SUSTAINABILITY
The Safari Collection believes in the need for a sustainable approach to operating in the tourism industry in Kenya. For many Kenyans, tourism is a main source of income, and our properties ensure that the local communities benefit from their presence. In turn, the success of wildlife conservation will only be realised with the support of the local people whose livelihoods depend upon the habitat they share with the wildlife.
COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY
SASAAB is located in the Westage Community Conservancy, an area whose main source of income is tourism. Each guest at Sasaab contributes US$31 of their US$70 conservation and park fee to the Westgate Community Conservancy, which in turn benefits the 600 families of the Ngutuk-Ongiron Group Ranch.
Community Projects
Four primary and eight pre-primary schools in the Westgate Area have benefitted from funds generated by guests at Sasaab, and been provided with new desks, cupboards for books and art supplies, posters and learning materials, art supplies and over 200 curriculum books required. The school food program has been developped to provide children with a meal during the school day, in order to encourage parents to allow their children to attend. With this meal, the children have also shown higher levels of concentration provided by the extra nourishment. At present, 200 children are on this program.
Women's Community Projects
The women in the Westgate Community Conservancy live in a traditional hierarchical structure, in which they are marginalized and restricted from becoming involved in any significant employment. Sasaab has worked with the Community Officer of the Westgate Community Conservancy to register three women's groups. Each of these groups makes bracelets and beaded bottle covers which are used in the lodge and sold in the gift shop. For each item sold, 50% of the sale price is set aside for funding additional community projects, and each woman is paid for her work. The women's group also provide their artwork for NRT Trading; a not for profit trust that educates women to understand, benefit from and conserve the wildlife in their area through the creation of a sustainable fair trade enterprise producing unique hand-made gifts.
Community Health
Sasaab works with the Westgate Community health care workers to identify areas of need and plan community health programmes. A mobile clinic has been set up through the purchase of a motorbike, which takes health care to people living in isolated areas of the group ranch. The Samburu are particularly prone to Trachoma (an infectious disease leading to blindness); a problem that is being tackled by Julia Francombe of the Ol Malo Trust.
SASAAB
Ewaso Lions
Lion conservation has become a major concern with a species population reduction of 30-50% over the past twenty years. Research is being carried out by Shivani Bhalla from her base at Sasaab, into the threats faced by the local Samburu lions, which ties in to research being carried out on the endangered Grevy Zebra. In November 2009, Shivai worked together with Sasaab to take eight school children into the Reserve to raise awareness. Click here to read her blog.
The Grevy Zebra Trust
In recent history, the Grevy Zebra species has drastically reducted in population, and the reaminin 93% are resident in northern Kenya, with 7% in Ethiopia. The Grevy’s Zebra Trust was established to conserve Grevy’s zebra, an endangered species, across its range in collaboration with local communities.
SALA'S CAMP is situated in the Mara National Reserve. The camp is made entirely from canvas manufactured in Kenya, and employs local Masai from the area as guides and members of staff around camp. Voluntary park and conservation fees are paid by every guest, a percentage of which is fed back into projects in the local community.
GIRAFFE MANOR
Initially built as a family home, Giraffe Manor was acquired by Jock and Betty Leslie Melville, whose work with the endangered Rothschild Giraffe has become renowned worldwide. Their efforts of rearing and re-introducing giraffe to the wild have had a considerable impact on the increasing number of the species. The Rothschild giraffe are still an endangered species, as they number under 1000 globally. However, the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (set up by the Leslie-Melvilles) continues to protect and nurture the Rothschild Giraffe.