News: Stanley Baya reflects on progress

ASSETS Co-ordinator, Stanley Baya reflects on the progress made by ASSETS since the beginning:

For many years, the communities around Arabuko-Sokoke Forest have suffered because of the forest. This has been primarily due to the frequent crop raids by forest animals and continued pressure for farming land. Not surprisingly, this has also made conservation a real challenge!

On the introduction of Arabuko-Sokoke Schools and Eco-Tourism Scheme (ASSETS) we have seen that by sharing financial benefits of eco- tourism with these communities, it is possible to assist the communities and promote conservation.

During 12 awareness-raising meetings organised by the Forest Adjacent Dwellers Association, August 2001, ASSETS was warmly received by the local people.

ASSETS is being run by myself, a full time employee of A Rocha Kenya, and is also being overseen by the ASSETS Committee which comprises members with diverse experiences and professions. These are the people who assess how needy each student is and allocate bursaries accordingly. Among its members are representatives of four major government institutions managing the forest and creek; Kenya Wildlife Service, Forestry Department, Kenya Forestry Research Institute and National Museums of Kenya. Because ASSETS is a community project, there are representatives from the Forest Adjacent Dwellers Association, and other community based organisations, e.g. mangrove conservation and fishing groups.

For the academic year 2002-2003, ASSETS has managed to support 53 students in secondary school and raise over Ksh 500,000 (approximately £4,000 or $6,500). Having managed to support so many students I would term this a great achievement for ASSETS, however this is just the pilot scheme and we should have a much greater impact in the future. We are currently completing the construction of a bird hide in the Mida Creek mangroves and are planning to construct a tree observation platform in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (funded by GEF). These will contribute a continuous stream of income for the students' bursaries.

In order to raise more awareness about ASSETS and provide another way for donations to be received, we have published an ASSETS leaflet and developed an ASSETS web site.

The ASSETS Committee offers to attach those students who attain outstanding results and join National Schools to individual sponsors. This is intended to motivate students to work harder in primary schools. Two students so far are enjoying this privilege. We hope that come next year we shall be able to have more students being assisted. We greatly appreciate all your help and donations.

Stanley Baya