It’s hard to be the first, but for one Maasai woman, Silvia Nashipae, it has all been worth it. This past spring SORALO (South Rift Association of Land Owners) in Kenya opened its community ranger recruitment process to the public. As Community Rangers they work in their communities to protect wildlife, deter environmental crime, and respond to human-wildlife conflict; and SORALO believed women could contribute a great deal in this role. Though the team knew it wanted to begin female ranger recruitment through the support of a Conservation Nation’s People & Pachyderms Collective grant, it had no idea that this day would be where it all began.

On this day, Silvia became the first Maasai woman to apply to the ranger team. She competed against the rest of the male applicants and was offered a place as the first woman ranger recruited to their team. Silvia explained, “For a long time, I doubted my ability to become a ranger. It seemed challenging and almost an impossible goal. However, when the chance presented itself, I embraced the opportunity with courage. Looking back, I can confidently say that it has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life.”

Though Silvia was first to be recruited through the open to all process, more female rangers soon followed. Four more young Maasai women were recruited over the following months. SORALO reports that these women have been embraced by their communities and that a shift in perspective is taking place. They describe it as a “door has opened, helping SORALO to empower young women and support their direct engagement in the conservation practice.” These rangers are passionate, talented, and above all committed. They look for every opportunity to continue to learn and grow and are an inspiration to all those around them.