Jim Nyamu is the founder and the
Executive Director of Elephant Neighbors Center (ENC).
ENC is a local NGO that focuses on
enhancing the capacity of communities living with wildlife to promote
inter-linkages between species and their habitats.
Nyamu is an elephant enthusiast and has
over time gained enormous knowledge on the African Elephant species after being
an Elephant Research Scientist with African Conservation Centre. Jim has also
worked as Consultant with Kenya Wildlife Service(KWS) and Mount Kenya East
Pilot Project FAO for one year 2010. From 1998 to 2000 Nyamu worked as an
Assistant Research scientist with the Kenya Wildlife Service on projects based
at Mt Kenya, Shimba Hills and Arabuko Sokoke Forest.
He is a holder of a Post graduate Diploma
on Dissertation: Environmental Management study, from Kenya Institute of Social
Work and Community Development and also holds a Bachelor’s Degree on Natural
Resource and conservation management from Mweka college of African Wildlife
management Tanzania.
As an elephant enthusiast, Nyamu has been
trained, honoured and awarded on several occasions such as an awarded on
Professional Development Grant (WWF), where he attended an International
Elephant and Rhino Conservation Research Symposium in Rotterdam/Netherlands,
Colorado State University & National Museum. Wildlife migration, awarded a
Research Fellowship Rufford grant, Biodiversity Research Program, attended the
Global Human Right Leadership Training Institute Ibadan University Nigeria,
took part at Earth Watch Darwin Initiative Magadi: Field techniques for
biodiversity Monitoring program.
Nyamu is an active member of the Kenya
Elephant Forum, Ecological Society of Eastern Africa (ESEA), African Elephant
Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission IUCN and Wildlife Clubs of Kenya.
Through his field research, Nyamu has consolidated a lot of elephant knowledge
on several publications and articles.
Jim worked for African Conservation Center
ACC as a research scientist implementing cross border elephant program
between2004-2011 ”Conserving a free ranging elephant movement” between Amboseli
and Nguruman. During his time at ACC, he represented East Africa in Holland at
an international elephant foundation in 2011 supported by WWF - Professional
Grant -USA.
In 2013 he represented Kenya in USA
Pittsburgh at the International Elephant and Rhino Research Symposium.
Jim founded Elephant Neighbors Center in
Feb 2012, he is currently directing the three programs Conservation and
Research, Education program and community based natural resource and management
(CBNRM) supported by WWF-EFN USA.
Recently, Jim, in his bid to protect the African
elephant and secure landscapes for them, has been engaged in a campaign walk
dubbed “Ivory Belongs to Elephants Walk”.
The campaign involves Jim walking to
raise awareness on the value of elephants, how to mitigate human-elephant
conflict and to raise awareness on poaching.
The campaign kicked off on 9th –23rd Feb
2013, from Mombasa to Nairobi (500 km) and the walk took 14 days.
2nd walk of the campaign
begun on 11th May: he walked from Masai Mara – Nakuru - Samburu – Nanyuki – Laikipia – Meru - Nyeri and ended on the 29th of June
2013 at the KWS headquarters/Nairobi covering approximately 1,710km.
3rd walk Nairobi: Mr. Jim
Nyamu embarked on one day 20 Km walk in Nairobi.
4th walk in Boston/USA to
Washington DC 560 Miles
5th walk in February 2014 from
Meru town to Meru National Park 104km;
6th walk in May (12-24th,
2014): 375km walk from Shimba Hills to Lamu passing through 5 counties Kwale,
Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu.
7th walk in June from Laikipia
– Nyeri - Nyandarua, walk in June 377km,
8th walk Murang’a County walk 181km.
He has now covered over 4,474km reaching
out to
372 learning institutions both secondary
and primary schools,
25 Universities in Kenya and in the USA,
conducted
921 community meetings conducted in
Kenya, and
92 conservation talks in different
forums that include Kenya Museums Society, Karen County Club and Muthaiga County
Club creating awareness to many people globally. These grass-root campaign walks have made
some communities aware of their conservation challenges and shared the
mitigation option and attitude issues. Such communities include those living in
the Mount Kenya region and Ruiri in Meru County.
He has also experienced rejection due to
high and unattended human-wildlife conflicts in areas like Mutwati in Meru
County, Kwa-Maina and Gatundia in Nyahururu. Some communities are hostile and
this campaign continues to engage them using their local leaders and councils
of elders who understand the genesis of this conservation challenges.
These campaign walks have brought
together County Commissioners of different Counties such as Kwale, Mombasa,
Kilifi, Tana-River, Laikipia, Nyeri, Nyandarua and Murang’a as well as their
Governors.
Jim Justus Nyamu
E; jim.nyamu@elephantneighborscenter.org
T:@NyamuJim
F:Jim Justus Nyamu
Organisation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElephantNeighborsCenter
No comments:
Post a Comment