After the official
call for nominations was made on January 30, 2002, Il Ngwesi
Group Ranch was one of the over four hundred projects to respond.
Thereafter, followed an extensive process of investigation
and analysis by the international Equator Initiative team
based at the United Nations headquarters in New York, involving
written presentations, phone interviews and image presentations.
Locally built and locally run
In it’s application, the Il Ngwesi project showed how
it has been able to make a positive impact on the livelihoods
of the group ranch members through;
Conservation And Sustainable Use Of Biodiversity:
The group ranch has set aside 6500 acres of communal land
as a conservation area where grazing is tightly controlled,
and this has led to remarkable regeneration of flora and fauna.
This has then led to return of wildlife to the area, thus
providing a rewarding experience for visitors to the Il Ngwesi
Lodge-and income to the community.
Partnership:
working with partners such as The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
and Borana Ranch, the Il Ngwesi community managed to inculcate
the idea of conservation and tourism in the area, and were
able to gain initial funding to build the ecolodge. The lodge,
touted as the role model for community based tourism, now
provides direct benefit to the community through jobs, and
the income from the lodge supports 500 households that belong
to the group ranch.
Successful And Lasting Changes:
Though the pastoral lifestyle of the Il Ngwesi people still
prevails, the project has brought changes and improvements
that have lasting implications both for the people and the
ecosystem; Improved security through their own security team
thus eliminating poaching and cattle rustling, water for the
community, improved education opportunities, improved communication,
more and safer wildlife in the region and better medical opportunities,
among others.
Innovation And Transferability:
the conservation and tourism efforts have established a
place for Il Ngwesi in the annals of community development.
Not only was Il Ngwesi a leader in establishing an up to now
unmatched innovativeness in building an eco-lodge, but they
have also entertained almost two hundred visits from other
communities through out the region who are hoping to replicate
the concept in their own areas.
Leadership And Community Empowerment:
After the initial nudge towards this direction by Ian Craig
of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the community elders took
it upon themselves to understand the concept of conservation
and tourism, and then went out educating and incorporating
the community members until they all had full support of the
idea. Subsequently a Board of Directors consisting mainly
of the community elders was established, and this runs the
affairs of the group project. Decisions are representative
of the group ranch members’ ideas and there is all round
involvement.
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At
the just concluded World Summit on Sustainable Development
held in Johannesburg in South Africa, the Il Ngwesi Maasai
community of Laikipia did Kenya proud by being announced one
of the six winners of the 2002 Equator Initiative Awards.
