Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Conserving elephants through education for sustainable development




Education and Advocacy has been practiced globally and has received a stand in the sustainable, environmental and conservation arena. The late Laureate Prof. Wangari Mathai (Environmentalist), Mahtama Gandhi, among other key people, have used it in raising awareness that lead in policy formulation in development sectors.

Elephant Neighbors Center, under the leadership of Jim Justus Nyamu, has been in the forefront in promoting this philosophy of advocacy in the country and beyond through education and campaign walks dubbed “ Ivory belongs to Elephants” advocating for elephant conservation, using elephants as a key stone and a flag species.


Between 2013- 2015, ENC, through Jim Justus Nyamu, started the grass-root education campaign walk raising awareness on the plight of the African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana). This campaign focuses on reminding communities about elephant conservation, the elephant values, the role of communities in conservation and highlighting the new Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2013. I have now walked 5001km in different counties involving various high powered dignitaries in different sectors such as H.E the First Lady Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta, Cabinet Secretary to the Ministry of Environment Water and Natural Resources Prof Judy Wakhungu, Agt Director General KWS and KFS, Internationally the following persons have participated in this walk:  i.e. Senator Michael J.Barret  (Massachusetts in USA), President of International Funds for Animal Welfare         (IFAW) Mr. Azzedine Downes, Will Trevers of Born Free Foundation UK amongst others. Additionally this campaign walk offers an opportunity among the conservation agencies to recognize and implement solutions that may aid them to overcome the underlying environmental, conservation, social and development challenges in order to achieve their blueprint mission.



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