People4Nature Green Climate Fund

Kaya Elders Resolve – United Against Degradation of Kaya Forests

Previous meetings with Kaya Elders of Kaya Giriama Sacred Forest had identified some of the most pressing issues affecting the management of the sacred forests. Encroachment leading to loss of important sacred sites, lack of proper demarcation of the forest, loss of status of the Kaya Elders among community members, increase in poaching of forest products for commercial charcoal burning, firewood, and leadership wrangles were some of the challenges identified. The Kaya Giriama Elders had noted that the challenges were being faced by all the nine (tribal) main Mijikenda sacred forests and other Mijikenda sacred sites. They had requested to have a meeting of all the nine Mijikenda sub-tribal Elders (Kaya Elders) to discuss a common strategy to deal with the challenges.

The Africa Nature Organization agreed to convene a meeting for representatives of the nine main sacred forest elders, that was held on 4^th September 2023 at Oasis Hotel, Mariakani. The meeting was attended by 20 participants including 14 representatives of 9 Kaya sacred forests in Kwale and Kilifi County, 2 women leaders representing the interests of women, one youth representative, and 3 representatives of civil society organizations working with communities around the Kaya sacred forests.

 At the end of the day, the elders confirmed that they faced similar challenges and required a common voice in addressing these challenges. They acknowledged that there was a committee of all the Kaya Elders but the challenges they were facing required a broader and more inclusive committee or umbrella organization to deal with the challenges. They proposed the formation of a Kaya Community Based Organization (CBO) with membership drawn from all the Kaya Elders groups, women-led community-based organizations, youth-led groups and other civil society organizations (including NGOs) working to protect and conserve the Kaya sacred forests.

The Kaya CBO was mandated to pursue the following objectives: -

1. To build the organisational capacity of Kaya CBO to undertake its mandate effectively and efficiently.
2. Conservation and protection of Kaya Forest blocks
3. Promote the culture and traditions that enhance the conservation and protection of Kaya Sacred Forests.
4. To support the research and documentation of cultural and traditional best practises that enhance the conservation of Kaya sacred forests and innovations that improve sustainable livelihoods of communities living adjacent these forests.
5. Promotion of sustainable community livelihoods.

The meeting was concluded by electing an interim committee of 13 members including representatives of the Kaya Elders, 1 woman, 1 youth and 1 representative of other civil society organizations working with the Kaya Elders and communities living adjacent the Kaya sacred forests. The committee was tasked to finalize the registration of the Kaya CBO.

Links:

• Photo Album - The Kaya Community