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DEVELOPMENT
An interesting experiment in eco-tourism which benefits the local community
About 250 kilometres from Nairobi on the eastern slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the Oloitoktok division of Kajiado district, the lives of the 843 members of the Kimana Tikondo group ranch are slowly changing. In a span of less than 10 years, they are in the process of getting title deeds to their farms after which they hope to develop them for profitable purposes. They intend to embark on individual agricultural and livestock production as opposed to their previous nomadic lifestyles.
All this is going to be possible, once the survey work of their ranch has been completed and each member has received the title deed to his own piece of land. The whole exercise, which initially appeared almost impossible, is being funded by proceeds from the Kimana Game Sanctuary, an income-generating activity of this particular community. It all started way back in 1992, when the chairman of the group ranch, the late Paul Nangoro, visited group ranches in parts of Kajiado and Nakuru where communities were actively engaged in eco-tourism. While travelling around, he realized that people were able to make proper use of the vast semi-arid pastoral lands at their disposal, to generate funds for improving their quality of life.
The group occupies the gently undulating Amboseli plains. The area receives the lowest average rainfall of 500 mm per annum in the whole of Kajiado district.
According to the 1997-2001 Kajiado District Development Plan, the area is of medium potential with respect to crop production, and best supports livestock development. For environmental conservation purposes the area gazetted for conservation, measures about 80,000 hectares. For the Kimana Tikondo group ranch, the grazing ground measuring almost 6,000 acres was to be the reason for their success. The place was in fact a corridor followed by game animals, when migrating between the Amboseli National Park and Tsavo National Park. Wild animals are a constant feature throughout the year. The area has a unique large swampy land, which during the dry season provides water and feeding grounds for animals from both Parks. The community decided to specially protect and set it aside as a safe place for these wild animals.
Kimana Tikonda group ranch members were fortunate that at their «Kimana» (roughly translating to mean «the circular place»), tour operators were already arriving in large numbers with their clients to view these migrating wild animals (giraffes, elephants, zebras, buffalos, and different types of gazelles. On good days, you can even see cheetahs, leopards and other animals of the cat family). The only drawback was the fact that the community was neither directly involved nor benefiting from this venture. They realized that this was an important resource, which they had left for others to exploit. It dawned on them that proper utilization of the place could also enable them to earn income from the semi-arid parts of the land without interfering with the bio-diversity of the area. They then decided to construct a gate at the entrance of the sanctuary where they charged the visitors, entrance fees.
By 1994, the Community was able to get their act together with help from the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), the African Wildlife Fund (AWF) and the Cobra Project. They received assistance and advice in strengthening their management, organizational skills and capacity, so as to efficiently run the facility in a profitable manner. With support from the Cobra Project, the Community was able to construct a decent gate. The KWS helped them to erect an electric perimeter fence on one side to the sanctuary to as to reduce the risk of conflict between people around the sanctuary area and the animals.
The Community’s main aim from the very beginning, was to enable members of the ranch pay the secondary school fees for their children and to help those in genuine financial distress. According to their constitution, members are encouraged to find their own ways and means of sending their children to primary school. The ranch committee ensures that the children can continue on to secondary school.
Giminis Meikoki is a ranger at the Game sanctuary. He says that many children have benefited from this arrangement, himself included. There is also financial help available for those wishing and able to continue on to tertiary education. Meikoki says most of the camp employees are former beneficiaries of this scheme. He counts doctors, clerks, teachers among those who have «profited» by this scheme. The Community ran the animal sanctuary until August 1999 when they leased it out to the Africa Safari Club group of companies. The new sanctuary management made a downpayment of a lump sum and now continues to remit monthly payments to the Community. With this money, the Community continues to pay school fees as required, to meet their other financial obligations, and to pay for the completion of the survey work on what remains of their land.
Inside the sanctuary
Since taking over the animal sanctuary, the Africa Safari Club has been able to construct three camps where tourists visiting the place are to find lodging for the time they spend in the sanctuary. They can enjoy watching the wild animals and participating in some of the camp activities. Under the experienced watchful eyes of the game rangers, visitors are able to sample Walking Safaris, Bicycle Safaris, Picnics and Game drives. Vehicles travelling within the park must keep to the 30 kilometres per hour speed-limit, so as to ensure the safety of both the people and the animals.
The three camps in the sanctuary have a combined bed capacity for ninety people. They are called: Kilimanjaro, Zebra and Twiga. At the Kilimanjaro Camp, one can get an excellent view of the snow peaked world famous Mount Kilimanjaro. The River Kimana flows through the Zebra camp (the first one to be built). The Twiga Camp has a curio shop stocked with all the appropriate trinkets and souvenirs. Here, visitors can have their breakfast by the Hippo pool. The place gets its name from the several Hippos and Crocodiles that visitors are able to watch splashing about in the waters of the pool.
Mr. Dirk Obendiek is manager of the Zebra Camp. He says 80% of the sanctuary employees are drawn from the Kimana Tikondo community. This is in line with creating job opportunities to the surrounding community.
But for Community members, their greatest achievement is, that in future, they will be able to hold their own land title deeds. They will now be able to develop their farms and in the process increase their income levels. «That alone is a positive step in helping to eradicate our poverty», says Meikoki.
- Viviene Simwa, Kenya, October 2002 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment
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PeaceLink 2002 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement