it generates interest
from the wider world, you would be forgiven for also
resenting it, and having little interest in its future. You
might even turn a blind eye to poachers. After all,
they are removing a problem for you.
In essence this is fortress conservation; a system that
removes humans and most of their activities from the
land, leaving the space purely for wildlife.
At Nawiri, we believe it’s essential the communities
that live in or around wildlife areas benefit
economically from their existence and are integral to
the decision-making and management of them too.
On a blisteringly hot but blustery day on the edge of
the Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya, we meet Kotoine
Korio, a Maasai landowner who receives a monthly
payment for leasing his land to the conservancy. It’s
community integration in action, and the money he
receives represents a sustainable coexistence model.
75
Kotoine is standing near an empty boma, his blue
shuka flapping wildly as he contemplates the answer
to the question: what difference does living in a
wildlife conservancy make to you? There’s a hint of
mischief in Kotoine’s reply: “I want to milk the cows
and the wildlife too.” It’s a half-joke, but the response
neatly captures the intricate balance between
community livelihoods and wildlife conservation, a
crucial aspect of sustainable land management in
this part of Kenya.
For Kotoine, and others just like him in the
conservancy, wildlife now has a value. He sees a
reason to protect the land for the animals, and he’s
happy that tourists come and enjoy watching the
elephants and lions.
“In the conservancy we can get paid for the land, but
can still graze our cattle and sheep,” he says. This is
important, because his pastoral lifestyle is part of his
culture, and he needs to do what his family has done
for hundreds of years. Kotoine has 200 sheep and
100 cows that need grass, and the managed
grazing within the conservancy allows him controlled
access to the land but rewards him for allowing the
wildlife to flourish.
Africa is host of the last remaining
areas with high densities of wild
mammals. People and nature should
both thrive, working towards a
mutually beneficial approach.
East Africa’s community-led conservation models,
like Kenya’s Conservancies and Tanzania’s Wildlife
Management Areas (WMA), demonstrate an inclusive
approach that benefits both wildlife and local
communities. There are some differences, but with
both land is set aside and protected, providing
benefits to both communities and wildlife. It is a way
to unlock financial compensation from the land
through activities such as tourism, while managed
human activity may still be permitted. →
LEFT: Randilen WMA Finance manager, Samuel
Saruni Mollel.
Alistair Nicklin, the general manager of the Naboisho
Conservancy, where Kotoine lives and grazes his
livestock, believes the model is working well. “You can
look at parts of the Mara ecosystem where there
hasn’t been a conservancy established, and you see
an escalation of fencing, and a rapid decrease in
biodiversity, overgrazing, erosion, disruption of
migratory patterns, and an increase in wildlife,
human conflict,” he explains.
“If you’re in an area where there is a community that
can benefit from being in a conservation zone, then
absolutely you need to involve them.”
Of course, tourism alone cannot generate enough
income for everyone in a community, which is why in
Kenya, the Maa Trust was created to increase the
benefits that go back to families. “In our social
enterprises, such as the Maa Beadwork, we measure
success not only by how much money the ladies earn,
but also the impact these earnings have on their
lives,” said Rose Sairowua, the trusts Beadwork Field
Operation Supervisor.
76
Across the border in Tanzania, Randilen WMA
stretches as far as the eye can see. Outside the
WMA’s management office there is a rocky outcrop
you can climb for a 360-degree view of the
landscape. It’s good to stop and realise that every
inch of the visible wilderness here is working for the
communities that live nearby.
Wearing a forest green tunic with shiny brass buttons,
Meshurie Melembeki, manager of Randilen WMA,
ushers us into his office to talk about their efforts to
create a sustainable future for wildlife and people.
He is forthright in his thoughts on the differences
between past and present. “The Colonial era left us
with fortress conservation models, but these have
failed,” he says. “The community were excluded and
couldn’t benefit from the land.”
Randilen has contracts with five different tourism
companies, all operating lodges inside the WMA. The
money generated after tax is split equally between
Randilen member villages and the general
management of the WMA. “We need to see a big
shift towards community-based conservation, and it
is good this is starting now,” continues Meshurie. “We
now have 500,000 people engaged with
community conservation via WMAs in Tanzania,
bringing employment and opportunity.”

But he also recognises the challenge ahead for

them: “There is still a long way to go. We have
tourism on our land, but the lodge owners aren’t
from the community. We need to ensure there is The Mara Naboisho community-led
more opportunity for local people.”
conservancy in Kenya is evidence
Finance manager Samuel Saruni Mollel is the first
professional accountant to be employed in a WMA. that a win-win between nature and
Listening to his colleague speak he nods in local communities is possible.
agreement, adding that financial stability of a WMA
is vital to the long-term sustainability of its local
communities. It’s his job to ensure the WMA’s budget
is on target, track records from entrance gate
revenue and tourism levies and prepare financial
reports to present to the community.

“Each village has their own plan on how to use their

money and they can allocate it as they see fit; →

77
building classrooms, water infrastructure, or
dispensaries,” he explains. “Any community adjacent to
a wild area must be the guardian of it, but it can’t do
that if there are no rewards. A few rangers can’t patrol
and protect a wide area, but once the community
become the eyes and ears of a place, it can work.”

Sheila Makindara, head of community at Six Rivers

Africa, an NGO created to protect, restore, and preserve
wilderness areas, has been carrying out a baseline
survey with local villagers around the Usangu Wetlands
in Southern Tanzania.

The Usangu Wetland was added to Ruaha National Park

in 2006, meaning people who had used the land as a
resource for generations were moved out. These drastic
measures were required to protect the wetlands, which
were drying out because of human activity, with
ramifications for the whole country. Of course, the
communities moved off the land are still feeling the
effect of the changes today (read more about this on
page 94).

“A lot of the community have struggled to understand

why they can no longer enter the park they have used as
a resource for years,” said Sheila. “It’s a very poor region
where homes don’t have water or electricity. They cook
by burning wood and don’t see why they can’t enter the
park to gather it now. There is still a lot of incursions, and
they tell me people are only interested in the animals.

“We need different actors in the conservation space to

focus and find resources for the community. We are
looking at a 10-year project to uplift these communities,
help them with education, health, wildlife conflict, and
discover different ways to earn money.”

Ultimately, change is needed to drive community-led

conservation forward, so it positively impacts whole
communities. Only by enabling the people who live in
rural areas to manage the natural world at their
fingertips and be rewarded for their efforts, can a better
future be assured for the land, its wildlife, and the
people who live there. ■

PREVIOUS PAGE TOP LEFT: Meshurie Melembeki,

manager of Randilen WMA. Tanzania. TOP RIGHT: Family
of Maasai farmer Kotoine Korio, Kenya. LEFT: Bead
working enterprise at the Maa Trust, Kenya.
80
Image credit Monica Dalmasso
 N AW I R I PA RT N E R

HoneyGuide
“Our Vision is that communities and wildlife benefit from
each other’s existence and thrive for generations. Investing in
building strong governance and management on locally owned
conservation areas will have a significant impact in the future of
people and wildlife.” — Sam Shaba, Programs Manager.

Honeyguide Foundation is a catalyst for community-led conservation in

Tanzania. The foundation’s focus on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) reflects
a commitment to inclusive, effective, and sustainable conservation practices.
The organisation’s ethos revolves around ensuring efforts are driven and valued
by local communities, leading to tangible benefits for both people and wildlife.

Honeyguide believes in equipping local communities with the tools to manage

conservation areas effectively. Their work ensures community owned WMAs
conserve biodiversity, critical habitats, and migratory corridors. Honeyguide
Foundation sees WMAs as social enterprises, and focuses on developing robust
governance and professional management. Their Governance Capacity-Building
Framework has led to significant reductions in poaching, increased revenue, and
stronger community engagement.

Over the next five years, with the support of the Nawiri Foundation the
organisation aims to broaden its impact, supporting over ten WMAs across
Tanzania, covering a vast area of critical ecosystems. This expansion is founded
on the lessons learned from existing WMAs, with the intention of replicating their
success on a national scale.

Honeyguide’s methodologies are grounded in respect for communities, fostering

trust and creating significant impacts. Their approach is innovative, data-driven,
and aimed at achieving sustainable and successful WMAs. The organisation’s
work contributes to national conservation goals, building investor confidence
and improving livelihoods at both local and national levels. ■

For more information on Honeyguide visit www.honeyguide.org

81
 N AW I R I PA RT N E R

Maa Trust
“We support communities in the Maasai Mara by promoting small
business startups and microfinance schemes, enabling them to
make their own money and to invest in their family’s development.
In our social enterprise, Maa Beadwork we measure the success of
the project not only on how much money the ladies earn, but also
the impact these earnings have on their lives.” — Rose Sairowua
Maa Beadwork Field Operation Supervisor

The Maa Trust is a non-profit organisation working with community-owned

conservancies in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. Reducing household poverty,
improving quality of life and increasing resilience by supporting Maasai women
and youth through diversification to environmentally sustainable livelihoods.

They coordinate in-house social enterprises to diversify livelihood opportunities

for community members through technical and business skills training. Rose
Sairowua (pictured top right) is the Maa Beadwork Field Operation Supervisor. A
teacher by profession, she makes sure that fieldwork for the 579 ladies currently
engaged with the project runs smoothly. “Maa Beadwork was launched in 2013 at
the request of Maasai women who felt they were not benefiting from the
conservancies, as rent payments are largely passed only to men. The ladies
wanted to be connected to the tourist market in the Mara. The handcrafted
beadwork items are sold to visitors through partner camps,” she says.

Support is also provided to womens’ groups through microfinance training and

loan access. The Maa Trust run a Street Business School entrepreneurship course
covering a wide variety of business skills including business identification, book
keeping, market research, and business planning.

The Maa Trust works in three thematic areas, prioritised by Maasai communities;
education and skills, water and health, and sustainable livelihoods. The Maa
Trust works together with local communities to support them in their projects to
innovate and work towards sustainable development. ■

For more information on the Maa Trust visit www.themaatrust.org

82
83
 The Silicon
Savannah
In the Maasai Mara, a technological revolution is unfolding within
conservation, redefining the way we assess and manage data.
Technological innovation is changing the face of
wildlife and landscape protection across Kenya and
Tanzania. Advances in tools like machine learning,
acoustic sensors, and satellite remote sensing are
revolutionising our understanding and protection of
vast wilderness areas. They both enhance data
collection and accelerate its analysis, offering deeper
insights into ecological dynamics.
At the forefront of this transformation is the Mara
Elephant Project (MEP). Established in 2011, MEP
operates in the Greater Mara Ecosystem, a
partnership that includes the Government of Kenya,
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Wildlife Research and
Training Institute (WRTI), and various community
conservancies. Their mission is to employ cutting-
edge technology for more effective elephant
conservation and habitat protection. MEP’s journey
from traditional conservation methods to embracing
modern technology exemplifies a broader shift in
safeguarding Africa’s wildlife.
“Technology is pivotal in conservation, especially in its
capacity to gather and interpret data about wildlife,
habitats, and the social dynamics within these
environments,” notes Dr Jake Wells, Director of
Research and Conservation at MEP. “Data-driven
methods are transforming how we address
conservation challenges, enhancing both our
understanding and operational efficiency,” he adds.
MEP harnesses Geographic Information System (GIS)
technology through a software platform called
84
EarthRanger. This tool enables the team to track
elephant movement, monitor habitats, and understand
the nuances of human-elephant coexistence.
EarthRanger consolidates diverse data streams into a
comprehensive overview, generating a wealth of
information for analysis.
To effectively process this data, MEP has developed
EcoScope, an open-source analysis module for
EarthRanger. EcoScope significantly streamlines the
analysis of ecological data, facilitating quick
generation of reports and insights that were previously
unattainable without extensive manual effort. Wilson
Sairowua, MEP’s Conservation Manager and a native
of the Maasai Mara, oversees the tracking of collared
elephants and the management of this data. “The
technology empowers us to monitor our field
operations more accurately, ensuring both the
protection of wildlife and the efficiency of our teams,”
Wilson explains.
“We can then evaluate and analyse that information
and use it to protect both the wildlife and the people
within the Greater Mara Ecosystem. This data-driven
conservation allows us to use science to inform
actions on the ground in a meaningful and more
efficient way.”
The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is
currently stirring global debate, with significant
implications for conservation research. AI accelerates
data analysis and reveals patterns beyond human
detection, proving indispensable real-time wildlife →
86
protection. Its ability to rapidly process vast datasets
is pivotal in conservation, where timely responses to
threats like poaching, habitat loss, or human
encroachment are critical.
MEP’s innovative use of AI includes employing
geo-fences to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. These
virtual boundaries, set around farmlands and
communities, trigger alerts when collared elephants
breach them, enabling prompt on-ground
intervention to guide the elephants back to safety.
Another notable initiative is ElephantBook, MEP’s
in-house developed software that utilises machine
learning to identify individual elephants. By analysing
unique features such as tusk size and ear shape,
ElephantBook enhances monitoring efficiency and
enriches data crucial for understanding elephant
populations. The MEP team has successfully identified
1,500 out of the 2,600 elephants in the greater Mara
area using this technology.
Wilson underscores their approach: “Our team,
comprising of young researchers, conducts daily
fieldwork, photographing elephants and noting
distinctive features. We aim to create a unique
identification system for each Mara elephant,
accessible to conservationists and NGOs alike,
democratising the data for broader use.”
The MEP isn’t the only organisation to be embracing
new technological advances. Beyond the visible
spectrum, acoustic sensors strategically placed across
the landscapes of Kenya and Tanzania offer a fresh
way to study biodiversity.
Capturing the symphony of nature, from the chorus of
frogs as night falls, to the roars of distant lions,
sophisticated algorithms sift through this auditory
treasure trove, identifying not only the presence of key
species but also their behavioural nuances. For
example, the distinctive call-and-response
communication of elephants can be unravelled.
In Nyerere National Park, the Six Rivers Foundation
are deploying acoustic receivers as part of a
significant new biodiversity study. Brandon Kemp, one
of the founders at Six Rivers Africa explains how this
helps advance their studies. “Wildlife, such as frogs
and bats, are generally not caught on camera traps
so it has been hard to accurately study them. We are
87
able to use acoustic recording to create a more
comprehensive view of biodiversity than is otherwise
possible in any other way.”
Satellite remote sensing, a tool that once only
operated in the realms of space exploration, has
found a new calling in the service of conservation.
Satellites orbiting high above the African continent
provide a bird’s-eye view of the ever-changing
landscapes. Conservationists leverage this
technology to monitor deforestation, habitat
degradation, and even track the movements of
wildlife across vast expanses.
In the context of Kenya and Tanzania, where
ecosystems are delicately balanced, satellite remote
sensing becomes a vital tool in identifying areas
under stress and formulating targeted conservation
strategies to solve the issues.
MEP’s innovative use of Artificial
Intelligence includes employing
geo-fences to mitigate human-
wildlife conflict.
“The proliferation of tracking devices, cameras,
sensors, and remote sensing imagery gives us an
unparalleled amount of data to study and analyse. A
big challenge is now in the analysis and our ability to
answer meaningful questions, and quickly, from this
data,” said MEP’s Dr Jake Wells. “We need to develop
newer analytical tools, data platforms, and services
that are designed specifically to be used for
conservation, an area which has typically trailed
behind other industries in driving the development
and adoption of technology.
“Specifically, I think development of a data analysis
pipeline, designed to process aerial images from
drone surveys using machine-learning models is the
next key investment in conservation technology. This
will enable us to analyse hyper-spectral imagery and
build our understanding of wildlife habitat,” he
concluded. With new technologies still emerging,
embracing their power will be integral to shaping the
future of our threatened ecosystems and protecting
both the wildlife and people who live in them. ■
The lifeblood
of the Maasai
Recognising the importance of cattle, and finding solutions to
manage grazing so that it still allows for a traditional way of life,
has to be central to long term conservation plans if communities
are to embrace them.
90
Dust rises as a lean herd of cattle emerges
from the scrub. A teenage boy walks
in silence behind them clad in a bright
red Shuka cloth in vivid contrast to the
surrounding pale-yellow grasses. The road
is full of cows now, but it’s a tiny number in
comparison to the mind-boggling amount
that are managed in Tanzania and Kenya.
Here in Tanzania the figure is around 33
million, and in Kenya it’s slightly less, but
still significant at over 21 million. Of course,
there are also vast numbers of other animals
too, not least millions of sheep and goats, all
needing grass to feed on.
The young herdsman pauses, casting a reproachful
scowl in our direction as he gently chides his cattle to
navigate around our vehicle, a temporary disruption
in the herd’s procession. Cattle are not merely
livestock in this realm; they’re the lifeblood of the
Maasai culture, integral to identity and survival. For
the Maasai they are a cornerstone of cultural identity,
wealth, and sustenance, deeply intertwined with their
pastoral way of life.
In recent decades, the Maasai’s pastoral existence
has come under threat. The rising human population,
climate change, and land use conflicts have
upended the delicate equilibrium of the Maasai’s
pastoral heritage and the health of the ecosystem.
Cattle represent the fundamental Maasai currency,
sold and bartered for all sorts of goods and services.
Families build up large herds as a demonstration of
wealth and status.
What were once traditional grazing lands have been
converted for agriculture or set aside as wildlife
conservation areas and National Parks, leaving the
Maasai displaced from large stretches of land with a
smaller space for their herds. With little room to roam,
the issue has been further compounded by drought,
leading to devastating cattle losses.
Overgrazing, amplified by the expanding Maasai
population, has a significant consequence as the
land reaches its ecological capacity. This weakens the
capacity of soil to store nutrients and carbon, making
91
it less productive and more sensitive to changing
weather patterns.
In areas such as the Usangu Wetlands of Ruaha, in
Southern Tanzania, cattle grazing was a significant
contributor to the drying up of the Great Ruaha River,
creating a water crisis that had ramifications for the
whole country. The impact of increasing cattle
numbers on ecologically sensitive landscapes is
considerable, making it a critical factor in
conservation planning.
However, livestock still needs grassland, and moving
herds outside protected areas creates a new issue of
illegal grazing. Herds are moved over many
kilometres daily, into areas where grazing is banned.
This creates topographical changes, creating paths,
and reduces the quantity and quality of food
available for wildlife, with a knock-on effect for the
whole food chain. The effect of cattle grazing on wild
herbivores differs between species, but many will
avoid areas recently grazed by cattle.
Cattle are not merely livestock in
this realm. They’re the lifeblood of
the Maasai culture.
A model found in several of the Wildlife Management
Areas (WMA) in Tanzania, and Conservancies in
Kenya, is to allow managed grazing. The Mara North
Conservancy’s rotational grazing system, overseen by
Grazing Manager Raphael Kereto (pictured top left),
is an exemplar of a sustainable approach that
supports both the ecosystem and the Maasai’s
pastoral practices.
“In the rotational grazing system of Mara North
Conservancy, the cattle are moved between blocks of
around ten square kilometres,” Raphael explains. “We
also designate cattle-free zones within the
conservancy. Since managing grazing this way we’ve
not lost cattle to drought, and they are fetching more
money at market as they are healthier. They aren’t
being walked long distances to graze each day and
we can provide access to medicine.”
Unfortunately, with the value and health of the cattle
increasing, this then results in a new issue; more
cattle. “Our main challenge now is managing →
numbers; the farmers are resistant to reducing the
number of livestock” Raphael adds. “Of course, as
families earn money from other revenue sources, a
lot of that is also converted into more cattle.”

Philip Valentine, the general Manager of the Mara

North Conservancy explains, “Our main
preoccupation is with the high numbers of landowners’
cattle that we host. these numbers are way too many
for the conservancy to sustain. They have been
moving around the grazing blocks and exhausting the
grazing and the water pans ahead of time. When they
need to return to previously grazed areas, there has
been no adequate grass regeneration.”

Alistair Nicklin, General Manager at the Mara

Naboisho Conservancy who operate a similar
scheme of managed grazing zones, revealed that
grazing remains one of toughest conundrums in the
conservancy to solve.

“Grazing is probably the most contentious issues we

have in the conservancy, depending on grass
availability. During drought it becomes very difficult
and we see a lot of illegal grazing, with cattle and
sheep driven through no-grazing zones to water. Of
course, they grab every blade of grass on the way. It
also becomes an ethical dilemma as we don’t want
to see livestock suffer.”

“We need to look at increasing year-round water

availability for herds, and increasing grass density in
areas previously overgrazed,” says Alistair. “Livestock
management is a critical aspect of conservation in
this ecosystem.”

Another solution being explored is the breed of

cattle used, and Raphael feels this could be one
answer. “We want to encourage quality over quantity,
and a shift to pastoralists having fewer, but more
valuable and productive cattle” he suggests. New
cross breeds offer benefits such as more tolerance to
adverse climatic conditions, better milk and beef
production, and less feed requirements, reducing
costs for farmers.

Community involvement is paramount in finding a

solution that can be embraced by all parties.
Managed grazing offers a positive solution, but only
where herd numbers are sustainably managed, as
part of the grazing puzzle that allows the Maasai’s
pastoral heritage to coexist with conservation in a
changing environment. ■
 A path forward
in the wilderness
In one of Tanzania’s largest and most remote areas, a fresh strategy
combining scientific research with community engagement, is
breathing new life into a depleted ecosystem.

The evening sky is transitioning rapidly from azure In 1993, the Great Ruaha River ran dry for the first time
blue to deep purple, leaving us in darkness with the in known history. This catastrophe was caused by
sounds of hidden wildlife all around. We pull our human activity within the Usangu wetlands. Once rich
vehicle over to the side of the track, and using the in wildlife, the area was unrecognisable. Rice farms
light from its headlights, attach a camera to the trunk with their thirsty requirements, fed by unmanaged
of a tree, positioning it so it looks out on a clearing water trenches were drying out the wetlands. This was
with a small pool of water at its centre. This is a compounded by intense grazing, with cattle tramping
perfect place to discover what animals are moving the ground and removing grass cover, which in turn
under cover of darkness. increased evaporation of the remaining water. The
hydroelectric turbines stopped turning, reducing the
We’re in Usangu Game Reserve, Tanzania. Our
electricity needed for economic development. To
knowledgeable Asilia guide, Fadili Sinang’o explains
counter the problems, the Tanzanian Government
that a full biodiversity audit has been carried out and
expanded Ruaha National Park to include the 6,000
as things stand, we’re looking at an amazing success
square kilometre wetland wilderness.
story for an area that not that long ago was an
ecosystem on the brink of collapse. Our camera trap This was not without controversy because annexing
set, we head back to camp, wondering what Usangu meant displacing people. There were 27
creatures we might record overnight. villages relocated, and the communities from the 31
further villages along the outskirts of the park were
The Greater Ruaha Ecosystem in Tanzania is a vast
banned from entering the land that was once the
region, encompassing approximately 50,000
resource they lived off. Livestock grazing, fishing,
square kilometres and is home to over 10 percent of
hunting, farming and wood gathering were all
Africa’s lions. We’re in the Usangu Wetlands area, a
forbidden under new rules. Understandably,
relatively new addition to Ruaha National Park,
community feelings ran high.
following its inclusion in 2006.
Sheila Makindara, Head of Community at Six Rivers,
An old and often abused hunting block, the Usangu
leads a transformative initiative to enhance local
wetlands feed into river systems crucial to the whole
livelihoods, by addressing challenges faced by
country. These remote watery plains, at the heart of
displaced communities. “There is a lot of confusion,
which sits the Ihefu Swamp are the source of the Great
especially amongst the older villagers,” she explains.
Ruaha River. This is the lifeblood for huge areas of the
“They don’t understand why they are no longer able to
country; not least because its two hydroelectric dams
enter the park and use its resources.” →
generate about 50 percent of Tanzania’s electricity.

95
“These are very poor rural people, without electricity
or the means to buy other fuel. All their cooking is
done over woodfires, but now they’re struggling to
gather enough fuel to meet their basic needs. They
look into the park and see it just lying there, so ask
what is the harm of going into the park to pick up the
wood that will otherwise be left?”
“The problem is the sheer number of people. One
person picking up firewood doesn’t have an impact,
but there would be 600 people or more and it isn’t
sustainable. It has to be an all or nothing approach,”
Sheila continues.
To change the narrative, solutions need to found, and
this includes finding alternative energy sources and
improving income so the local communities can
afford to buy it. Right now, they feel it’s all about
wildlife and people don’t matter. “Our work is to find
a balance for both because ultimately this will be the
only way to protect the ecosystem,” she concludes.
While the feelings of the people who live in the villages
bordering the park are still mixed, the outlook of the
96
younger generation is more open, with many
embracing the opportunities that tourism in the park
is opening up. A partnership created between Asilia,
Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), and the
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute was the start of
the region’s recovery. In 2021 Asilia Africa approached
the community looking for people who were keen to
train for roles at a new camp.
Zubery Ngalawa is one of the young team at Usangu
Camp, a housekeeper with obvious pride in his work.
“At first people in the village were unhappy with me
and I was threatened when they found out I would be
working in the park. Many thought I was training to
be a ranger so didn’t trust me, and there are still
people who earn a lot from poaching because you
can get a good money from just a few hours of illegal
fishing. When things escalated, my house was burnt
down, showing the anger of the older generation
towards their exclusion from the park.”
For Zubery things have since improved. His family
now see the benefits because of his income, are
proud of him and talk to others about the
importance of wildlife and tourism. “There are still a
lot of people who don’t understand,” he adds.

His story is echoed by others working in the camp.

Anderson Mesilla is a guide who grew up in one of
the nearby villages. “My grandfather collected honey
from within the park, and as I got older, I joined him.
Having the opportunity to work and train as a guide
has changed my life. I’m an ambassador for this
ecosystem and can see the positive impact that is “My house was burnt down,
taking place.” But he acknowledges his grandfather,
showing the anger towards being
now in his nineties, is still angry.

A scholarship programme now offers others from the

excluded from the park”
local area a chance to train in different areas of
hospitality. Fifty fully-funded places are being offered
this year, with plans to increase it to a hundred in the
future. Other projects offering opportunities to the
local community include enterprises to farm honey or
grow chillis. Studies have revealed that each person
employed has eight dependents, meaning revenue
generating enterprises can significantly uplift the
lives of many. →

97
Six Rivers Africa, funded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has
made a large financial commitment to southern
Tanzania and is working together with Asilia on
protecting this remote wilderness. “Embracing the
community clearly is critical. They need a vision; a
successful national park with lots of tourists and jobs,”
says Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Brandon Kemp, Founder of Six Rivers Africa, has been
involved in the Usangu Wetlands story since the start.
He knows that for this ecosystem to thrive, it needs to
have a greater value. “In Tanzania, if the land can’t
add value, it will disappear and take on another form
of revenue generation. This could be agriculture. We
want to avoid this and make these parts of the parks
valuable to the country,” he explains.
“When I first visited Usangu it felt very different. It was
full of poachers and cattle despite being part of the
National Park, but its potential was clear. Monitoring
such a vast area with no roads or infrastructure was
impossible, so the land and its wildlife was being
abused,” he continues. “In order to understand these
vast wilderness areas, we needed a biodiversity study
to work out the health of the eco-system and find out
what lived there.”
“We started our research through the use of camera
traps, with 60 places through the bush covering 120
kilometres,” Brandon explained.
“We left them out for three months, collecting a huge
number of data points that needed analysing. We
found that every species that occurred on the Ruaha
mammal list were present in the Usangu Game
Reserve, plus a small antelope that hadn’t been
recorded in this area before. We continued our
survey looking at fish in the river and placing small
mammal traps.”
Now visitors to the park participate in the ongoing
camera trap studies. “These aren’t just to create a
nice story for guests,” reveals camp manager,
David Msuya. “It helps us build up a bigger picture
and monitor the success of what we are doing.
Unlike other many National Parks, this area is
relatively unknown, and we don’t know all the
wildlife that’s here.”
The Usangu Wetlands is a success story, that shows
what could be rolled out in other areas. “We’ve taken
what we did in Usangu as proof of concept, and we
99
have lifted and shifted that approach onto new areas.
Everything we are doing now stems from Usangu,”
adds Brandon Kemp. “There were a lot of learnings,
some positives, but of course also some negatives.
This has helped us refine and advance what we are
doing. It’s definitely not perfect but we’ve significantly
improved our approach.”
“These learnings have played a significant role in a
new study in Nyerere National Park. We are using 150
camera traps now, which is almost double the
number we used in Usangu. Instead of netting fish,
we are using eDNA to study aquatic life and working
with acoustic recorders, then using software to
identify the calls that are being made.”
“Down the road, we feel that biodiversity accreditation
will be important. Although currently carbon
offsetting is the main player, we do foresee this
moving towards biodiversity credits. What we are
doing now will allow us to understand what
biodiversity is there and monitor our progress of
protecting these ecosystems. The ultimate goal for us
is getting these areas of land generating enough
revenue so that the government sees it as a
worthwhile income source and dedicates attention
and funding to protecting it.”
The progress made, despite the difficulties of the
past are heartening. There are clearly challenges
ahead to ensure that communities prosper, but the
improvement in biodiversity and the landscape itself
is a big step along the road.
At camp, we sit to review our camera trap images
from the night before. First of all, an elephant, eyes
glowing white, looks towards the lens, then in the
frame is the familiar sight of two dik-dik stopping by
to drink. The final shot reveals something different, a
slim cat-like animal with what looks like a Zorro mask
across its eyes. It’s a secretive genet, a good capture
data wise, highlighting the diversity of rarer wildlife in
the region. As visitors we feel we’ve played a part in
the ongoing research that is helping to put this
ecosystem back on its feet. ■
IMAGES: Page 94, Usangu guide Fadili Sinang’o setting a
camera trap. Page 96, a genet caught on the camera trap
pictured. Page 97, Fadili Sinang’o logging data of wildlife seen
on a morning game drive. Opposite, the Usangu wetlands.
 N AW I R I PA RT N E R

Six Rivers Africa

“Six Rivers Africa aims to be the leading non-profit organisation in
supporting conservation and communities in wilderness areas. Our
integrated approach to address conservation problems, provides
the opportunity to create positive and lasting impact on the lives
of local communities living adjacent to National Parks”
— Sheila Makindara, Head of Community, Six Rivers Africa.

Six Rivers Africa, an arm of the Six Rivers Foundation, is at the forefront of
Tanzania’s conservation efforts, targeting the nation’s southern wilderness. The
initiative’s strategy weaves together scientific research and community
engagement to address the complex challenges of biodiversity conservation.

Six Rivers focus is within National Park areas, primarily Ruaha National Park and
Nyerere National Park, partnering with governmental organisations in the
research and development of these critical ecosystems.

Key to their approach is a comprehensive ecological study, including biodiversity

audits and wildlife monitoring, coupled with advanced aquatic research.
Protection strategies are multifaceted, involving collaboration with government
forces, specialised ranger training, and aerial support. In wildlife restoration, the
initiative conducts regular ecological surveys and reintroduces critical species,
directly engaging with the natural cycle of these regions.

Community involvement is integral to Six Rivers Africa’s ethos. This encompasses

educational initiatives, infrastructural support in schools, and fostering a deeper
understanding and commitment to conservation among local populations.

By aligning with governmental policies and acknowledging the global

biodiversity crisis, Six Rivers Africa not only confronts immediate ecological
challenges but also sets a sustainable course for Tanzania’s environmental
future. This model demonstrates a synergy of scientific rigor, community
partnership, and policy alignment, essential in the global fight to preserve
natural habitats and biodiversity. ■

For more information on Six Rivers visit www.thesixriversfoundation.com

100
 Innovating for
Co-Existence
Saving both elephants and livelihoods with simple solutions requires
constant invention. Elephants are smart but a bright young team in
Tanzania is busy innovating to find sustainable ways to help rural
farmers living on the edge of protected areas safeguard their crops.

On the outskirts of a remote Tanzanian village, two
farmers squat at the side of a maize field. One
scoops up dirt; small chips of rock tumbling from his
hand as he carefully places a handful of the warm
soil onto a piece of paper spread before him by the
other. A plastic bag is split open, and a generous
amount of hot red chili powder is poured out, then
mixed into the soil. Finally, a foil packet containing a
condom is revealed as the unlikeliest component in
the construction. Gently unfurling it, they embark on
the delicate operation of stuffing it with the pungent
soil-chili mixture, before adding a small firecracker
and tying the top, leaving its fuse protruding. As the
contraption is held up, a broad smile crosses both
their faces. This simple device, a Chili Cracker, will
help him keep their crops safe.
A farmer can lose several acres of crops in a single
night if elephants invade a farm. Crop destruction
can be devastating for rural communities relying on
farming for their livelihood.
As human settlements spread, and crop production
increases to support a rapidly growing population,
agriculture encroaches further on elephant habitats,
bringing with it increased contact and conflict. With
their livelihoods at stake, negativity towards
elephants and the protected areas they inhabit
festers, then communities start looking at killing
elephants as a solution to the problems they are
facing. Key to any long-term conservation solutions is
supporting a peaceful co-existence between wildlife
and people.
Our demonstration isn’t quite over. Despite a strong,
hot wind that’s causing small dust tornadoes to whirl
around the fields, they want us to see and hear the
effect of the Chili Cracker, so a huddle is made
against the breeze, the fuse is lit and suddenly it’s
arcing across the sky towards imaginary elephants.
With a loud and sharp crack, the Chili Cracker
explodes, its contents carried on the wind. Naturally,
neither sound or smell is welcome to an elephant,
and as long as you’ve chosen your position correctly
for the prevailing wind, the result should be
elephants moving off the crops. There is ingenuity to
these low-tech but clever methods of crop
protection. Importantly, they can safely deter
elephants allowing farmers to preserve their crops
without harming wildlife.
Lemuta Meng’oru is a young Tanzanian who, as a
farmer, came into conflict with elephants and has
experienced first-hand the destruction a hungry
animal can inflict on a crop. He now works for
Honeyguide, a non-profit NGO committed to →

103
developing sustainable enterprises within community
protected areas of northern Tanzania. As a Human
Wildlife Conflict Officer, it’s his job to look at
strategies to prevent crop destruction, using methods
that are accessible in small rural villages.
He talks knowledgeably about the Human-Elephant
Conflict (HEC) Toolkit that he and his team have
been developing. The words ‘Innovation’ are written
large on the wall behind one of the desks at their
headquarters in Arusha. Innovation is the byword for
their work. Keep thinking, experimenting, and
educating the farmers so they can reduce any
potential conflict, ensuring both human and
elephant can coexist peacefully.
The toolkit needs to use methods and technology that
are accessible in remote farming villages, can keep
the humans implementing them safe, and remain
effective over time. It’s perhaps the latter which is the
most challenging; elephants are clever quickly
become desensitised to some of the tactics deployed,
requiring constant innovation and invention.
104
Lemuta is quick to establish that first and foremost, it
is essential to understand elephant behaviour, before
deploying any of the tools they have developed as
part of the kit. “We teach people about elephants so
they can use the tools safely. For example, we tell
them that they need to pay attention to things like
wind direction before they start using the toolkit. We
stress the importance of respecting the elephants to
help avoid dangerous interactions. Simple things
such as staying quiet until you know their location
makes a big difference to human safety.”
The toolkit itself is purposely low-tech. “We start off
by looking at what the villagers are using already
and then consider how we can improve the efficiency
of what they are already doing. There is no point in us
developing solutions that aren’t quick and efficient to
use, or that require significant investment such as the
use of drones. We look to address the challenge of
human-elephant conflict through constant
adaptation and by teaching an understanding of
elephant behavior to ensure coexistence. Our toolkit
offers simple but effective solutions.”
On talking to farmers, the Honeyguide team
discovered that torchlight was traditionally the first
line of defence, along with noise; either shouting or
banging pans. “We took these ideas, talked at length
to farmers, and thought about how to make them
more effective,” said Lemutu.

Sometimes the answers were simple; a brighter LED

torch with further reach and a strobe function was
far more effective than the low-cost, often battery Local communities will not support
hungry, dim flashlights in use.
anti-poaching if the same elephants
Other innovations took a technique that was working,
such as noise, but advanced it by adding a flashing that the poachers are killing, are
light and increasing safety by turning it into an item destroying their livelihoods.
that was thrown a distance away from the user, so it
didn’t bring a frightened or potentially angry
elephant into closer proximity where, in the dark,
anything could happen.

“We want to adapt this device further” explains

Lemutu. “If an elephant is 200 metres away, we
need to make it so that it can be thrown close to that
elephant allowing people to keep their distance.” →

105
106
107
He shows us a new bell alarm prototype, nestling it in
the handmade sling and demonstrates how it can be
thrown further than the current box model. “We’ll
keep refining it and when it is ready, we’ll bring it to
the community for testing. Then once it’s in use, we’ll
start looking for the next idea.”

A key part of Lemutu’s role is monitoring the success

of the toolkits. “Before we started this programme,
some farmers were only harvesting around 10% of
their crop, but now many are reporting that they are
able to harvest 90%,” he proudly explained. In
addition, nobody has been killed while trying to
protect their crops in areas where the toolkit has
been deployed, and attitudes towards elephants are
changing among the farmers.

Sam Shaba, Programs Manager at Honeyguide,

underlines that if conservation goals are successful,
we should expect that wildlife numbers will increase.
“Let’s be honest, more wildlife will result in more
conflict,” he says. “We need to be ahead of the
game, and make sure that we are well positioned
when this happens; this means we need to start
today. We need to develop tools and approaches, in
partnership with local communities, to protect their
crops and livestock from attack.”

Under the shelter of a large tree in Mswakini Juu, in

Tanzania near Randilen WMA, village leader
Solomoni Emanueli discusses the impact the efforts
have made in his area. Softly spoken but clear in his
views, he’s straight talking about the positives of the
scheme, but accepts there is more work to be done.

“Having a crop protection team working together has

made a big difference,” he explains. “It was never
good when each farmer tried to protect their crops
alone. Now we work together and the training we’ve
had on how animals can react has given us a better
understanding of animal behaviour. Nothing is 100%
effective, but the Toolkit and education has really
helped us.”

Sam concludes, “We want the local communities to

be active participants in protecting the wildlife and
natural resources. It is our responsibility as
conservationists to deliver the solutions that will
help them to protect their farms and livestock from
attack. Only when we are really engaged here, can
we be true to ourselves, and stand together with
communities to jointly support the conservation of
wildlife and habitat.” →
 1

2
3

7
Exploring the conflict tool kit ...
1. Elephants mainly crop-raid at night, and many farmers were
found to be using a cheap flashlight as a basic deterrent with
marginal success. The light source was not bright enough in
these torches, the light beam reaching perhaps 20m, and
insufficient to scare the elephants away.

2. On testing it was found that new LED torches were far more
effective. The strobe function is particularly effective.
Elephants do not like flashing lights and quickly move away
from them; the beam reach of this model is circa 900m while
waterproofing adds to the durability of the torch.

3. Air horns are a cheap and effective deterrent, often used in

tandem with LED lights for a combined auditory and visual
irritant to the elephants.

4. The Honeyguide team had found that some elephants were

becoming desensitised to air horns and were moving towards
the noise source endangering the users. In response, the team
produced a new bell alarm that can be thrown on the ground
which also incorporates a flashing strobe light. The unit is
rechargeable and serviced by the team annually.

5. Currently in development is a new alarm. At present sitting

in a cylinder, the next step will be to incorporate the alarm
and light into a ball shape. With the aid of a sling this can be
thrown further than the box alarm, ensuring there is plenty of
distance between the users and any elephants, who if not
scared away may approach the alarm to destroy it.

6. The Chilli Cracker combines an auditory and physical

deterrent. Elephants have a strong sense of smell and an
intense dislike of chilli powder. A cloud of the spice is
generally enough of an unpleasant irritant to make them
leave. Full instructions are given to farmers and the chilli
crackers have proven to be inexpensive, accessible, and
effective. However, like most deterrents, they can decrease in
effectiveness over time.

7. The final line of defence, this modified roman candle

firework has a 100% effectiveness in deterring elephants to
date. Once fired it releases a series of loud explosions
accompanied by bright flashes. However, as a single use item,
they are expensive, and it is advised they should be used as a
last resort when elephants are refusing to leave a farm and all
the other tools have been used. ■

111
Keeping
The Peace
Meet the men and women protecting both
communities and wildlife in the hinterland
between where protected wilderness ends and
human habitation begins.

The darkness of pre-dawn transitions into the clarity of daybreak as a dusky pink
sky hangs over the bush surrounding a small village in Southern Tanzania. A
solitary figure stands quietly surveying the terrain, and in the shadow of a large
tree he crouches by a dusty track to an examine a single spoor among the
wind-blown leaves and animal tracks, before mentally mapping what might have
happened under the cover of night.

He’s a Lion Defender, and it’s his job to know whether a predator has passed
through the area and if it’s a threat to local livestock. His name is Darem, and
he’s no stranger to tracking the movement of lions. He once killed one as a
young Barabaig warrior in a show of strength and virility, part of an ancient
tradition among the males of his village. He’s not proud of it now and talks softly,
almost bashfully, about his time as a wildlife poacher.

Aged 17, he drove his spear into a lion for the prestige; it was a way of life. Wildlife
was regarded as nothing more than a commodity as he crept into the National
Park to kill elephants and buffalos, while also leading lion hunts. His attitude
changed in 2012 when he joined a new Lion Defenders programme run by the
Ruaha Carnivore Project (now called Lion Landscapes).

It was known that traditional killing was having a substantial impact around
Ruaha National Park in Tanzania, where dozens of lions were being killed in a
single year. Warriors claiming the first spear would receive gifts of cattle from the
community, which was a way to build status. To address the situation, Lion
Landscapes developed a programme that gave young men like Darem, the
opportunity to fulfil a traditional warrior role, while receiving financial benefits.
Now, instead of killing wildlife, they are its protectors in a true poacher-turned-
gamekeeper role reversal. →
 Darem’s day starts at 6am as he heads out into the
bush before the pastoralists take their cattle out to
graze. Typically, he’ll be looking for tracks, but also
has wider intelligence to work from. Lions are often
picked up on camera traps placed in the bush that
surrounds the villages, and some animals have been
collared. The data is collected and analysed, allowing
predictions to be made as to where conflict might
possibly occur.
If there are any signs of lions in the area, Darem
warns the community and, if necessary, physically
ushers the predators away. Any lion sighting around
the village quickly goes ‘viral’, and even in this
remote rural village a flurry of texts from mobile
phone to mobile phone quickly spreads the word as
Darem rushes to the sighting to ensure the safety of
both humans and lion.
After his morning patrol is complete, he will head
back into the village to help reinforce the livestock
enclosures, known as bomas. Research by Lion
Landscapes showed that 65% of carnivore attacks
occurred within poorly protected livestock
enclosures, so fortifying these traditional thornbush
corrals offers essential support to the pastoralists. If
any livestock has become separated from its herd,
Darem will also head out in search of the strays,
rounding them up and making sure they’re returned
to the right farmer.
The warrior who first spears a lion
on a hunt is rewarded with gifts of
cattle from the community and an
elevated status.
Darem’s pride in his work is evident, he says that
while people will still kill lions, he feels better knowing
his effort helps prevent this. He doesn’t want to see
carnivores disappear and now feels a connection
with them.
His face, etched with the lines of experience, is
animated as he recounts his journey as a protector
of the wild. As he weaves tales of lions saved, one
incident stands tall in his memory. Late one night he
heard that a cow had been predated and there was
a plan to poison the carcass and wreak deadly
115
revenge on the offending lions. Heading out on foot,
he spotted the lethal trap, and could see five lions
hungrily circling. As he chased them off for their own
safety, he felt a profound purpose in his role,
protecting both lions and people.
His story is echoed by another Lion Defender, John
Matiasi. A slim and athletic-looking Tanzanian, John
used to spend his days sleeping, and his nights
hunting elephants in the National Park. Now, like
Daren, he advocates for wildlife, and is a predator
protector with three years of experience under his belt.
Sitting in the shade of a tree, he looks serious as he
recounts his early struggles. Not long after starting
his role he heard news of a lion hunt starting after a
lion taking livestock had roused a group into seeking
a retaliatory killing. Approaching the men, he was
warned to back off, and told not to call for
reinforcements. Despite the obvious tension and
potential conflict, he enlisted help and stopped the
hunt, but his intervention came at a price. Later, he
was beaten for sharing the information. Admirably,
he has no regrets about his actions and now enjoys
the status that being a Lion Defender brings; as well
as the opportunity to earn a wage.
There are a number of different employment roles
that have been created in the village, all slightly
different but all achieving the same purpose. They
allow local villagers a way of generating an income
from the wildlife, while at the same time protecting
the income of pastoralists and farmers.
Traditional warriors who have never gone to school,
but who are skilled trackers can use their local
generational knowledge to conserve wildlife. The
long-term conservation of lions and other carnivores
can only be achieved when the people who live
alongside the wildlife, sharing the same landscape,
are involved in the process, and programs such as
the Lion Defenders helps achieve this.
In this area there are now 18 Lion Defenders
employed, covering at least 80% of village land, to
help respond to events, reduce hostility and the
likelihood of lethal retaliation. →
LEFT: Lion Defender Darem Philipo is proud of the
work he does protecting the community.
Lion Landscapes Director of Conservation
Programmes, Benjee Cascio, is understandably
upbeat on how their activities have had a huge
impact on the ground. Their data backs up his
optimism and there’s a stark difference between the
early days of the program and the situation now. For
example, during the early 2010s when the concept
was just starting, there were over 50 carnivore
mortalities in a small area, but in 2023 this has been
reduced to just 10 in an area over five times as large.

But the work is broader than that, and a big part of

conflict reduction is the protection of livestock and
the responses to conflict events. “In 2022 our Lion
Defenders reinforced 68 traditional livestock
enclosures, constructed 25 wire livestock enclosures,
and retrieved nearly 1000 lost livestock,” explains
Benjee. “Lost livestock is also a major cause of cattle
being predated when they’ve become separated
from the herd, and then there is the risk of retaliatory
attacks by the farmers,” he adds.

Lion Defenders also apply basic treatment to injured

livestock after a carnivore attack. This helps to
provide immediate benefit to the pastoralists and
gives Lion Landscapes the chance to be in direct
contact with them. In turn, it helps reduce the
potential for retaliatory poisoning or hunts.

Ultimately, Benjee strongly believes that community-

led conservation must be driven by local
stakeholders, and that by employing individuals that
are based in the community it brings more ownership
and greater involvement in all the conservation
activities. It’s absolutely essential that integrated
landscapes are managed so that people and wildlife
both have the space and resources to exist together.

“Not only do Lion Defenders act as ambassadors to

their community, but they are also the ones on the
frontline, reducing attacks on livestock, monitoring
the presence of wildlife, and responding to conflict
events. Their role in community conservation is
absolutely pivotal. Due to quick responses and a
robust network, we have prevented or stopped 90%
of traditional and retaliatory hunts,” he reveals.

“While Lion Landscapes assists in training, resources,

and capacity building; ultimately this is a two-way
relationship where the community also helps to
educate us about its own needs and strategies to
reduce human wildlife contact.” ■
Lion Defenders
Darem Philipo age 29 (left) and John Matiasi aged
24 (right) are both employed as Lion Defenders. Lion
Landscapes research found that 65% of carnivore
attacks occurred within poorly protected livestock
enclosures (known locally as bomas). As part of their
role the Lion Defenders support the village
pastoralists by checking their traditional thorn-bush
bomas, looking for signs of weakness. They assist
with the reinforcement of the enclosures using
traditional means.

To the left you can see a newer wire boma which was
built as part of a scheme run by Lion Landscapes
that supports the provision of wire enclosures in
areas of high predation. The enclosures are made
with strong diamond-mesh fencing and have been
found to be 95% effective at preventing depredations
at the boma. The household are asked to contribute
25% of the $500 cost and commit to maintaining the
wire enclosure.
Camera Trap Officer
Yohana Mtemisika aged 28, has been a Camera Trap
Officer for two years. The Community Camera Trap
scheme unlocks the value of wildlife for villages
adjacent to Ruaha National Park while supporting
important wildlife research. The scheme involves 16
villages photographing wildlife via camera traps,
earning escalating points for the animals
photographed. A small antelope like a dik dik is
worth a small number of points, while species such as
lion, cheetah or leopard attract a high score. Villages
exchange these points for educational, healthcare or
veterinary benefits, while capturing research data on
wildlife biodiversity.

Yohana, a pastoralist, was selected by his village to

be a camera trap officer and trained in how to set up
and maintain them. He says, “I was chosen as I know
the bush well. I try and place cameras on paths
where I know the wildlife passes. The whole village is
looking out for wildlife now.”
Conflict Officer
Neria Abdi aged 25, has been a Conflict Officer since
2018. In the Greater Ruaha area Conflict Officers are
employed in all the villages that Lion Landscapes
work in. A significant part of the role is to be the first
to respond to depredations, collect data and
monitor trends in livestock loss from carnivores
across over 500 livestock enclosures.

Neria’s role is to support the community while acting

as a conservation ambassador. It’s not always easy
“There are often a lot of challenges when trying to
resolve conflict, such as a lot of anger after a
depredation.” Neria says. “Maasai women have
traditionally been responsible for domestic work so
at first, being female caused me additional
challenges in making my voice heard, but now
people understand I am there to help and accept my
advice. I used to fear lions but my perspective has
changed and I see the importance of wildlife. My
community now benefits from protecting it.”
 Conservation
credentials
Assessing the credentials of eco-tourism needs a
determination to look beyond the headlines and
seek out truly transformational change.
It is getting increasingly hard for consumers to navigate the plethora of
messages when it comes to seeking out a responsible travel company. Behind
the fanfare of ‘PR’ it’s essential to ask whether initiatives you hear about are
genuine mechanisms for change or messaging that speaks to the growing
demand for responsible tourism. Greenwashing is the phrase used when a
business exaggerates its environmental credentials. While doing something is
better than doing nothing, we think the fact a camp is solar powered or has a
water recycling system, should be standard throughout the industry.

In 2012, Asilia Africa became a Certified B Corporation, and as of 2023 The Nawiri
Group and its individual travel companies are also B Corp certified. It’s a powerful
framework for change; a marker that says our business is meeting high standards
of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. As
one of the first hospitality/tourism companies in Africa to achieve this, we are
proud of our efforts. For almost two decades, B Corp has been seen as the
benchmark; a tool to encourage the setting of high sustainability targets. We don’t
see it as the bar to reach, but rather the bare minimum a company serious about
making a positive impact should attain.

On the surface, stating an organisation is making a difference is laudable, but

often initiatives only scratch the environmental surface, or fail to address the
long-term picture with any magnitude or depth. In an era where consumers seek
sustainable and ethical options, the potential for greenwashing continues to
raise concerns.

Are initiatives transformative in the long-term? Positive impact requires genuine

collaboration and partnership with communities, and a deep respect for the
ecosystem being worked in. Fortunately, many safari companies do this really
well, but some less so. Travellers need to be armed with the best information and
ask the right questions, so they can make informed choices and be confident
their travel has a net positive impact.

We are committed to investing in wilderness areas, by benefitting people and

nature. The scale of our plans, and the value of our investment has no comparison
to what has been seen from a travel company in Africa before. We hope you will
join us in our mission to create a future where vital ecosystems and local
communities thrive together. Together we can make a genuine difference. ■

124
 The Impact of Safari
When arriving in Africa you are naturally excited by the experience that lies ahead, but you should
also know you are helping preserve ecosystems, create jobs, and finance vital infrastructure in the
rural areas of the country you’re visiting.

13% The share of this itinerary’s price that is directly

covering area management and conservation
 $
1.6m 10.7% 30%
Travel and tourism Tanzania’s GDP Zambia’s land area
industry jobs in generated by protected, fully
Kenya tourism funded by tourism

Kenya
The travel and tourism industry
represented 8.1% of the country’s total
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019
and supported in the region of 1.6 million
tourism related jobs.

Tanzania
Tourism is responsible for approximately
6.2% of total employment in the country
and also provides 100% funding for the
Tanzania National Parks Authority
(Tanapa) who manage all Tanzania’s
1 national parks covering approximately 15%
of the land area.

South Africa Botswana

Tourism is one of the fastest growing economic
sectors in South Africa. contributing 7.1% of
GDP. Sanparks, who manage South Africa’s
national parks, generate 80% of their
operating budget through tourism.
Home to the world’s largest elephant
population, the tourism industry
contributes 11.5% to the country’s GDP,
and provides around 26,000 jobs within
the sector.

100% The share of Tanzania’s National Parks Authority’s

(TANAPA) budget that is funded by tourism.
P I O N E E R I N G S U S TA I N A B L E S A FA R I E X P E R I E N C E S I N E A S T A F R I C A

Asilia Africa
For decades, Asilia Africa has led the industry
in providing immersive safari experiences in
East Africa. Rooted in the Swahili words for
‘authentic’ and ‘genuine’, our name reflects our
commitment to exceptional safari experiences
and our dedication to conservation and
uplifting community.

Established by a group of passionate individuals with a deep history in East

Africa’s safari industry, Asilia’s journey began with Rekero Camp in 1987 and
Oliver’s Camp in 1992. Our merger in 2004 was driven by a shared commitment to
the region and a vision to create a meaningful impact. Today, Asilia stands as a
leading safari operator, employing more than 1,000 people across a portfolio of
Camps and Lodges in Kenya and Tanzania. Our spirit of nature conservation and
community empowerment continues to inspire both travellers and partners.

An Asilia safari extends beyond the luxury of our camps. It represents a commitment
to positive change, powered by responsible tourism. We prioritise responsible
sourcing for our camps, from energy to materials, and are dedicated to investing in
local staff, uplifting communities, and supporting conservation programs.

As a member of the B Corp Certified Nawiri Group, Asilia – itself first B Corp
certified in 2012 - unites responsible travel companies, local communities, and
experts to forge a sustainable and equitable impact across East Africa. The
Group’s mission is to foster environmentally constructive income streams that
benefit both natural ecosystems and their custodians. Asilia’s camps have
consistently achieved the highest attainable levels of sustainability under
Responsible Tourism Tanzania and Ecotourism Kenya certifications, in addition to
numerous other awards.

Choosing Asilia for your safari adventure means more than an unforgettable
experience; it signifies active participation in wildlife conservation and community
initiatives. Together, we work to preserve East Africa’s nature and heritage, and
support the well-being of its people, aiming to make a lasting positive impact on
our planet. ■

128
 Intrigued by the challenge?
Inspired by the potential for
positive impact?
If you found this publication
insightful, please let us know by
scanning the QR code below

Receive an online copy of this

publication or get in touch to
find out how to contribute.

www.nawirigroup.com
Responsible Travel.
Positive Impact.
Reimagined Together.

A Nawiri Group Publication

NawiriGroup is an impact and
collaboration platform that brings
together responsible travel companies,
communities and expert partners to
support some of the greatest, globally
relevant natural ecosystems.

www.nawirigroup.com
contact@nawirigroup.com

Editing and photography: Kate Waite and Andrew James

Version 1.0