Inspiring a future generation of conservation-minded citizens and sustainable communities
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Education for Conservation in Kenya
Cultivating a passion for wildlife and wild places
Our program of tailored Education for Conservation activities and sustainability projects aim to improve livelihoods through sustainable living and protection of the natural environment. Empowering students with knowledge and opportunity, we cultivate a genuine passion for the environment. By facilitating conservation, we enhance the livelihoods of the students and their families, which in turn helps wildlife and protects habitat.
Illoirero Primary School Selenkay Conservancy is 15,000 acres in the Amboseli Ecosystem and home to elephant, giraffe, gerenuk, zebras, lion, leopard and over 300 bird species. It was established over 25 years ago as an agreement between Gamewatchers Safaris and the Eselenkei Group Ranch Maasai community and provides vital ecological support to Amboseli National Park.
Kishermoruak Primary School has 696 students and is within the Ol Kinyei Group Ranch. It is located on the borders of Ol Kinyei Conservancy, a 17,500 acre wildlife haven, known for its big cats and vital for the Loita Migration. The conservancy is part of the Mara ecosystem and within a short drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve, renowned spot for witnessing the annual Great Migration.
Share
Sharing knowledge with like-minded students in other cultures
Experience
Participate in experiences otherwise not possible
Action
Taking simple, direct action for immediate and future positive impact
In Kenya
Access to Education
Assistance in paying school fees will help ensure children can receive a proper education and to facilitate a passion for wildlife and conservation. For many families, the basics including school fees is a struggle, and often the decision has to be made of which of their children, if any, they can afford to send to school - and for how long. Our sponsorship program aims to ease this burden and allow education opportunity for more kids in these remote wilderness areas of Kenya. We currently have 25 students sponsored in 2021. Each with school fees paid, a new school uniform and shoes and provided a solar light each to assist with their studies. In 2022, our goal is to double the number of students we can sponsor. Eligibility criteria ensures assistance goes to those who need it most, with a focus on also ensuring girls are given equal opportunity.
Mazingira Club and the Education for Conservation Program
Students from each of the Kenya twinning school are participating in the school environment club - Mazingira Club. The Mazingira Club program is assisting to develop young environmental leaders in the community. Students are actively involved in local expert-led sessions about wildlife and conservation, as well as partaking in fun, engaging environmental initiatives, including small on-ground school projects, excursions and networking with other local schools as part of our tailored Education for Conservation Program.
Mazingira Libraries
To cultivate knowledge and passion for the environment, we are constructing library spaces filled with books at Illoirero and Kishermoruak Primary Schools. These fun and engaging spaces are places for students to come and read, explore, dream and be inspired.
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Amboseli and Mara Wildlife Experiences
Children from Iloirero Primary School (Kajiado) live within just a 2 hour drive from Amboseli National Park, and its about the same distance for students at Kishermoruak Primary school (Narok) to Masai Mara National Reserve and live right on the boundaries of the community conservancies. But even though they live so close to these world famous parks and conservation areas they have never, and may never, have the means to visit these wildlife havens. An excursion for the Mazingira Club students is an experience that will have life long consequences. These trips celebrate their involvement as active Mazingira Club members and visiting these special biodiverse places is a chance to see why conservation is just so important.
In Australia
Activities we offer to Australian schools focus on two main themes:
- Conservation Action in the Urban Environment
- Good Global Citizens and Cultural Awareness
Schools Twinning Program
The twinning project connects a small number of schools in Kenya and Australia.
- Share letters and video messages with children from Kenya, learning about each others’ culture, wildlife and habitats. This is fully facilitated by The Maarifa Foundation with its people on the ground here in Australia and Kenya.
- Philanthropic projects and actions to provide support for schools and communities in need, such as helping to fund kitchen gardens, books and solar lights.
- Study tour opportunities for senior high school and universities to visit the schools in Kenya and see first-hand community-based conservation in action.
School Recycling
Schools in Australia can join The Maarifa Orange Army to participate in a hands on recycling program. Recycling of bottles, poppers and cans will not only improve the local environment and teach the students valuable lessons in sustainability, resources management and environmental protection, but will also raise money to pay school fees, purchase solar lights and buy books for vulnerable children in Kenya. The recycling school will learn-through-doing the importance of recycling and reducing waste, and also provides a means to help support their global class mates. The Australian school will be rewarded for their efforts with unique environmental ‘experiences’ as they reach recycling goals. This might include special guest presenters and activities coordinated by the Foundation. We can:
- assist with setting up school or class recycling stations. Bins, bags or cages, and collection can be arranged.
- provision of recycling education material.
- whole school or class-only recycling challenges, and that align with different learning objectives including environmental, business, project and event management skills.
Conservation focussed learning incursions
Special guest presentations on relevant aspects of environmental education including recycling, waste management and pollution reduction, threatened species and creating habitat for wildlife with subject materials linked to the Australian curriculum. Click to view our Koala Champion Program
On-ground conservation activities
This is for schools wanting to get out of the classroom and put their knowledge into practice and learn new skills. We can assist in coordinating tree planting and habitat rehabilitation activities on school grounds or on public land, and assist with acquiring (or students to build) nest boxes and to develop a student nest-box monitoring program on school grounds. Click to visit our Knowledge Hub for inspiration on ways to improve our local environment
Contact us for a copy of our school info pack or to tailor a program just for you, or access our Knowledge Hub here to start your sustainability journey
The Maarifa Foundation 2020
