Conservation Program Update: A New Partnership for Land Restoration!

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust is pleased to announce its' new partnership with the Naga Foundation; a Dutch non-profit organization with the goal of re-greening degraded lands on a large scale using rainwater harvesting techniques and conservation methods to then later have an effect on local climate conditions. Together with the Naga Foundation, MWCT will be working collaboratively on a 15 acre grass seed bank project in the community of Moilo on Kuku Group Ranch!

The heavily degraded and overgrazed landscape in the area of Moilo

The project will not only seek to commence further large scale land restoration that is crucially needed in this heavily degraded area of the Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem, but will act to demonstrate to the local community that the benefits of restoring land and grasses can provide sustained benefits for communities and their livestock.

MWCT President, Samson, speaks to the community members of Moilo and introduces the project

This grass seed bank project will provide sustainable ecological and social benefits to the community of Moilo in the form of rangeland improvement contributing to the health of their livestock, and continued community engagement in the project in the form of empowerment of women and employment.

Community members give their approval and acceptance of the proposed project idea!

To commence this exciting project, a series of meetings were hosted with the community of Moilo and its' leadership together with the staff of MWCT. The project was happily accepted by all community leaders and members!

Women and children gather together to hear about the initiation of new project

MWCT was happy to host a Naga Foundation team representative to visit the project site area, interact with the community and Group Ranch leadership, and officially initiative the movements forward with the project!

We look forward to update you more as this exciting partnership and project progresses!

Kuku Group Ranch Chairman addresses the community of Moilo in the prescence of MWCT staff and the Naga Foundation

MWCT Community Outreach Coordinator and Naga Representative speak to the community of Moilo and its' leadership! 

Health Program Update: New Equipment and Education Enhancement

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust Health Team has had a busy and successful 2015 thus far!

Health outreaches to remote areas of Kuku Group Ranch are of key importance to ensure continued adequate and accessible health services to community members. Since January, a total of three outreaches have been conducted, two in-facility outreaches to Langata Dispensary, and one to the commnity of Moilo. A total of 80 patients were tended to in these outreaches, and a total of 35 mobile laboratory tests were completed.

MWCT is proud to announce, that with support from the Ian-Hicks Foundation, the installation of a semi-automatic biochemistry analyzer in Iltilal Health Centre has been completed. This new machine will enable the clinicians at the facility to conduct a wide range of kidney and liver function tests. This is a massive milestone in MWCT's goal of providing access to quality health care to the local community. This machine will be crucial in the follow-up of patients on chronic medication as those on treatment for Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS.

MWCT Lab Technician, Felix, with the new biochemistry analyzer

Felix and Eric (MoH Nurse) very happy with the new technology!

MWCT Health Team organized the first women health seminar at Kuku Village. Dr. Gabriel and the resident nursing officer educated 18 community women on breast and cervical cancer. Topics discussed during the seminar included: what is cancer, signs and symptoms, and preventative strategies!

Women in Kuku gather to learn about breast and cervical cancer

Health Program Update - Community Health Workers & Distribution of Sanitary Pads

As part of our Kuku Group Ranch-wide Community Health Worker project, we re-established the community health workers at Iltilal Health Centre. the first meeting with the community hospital committee was held on February 3, and the proposal to enrol the community health workers was passed.

The second meeting was held the following week and the names of the proposed candidates were presented for adoption. A total of 16 community health workers were selected; three of these from the Moilo/Olpusare area. All candidates presented themselves for interviews and briefing on the roles of community health workers. These newly selected CHW's are currently undergoing induction training conducted by the Ministry of Health and sponsored by MWCT.

Meeting with potential community health workers in Iltilal

In the month of February, we also started a rotational CHW forum at the four health facilities within Kuku Group Ranch. This forum brings the community health workers from a particular health centre together for a brief training and joint meal. The purpose of these forums is to foster unity among the CHW's and motivate them towards community health development! They also provide MWCT with a forum to articulate its' health goals for the local community.

The Health Program has a big task this month; thanks for Dr. Michael Brownstein's generous donation, we have been able to distribute reusable cloth sanitary pads to all schoolgirls on Kuku Group Ranch. The objective of the project is to ensure girls are not missing school during menstruation because they do not have the means to purchase sanitary pads. Each girl is given 4 cloth pads (lasting over 1 year), a bar of soap, and a plastic bag to store their pads!

Shokut School Girls

The primary schools in Iltilal, Moilo, Shokut, Marla, Inkisanjani, and Langata were visited this month. We teach them about menstruation, and show them how to use and clean their pads. They were also given to the teachers so that they can assist the children.  

Marlal school girl with cloth sanitary pads