USAID / Kenya - Success Stories

Image of local vegetation: a candleabra tree.

Koija group ranch was established as a communal grazing area in 1976. By then it was a rich luxuriant wilderness of free-ranging wildlife dotted with Maasai settlements. The people of Koija traditionally survived on herding cattle and shoats, occasionally gathering honey and wild fruits. When large private ranchers began demarcating their land, however, the Koija could no longer graze freely and were forced to become more sedentary. This confinement and limited mobility disrupted their traditional herd movements, patterns of water use and co-existence with the local wildlife. As a result, massive rangeland degradation ensued, exacerbated by frequent severe droughts such as the one that occurred in 2000. The decimation of their once vibrant livestock herds affected the livelihoods of approximately 1,000 households.

When USAID-supported partners first visited Koija in 2000 they found a landscape of pounded, dusty soil, parched streambanks, and spiky, undigestible plants. The task of identifying suitable entry points to assist a people reduced to surviving on relief food was daunting. Was this really the time to rally for environmental conservation under the guise that the local inhabitants would realize economic self-sufficiency?

The Conservation of Resources through Entreprise (CORE) project team’s mission was to help the community members regenerate and manage their land and create new sources of income. A major barrier to development and conservation on Koija was that, until recently, the group lacked organised leadership and civic institutions. The ranch had neither a bank account nor a title deed to prove ownership of the land.

CORE partners African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Pact Inc., with the conservation and tourism company, Oryx Ltd, took the first bold steps to mobilise the group into action. AWF facilitated the development and signing of a collaboration deal between Oryx Ltd. and the Koija community for the development of Koija Starbed business venture. To help Koija jumpstart a viable tourism enterprise, Oryx shared their patented design for the “Starbed,”—successfully deployed at neighboring Loisaba Ranch. A Starbed is a low-cost, low-impact structure resembling a sophisticated tree house. With funding from USAID, Oryx oversaw construction of the Koija Starbeds and trained six people from the Koija community on how to operate the facility and serve guests. Oryx also employed a full-time community liaison officer who has been instrumental in helping the community understand the connection between a healthy environment and a successful tourism enterprise. Under the agreement, Oryx will continue to help Koija with marketing, management, catering and logistics.

Group members enter a special meeting room in the Koija Ranch.

In tandem, AWF facilitated the formation of two, 30-member, women’s groups to engage in spin-off entreprises. AWF and Oryx have provided training in weaving, beadwork and jewelry design, with Oryx providing a steady stream of orders from abroad. Currently, the women’s groups operate their own bank accounts in which most of the income goes into joint accounts and is divided among the members. With their increased income, many women have sent their children to school, and they plan to launch other enterprises in the near future.

Not to be excluded, many youths have established cultural tourism troupes, with a centre for educating and entertaining guests on Maasai culture. This enterprise enabled them open a bank account, the savings of which largely go toward welfare services.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of Koija Group Ranch’s eco-tourism venture, Pact Inc. trained group ranch members in leadership and democracy, financial record keeping and management, group dynamics, internal communication, and conflict management. Today Koija is led by a legitimate management committee and is developing a constitution. The community has joined the Laikipia Wildlife Forum, an association that aids and promotes communities and their conservation-based businesses in the region.

All of these efforts, which were underwritten by USAID/Kenya, have enabled Koija Group Ranch to set aside 500 acres for the Koija Conservancy. Members have commented on the striking difference in greenery between the conservancy and the rest of the ranch. Wildlife is already returning to the conservancy, and members as well as conservationists are excited about having sighted a pack of wild dogs. The presence of this rare animal indicates that the land is recovering and is proving to be a valuable draw for tourists.

The USAID/Kenya Mission director officially launched the Koija Starbed facility on the 7th of March 2002. Hopes are high for the Koija Starbed venture. Six moranis (young men) from Koija work at the enterprise, which has hosted a few groups so far. Returns from the tourism business will go primarily to the community as a whole—which aspires to build a health clinic—and will also provide dividends for members. Ranch members are aware that the link with the private investor—as well as the training they have received from USAID through the partner organizations—is invaluable for the success of their venture.

USAID/ Kenya- Success Stories