In 2022, Conservation Nation funded Dr. Dawn Zimmerman’s project with the Veterinary Initiative for Endangered Wildlife (VIEW) and the Institute of Primate Research (IPR) to establish wildlife health and conservation clubs in primary schools for Samburu children living in Matthews Range in Kenya. In the fall, the three organizations joined forces to conduct three separate workshops.
During the workshops for the Wildlife Conservation Warrior Club members from the Oromoidei and Noolotoro Primary Schools last fall, the students were fascinated to learn about the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. They expressed a desire to visit one day—a wish that Conservation Nation was able to make a reality on February 4, 2023.Â
Founded in 2016, the community-owned Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is the first of its kind in Africa. Exclusively owned and staffed by the Samburu people of Northern Kenya, the sanctuary embraces the local community’s long history of wildlife tolerance and coexistence, and harnesses their intimate traditional knowledge of nature.
The sanctuary’s team of elephant keepers lead the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of orphaned and abandoned elephant calves back into wild herds. Their success is unlocking new possibilities and setting a powerful example for children hoping to pursue careers in conservation and other professions. Moreover, the local community is realizing that coexistence with wildlife can benefit them, and they are proud to help care for the elephants. Reteti is the epitome of a community-driven conservation project that grows new economies, transforms lives, and conserves wildlife and the natural environment.
To get to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, the project team traveled in a convoy of four vehicles with 70 excited schoolchildren, 48 from Oromoidei and 22 from Noolotoro. Before this field trip, many of the students had never been in a vehicle before. Much to the children’s excitement, the convoy stopped en route to watch a plane land!
Once at Reteti, Dorothy Lowakutuk, a Samburu elephant keeper and committed Wildlife Conservation Warrior Club mentor, met up with the group. Although the Samburu have lived alongside wildlife for thousands of years and have a deep respect for animals, many of the children feared encountering elephants. Some students, who had never seen an elephant up close before this visit, expressed their realization that they could someday become elephant keepers or veterinarians. They learned that even though elephants are often considered dangerous pests, the animals could also provide jobs and generate income from tourism.
At the end of the visit, the trip leaders issued Wildlife Conservation Warrior Club membership certificates to the students. Dr. Dawn Zimmerman led a discussion on the importance of active participation in the club, and encouraged the children to continue being ambassadors for wildlife and environmental conservation. The students enthusiastically promised to do just that!
Scholarship Awards
Conservation Nation awarded three well-deserving Samburu girls with full four-year secondary scholarships. Local community members selected each awardee based on their needs and performance on the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams. All three started the academic year in February 2023—two girls at Kibirichia Girls Secondary School and another at Tipito Girls Secondary School.Â
Several community leaders and primary school instructors are mentoring the scholarship students. At the award ceremony, the mentors emphasized the importance of education, praised the recipients for securing an opportunity to join high school, and encouraged them to work hard to earn the professional careers they yearn for. The mentors also reminded the students that they are a mirror for other girls in society and that their paths will be emulated by those who follow.
The dedicated mentors regularly follow up with the girls, including accompanying them to school and getting them settled in, checking in during breaks, and visiting them periodically to ensure their adjustment. Dorothy Lowakutuk visited two of the students at the Kibirichia School in April and stated that they seemed “really transformed and happy.” We are thrilled for each scholarship recipient and look forward to sharing their progress in the future!
