TWF’s Commitment to Benefit Sharing

10

Feb

TWF’s Commitment to Benefit Sharing

• Category: Community Engagement & Benefit Sharing

Bridging Conservation and Livelihoods

At The Wildlife Foundation (TWF), we believe that conservation thrives when local communities actively participate and benefit from protecting nature. Through our Community Engagement & Benefit Sharing initiatives, we empower indigenous communities—especially in wildlife dispersal areas—by integrating sustainable livelihoods, education, and conservation incentives into our programs.

How TWF Supports Local Communities

1. Land Lease Program: Securing Wildlife Corridors While Supporting Landowners

TWF’s Land Lease Program is a win-win model that ensures landowners retain ownership while allowing open access for wildlife movement. This initiative:
✔ Pays monthly stipends to local Maasai landowners in exchange for keeping their land unfenced and open for wildlife.
✔ Maintains crucial wildlife migration routes between Nairobi National Park and the Greater Athi-Kapiti plains.
✔ Provides direct economic benefits to participating families, ensuring they see conservation as an opportunity, not a challenge.

2. Women’s Beadwork Program: Turning Tradition into Sustainable Income

TWF works closely with Maasai women’s groups, helping them market their traditional beadwork to local and international buyers. By selling handcrafted jewelry, women gain financial independence while preserving their cultural heritage.

 Impact:
✔ Over 100 Maasai women now earn a steady income through beadwork.
✔ Profits from sales support education and household needs in participating families.
✔ Encourages women’s participation in conservation, strengthening community ties.

3. Eco-Tourism & Safari Walks: Creating Jobs Through Conservation

TWF actively promotes community-led tourism by offering visitors guided nature and safari walks. These experiences provide employment for local guides and encourage conservation-friendly tourism.

Why It Matters:
✔ Provides alternative income to herders and landowners.
✔ Educates visitors about the importance of wildlife protection.
✔ Encourages local pride in conservation efforts.

4. Lion Lights & Predator Deterrent Systems: Protecting Livestock & Wildlife

Human-wildlife conflict remains a major challenge in Kenya’s wildlife dispersal areas. To reduce retaliatory killings of lions and other predators, TWF has installed solar-powered lion lights that deter predators from attacking livestock at night.

Community Benefits:
✔ Reduces livestock losses, protecting community livelihoods.
✔ Prevents unnecessary killings of endangered species.
✔ Strengthens peaceful coexistence between humans and wildlife.

The Future of Community Engagement at TWF

By integrating conservation with socio-economic empowerment, TWF ensures that protecting nature also improves lives. Moving forward, we plan to:
✔ Expand land lease agreements to protect more dispersal areas.
✔ Increase support for women’s enterprise programs.
✔ Enhance eco-tourism activities, creating more job opportunities.

Through community-centered conservation, we are building a future where both people and wildlife thrive.

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