Eco-Visual Conservation Education for Kenyan Youth

In February 2026, our team delivered an exciting conservation education outreach session to environmental club members at two schools in Nyeri County, Mureru Secondary School and Burguret Comprehensive School, in partnership with the Laikipia Wildlife Forum. The activity brought together 80 participants: 76 learners and 4 patron teachers.

At Mureru Secondary School, we engaged 20 students (13 female, 9 male) between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. At Burguret Comprehensive School, we worked with 56 students (36 female, 22 male) from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Each session combined indoor classroom learning with outdoor hands-on bird-watching activities.

The session was designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world environmental stewardship. Students explored a range of topics, including:

• Bird anatomy and classification by diet — insectivores, nectar-feeders, and more
• Ecological roles of birds in the Laikipia ecosystem
• Human-wildlife coexistence and cultural perceptions of birds
• Field identification using binoculars, focusing on species such as Weavers, Doves, and Sparrow-weavers

The hands-on birdwatching component was a highlight; many learners had never used binoculars before, and watching students light up as they identified their first wild species was a powerful reminder of why this program exists.

Both schools received 5 GCF workbooks for use in ongoing environmental club meetings, along with a copy for each patron teacher. Four particularly engaged learners, recognised for their enthusiasm and curiosity, were awarded VELP T-shirts as an acknowledgement of their participation.

The program successfully increased students' knowledge and enthusiasm for conservation. Notably, Mureru Secondary School has been identified as a priority site for future tree planting activities, given its available space and water access, while Burguret Comprehensive School is being considered for a tree nursery project due to strong teacher and student support.