The ASSETS-Camps

ASSETS-meetings with families April is one of the months where the ASSETS program meets with the beneficiaries. Both the parents and students come to interact, learn, share experiences and have fun. We played different games, going from getting to know eachother-games, games in which you have to rely on eachother and games were the people got to know more about the environment. These games were to start the events and then we went talking with the parents and students about our ASSETS program.

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 ASSETS had several meetings in 8 primary schools. The main objective of these meetings is to emphasize on environmental conservation principles, meet with the new students and parents so as to inform about governing conditions into the program.

In total we had 180 participants in these meetings (both students and parents)

Activities at Bogamachuko Primary School IMG_1454

 

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Community Forest Protection Story

 An encouraging story is a mother from Girimacha that took the initiative of reporting guys who were doing illegal activities into the Arabuko Sokoke Forest to the Kenya Wildlife Services. The guys who she could not identify have been going into the forest through an entrance near her home. This happened several times of the day and she became suspicious.

With this information she attempted calling the Kenya Wildlife Services Wardens which proved to be successful. The wardens made it into the Forest, did a survey for the first day and did not find any guys. They went back on the second day and they arrested eight men who had even built some structures in the forest with more than a 1oo sculptures inside.

She also said other two escaped in the event and are suspected to be still encroaching into the forest using another unknown hiding place.

The same mother concluded that the majority of the people who cause massive destruction come from beyond the 3km radius around the forest and they tend to lay upon blame on those who live around the forest circumference.

This is quite weird and the first motivating protective measure action taken by the community around Girimacha and this is ideal evidence that environmental education and care for the forest by A Rocha Kenya is getting deep in ASSETS beneficiaries’ interests.

Below is a picture of the mother (the one standing) who seems to have the passion for environment and is a good leading example in the community. Having two to three of this kind would ensure safety of the habitat around that community.

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