Our Community Conservancy
Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy (KCWC) lies in an area of 16,000 hectares within the 49,800 ha of Gir Gir Group Ranch in the Waso Ward of Samburu East Sub County. Samburu County has historically shared tourism revenue with Kalama Conservancy as a reward for their contribution to wildlife conservation in areas bordering the National Reserve. The conservancy was established in 1998 and registered as a Community Based Organization (CBO) with Samburu County Council, Social Services Department in 2002 to draw increased numbers of wildlife into the area by providing water sources and improved security through conservancy rangers' patrols. The conservancy was later registered as a not-for-profit company on the 25th of Nov 2013; incorporated as Kalama Community Conservancy Ltd (KCC).
With support from St Louis Zoo, much effort was put into community conservation awareness for behavioral change towards the appreciation of wildlife as a gainful resource and respect to nature. The effort also led to the identification of Kalama as a Grevy’s Zebra range and wildlife dispersal area from Samburu National Reserve.
In engagement with the communities 34 rangers have been employed to date, 5 revenue clerks, 2 water attendants, 1 Nurse, 3 Community Health Workers, 1 dispensary watchman, 1 biogas technician, 3 support staff, and 6 senior staff that have been of great help to the growth of the conservancy. In the investor’s lodge establishment, 40 staff whom 85% are from the local community have been employed. Security and rangeland management remains the pillar for conservation at Kalama and with a well-dedicated team of rangers.
The establishment of the Headquarters, the tourism facilities-Saruni-Samburu Lodge, Nasha Campsite, Nakwamor Community Security Rangers’ Outpost, Lentaragwet Rangers Base, Kalama Airstrip Waiting Bay, Kalama Airstrip Women Curio Shade, upgrading of Kalama Airstrip with support from the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) that remains one of the best in Northern part of Kenya; purchasing a second brand new Landcruiser truck assigned to security and rangelands dockets and proposed sustainability projects of construction of the
KES 400M Kalama Resource Center in Nasha courtesy of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) through the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) and Girgir Group Ranch Business Storey Complex in Archer’s Town has enabled Kalama to be a unique community conservancy that can transform livelihood and living standards of the community.
Respect for nature and the Samburu culture, enhancing sustainable peace and security between the neighboring community conservancies, offering expert-led training to the community with awareness programme outreaches, and above all providing a viable environment that can sustain both wildlife and livestock which remain locals’ prime source of livelihoods has set a firm foundation of the conservancy with very appealing community feedback, support, and inculcating ownership.
TAGLINE
Resilient community conservation that uplifts livelihoods
LOCATION, SETTLEMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE DISTRIBUTION
The conservancy borders the Samburu National Reserve to the south and Westgate Conservancy to the West. It lies in an area of 16,000 hectares within the 49,800 ha of GirGir Group Ranch in the Waso Ward of Samburu East Sub County, Samburu County.
Fig 1: Kalama settlement and infrastructure distribution
The 2023 population stands at about 17,000 people
Youth are about 45%, women 35% and men 20%
We have a total of 15 settlements zone surrounding the Conservancy
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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Fig 2: Kalama Organizational Hierarchy