CS Peninah Malonza helps raise Sh12 million in hours
Close to 500 communities in the environs of Amboseli national park have directly benefited from projects funded through the Magical Kenya Tembo Naming Festival launched two years ago.
On Friday, November 4, Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza hosted a fundraiser dinner for the initiative that realised about Sh12 million.
The Magical Kenya Tembo naming festival, which will be held next month at Amboseli national park, is a joint ambitious initiative between the government and private sector to minimise human-wildlife conflict through a number of interventions.
From the Magical Kenya Naming festival debut, Sh16 million raised so far, 475 households are benefiting directly from projects already initiated key among them being water projects initiated to reduce the scramble for water resources between human beings and Wildlife.
So far, four boreholes have been dug near communities in the Amboseli ecosystem including; the Impala borehole, Risa borehole, Olgulului borehole and Kimana borehole.
Further, through the initiative, additional land has been mobilised through partnerships with communities to minimise roaming elephants into the community land.
While presiding over the Magical Kenya Tembo Naming fundraiser dinner at Nairobi National park, CS Malonza said that the ever-growing demand for sustainable solutions has necessitated concerted efforts by all stakeholders to conserve the country’s natural resources.
She noted that while conservation is a focus area in many parts of the world, Kenya is not immune from the problems associated with it.
As we transition the country towards sustainable tourism, we are looking at ways to make sure that our natural resources are well protected for the future.
“As you can see, the funds raised are going into projects that are improving the lives of communities and wildlife as well,” she said.
The Tembo Naming Festival champions elephant conservation through various activities such as naming of elephants, collaring and tracking, community livelihood projects and conservation education programs.
The CS also noted with concern the effects of climate change, pointing out the current drought situation that has also affected wildlife in Kenya. She stressed the need to conserve the environment.
Kenya Wildlife Service Director General Brigadier (Rtd) John Waweru noted that the agency is committed to identifying existing challenges in wildlife conservation and developing solutions that are holistic and sustainable from an environmental as well as socio-economic perspective.
