Enonkishu Stakeholders Company Limited

Enonkishu Stakeholders Company Limited is a not-for-profit limited company which manages Enonkishu Conservancy. The conservancy covers 1705 ha on the northern boundary of the Mara Serengeti Ecosystem. Thirty-two Maasai title holding landowners are paid a conservation levy for limiting land use within the conservancy boundaries. Mission Statement: Enonkishu Conservancy is focused on providing community support to rebuild wildlife populations, enhance community living standards and improve education and health. Strategically modeled to be self-sustaining and scalable, Enonkishu projects to achieve breakeven operations within three years. Two-thirds of Kenya's rich wildlife population liv... read more Enonkishu Stakeholders Company Limited is a not-for-profit limited company which manages Enonkishu Conservancy. The conservancy covers 1705 ha on the northern boundary of the Mara Serengeti Ecosystem. Thirty-two Maasai title holding landowners are paid a conservation levy for limiting land use within the conservancy boundaries. Mission Statement: Enonkishu Conservancy is focused on providing community support to rebuild wildlife populations, enhance community living standards and improve education and health. Strategically modeled to be self-sustaining and scalable, Enonkishu projects to achieve breakeven operations within three years. Two-thirds of Kenya's rich wildlife population lives outside the national wildlife reserves and parks. Raising livestock is the primary occupation of rural Kenyans, especially of the Maasai, so human population growth has led to substantial increases in grazing herds, degrading vital rangelands and destroying wildlife habitat, resulting in a rapid decline in wildlife populations, particularly elephants and lions. Uncontrolled over-grazing has diminished land availability for both wildlife and livestock. Thus, wildlife conservation depends on cooperation between conservationists, who introduce more efficient grazing methods and encourage formation and operation of animal-protected conservancies, and private Maasai landowners, who traditionally make their living through livestock. The role of women and girls in the rural Maasai society has been to spend long hours collecting water and firewood. Little time remained for employment for women nor education for girls. As the Enonkishu Conservancy has developed, collaborations with outside organizations has brought additional resources to enhance water sources, schools and health centers. All three of these activities empower women and girls to have a more meaningful role in Maasai society. Why Enonkishu Conservancy? A conservancy such as Enonkishu establishes areas of wildlife protection on private lands with sustainable practices that include leasing of lands, wildlife conservation training, employment of local residents and programs to improve education and health for community residents. Current Status Wildlife populations are increasing at Enonkishu and neighboring conservancies thanks to sustainable practices. Thriving species include elephants, lions, cheetah, leopard, gazelle, giraffe, buffalo, warthogs, hyena, zebra and wildebeest. Enonkishu was established as a conservancy in 2009 and has made quick progress towards becoming sustainable. However, the global Covid-19 pandemic has drastically affected prospects of increased revenue from ecotourism. How Will Donations be Spent? 1) Land Leasing Fees - Establishes wildlife protection areas, ensures livestock grazing will be subject to best practices thereby conserving rangeland biodiversity, protecting wildlife habitat and eliminates wasteful cutting of trees for charcoal production. 2) Research - Monitor wildlife habitats, building data as proof of concept. Study soil mineral, vegetative and water cycles as proof of concept for regeneration of critical grasslands, in conjunction with ecosystem regenerating livestock grazing practices. 3) Mitigate Human/Wildlife Conflicts - In collaboration with the Mara Elephant Project, maintain a troop of trained rangers to patrol conservancy borders and use animal-friendly methods to keep elephants from entering neighboring farm areas and destroying crops. Funds also go to establish and maintain fencing and for communication systems where farmers and rangers can communicate in advance before damage from incursions occur. 4) Support Community Livelihoods - In addition to employing local residents to work in the conservancy, Enonkishu trains Maasai pastoralists to employ more efficient grazing and animal husbandry methods enabling increased profitability while utilizing less land and actually improving soils for the wildlife grasslands. 5) Empowering Women - Enonkishu is involved in a number of programs to improve education, health and employment of women. Various support programs fund the local schools, expand the reach of the local health clinic and create ecosystem-friendly jobs for women. Specific initiatives include: (i) support of an organization that visits women in their homes to discuss family planning; (ii) support of the local Health Clinic; (iii) supplying local female students with re-usable feminine hygiene products resulting in lowering school absenteeism and; (iv) establishing a tree nursery where women are employed to facilitate reforestation in local lands damaged by tree harvesting for charcoal production.