Shirango Community Conservancy
In 2018 Tsavo Trust partnered with the Shirango community to form the Shirango Community Conservancy through a registered CBO which provides a secure buffer for wildlife on the southern boundary of Tsavo East National Park. This area is habited by the marginalized Watha community, neighbored by the Giriama and Duruma communities. The Shirango Community Conservancy was the first registered wildlife conservancy in Kilifi County, and is now one of two, making it environmentally valuable as a buffer to Tsavo East Nat. Park to which it borders but also as a priority community development area, given the challenges it faces. The Conservancy works closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service to secure and monitor wildlife and assist in law enforcement through trained Shirango Scouts. The Conservancy also works to reduce Human Wildlife Conflict, raise conservation awareness, and to secure and diversify livelihoods. Tsavo Trust works to reduce poverty through employment, education, healthcare, water projects, and agricultural best practice in this area.
Achievements so far:
Shirango Community Conservancy (5-year partnership)
- 2,300 individual members
- Registered as a Community Based Organisation and member of the KWCA
- Employment – 18 permanent staff
- Shirango Water Project – borehole water providing for subsistence use.
- Social Economic Survey 2020 – gathering baseline information for the development of a Management Plan.
- Shirango Scouts – providing biodiversity protection in the area as well as human wildlife conflict support.
- Annual Wildlife and Illegal Activities Aerial Census – conducted by Tsavo Trust.
- Relief Food Distribution 2021 – to ease the challenges of Covis-19 and reduce the pressure on the natural resources.
- Projects planned for 2023:
- Funding raised to construct 8 10% fences
- Smart agriculture training
- Installation of solar home solutions
- Digging of water pans at individual households
- Support official land survey to secure land tenure for community members
- Construction of 15,000 cubic earth dam in Shirango Conservancy