Social Assessment for Protected and Conserved Areas (SAPA)

Kamungi Conservancy Highlights

Introduction
Tsavo Trust is dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and empowering communities within the greater Tsavo ecosystem. To evaluate our social impact, we conducted a Social Assessment for Protected and Conserved Areas (SAPA) in Kamungi Conservancy. This participatory assessment incorporated community meetings, stakeholder workshops, and household surveys, ensuring the inclusion of diverse perspectives from local community members, government officials, NGOs, and other key stakeholders.
Purpose of SAPA

1. Health Check: Identify both positive and negative social impacts, highlighting areas for attention.
2. Understanding Challenges: Uncover the root causes of community challenges and develop actionable solutions.
3. Monitoring and Evaluation: Assess social impacts and their contributions to human well-being over time

Key Positive Impacts

1. Healthcare Improvement: Upgraded Ngiluni Dispensary, significantly improving healthcare access
2. Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation: Constructed an elephant exclusion fence, predator-proof bomas, responses to HWC by KWS and Tsavo Trust Rangers
3. Enhanced access to quality education: Completed and equipped modern science and computer laboratories at Kyusyani Secondary School, employed teachers, and provided education scholarships
4. Improved water access: Provided dam liners for water pans and drilled a borehole
5. Enhanced access to clean and reliable lighting energy: Provided home solar solutions
6. Increased Incomes: Created employment opportunities, boosting household incomes
7. Food Security: facilitated climate-smart agriculture training, enhancing food security

Key Negative Impacts

1. Human-Wildlife Conflict: Particularly involving wildlife species other than elephants
2. Limited access to fresh water
3. Inadequate support to schools: Need for increased resources and support for schools.
4. Lack of reliever nurses at Ngiluni and Nthunguni dispensaries

1. Lack of support to Nthunguni dispensary: Need for support for Nthunguni Dispensary

Overall Impact of Tsavo Trust on Household Well-being

• Increased Well-being (67%): The majority of respondents reported improvements in their quality of life, attributed to Tsavo Trust’s initiatives such as healthcare, education, HWC mitigation, water access, energy, food security, and employment.
• Neutral Impact (26%): A quarter of respondents felt that their well-being remained unchanged. This neutral perception may be attributed to unmet expectations or limited participation in Tsavo Trust’s programs.
• Decreased Well-being (7%): A small percentage of respondents reported a decline in their well-being. This minority view may point to challenges such as human-wildlife conflicts or unmet expectations.

Addressing Negative Impacts

In response to identified negative impacts, a comprehensive five-year joint action plan has been developed. This plan aims to address and mitigate negative impacts, ensuring sustainable progress and enhanced community well-being.

Conclusion

The SAPA findings affirm Tsavo Trust’s crucial role in improving community well-being through targeted conservation initiatives. Majority of the community members have experienced significant improvements in their quality of life due to these initiatives, demonstrating the positive impact of Tsavo Trust work. By improving local community well-being, Tsavo Trust is fostering a harmonious coexistence between local communities and wildlife. Empowered and resilient communities are essential for sustaining long-term conservation efforts and safeguarding the natural environment.

This SAPA initiative was made possible through the collaboration between Tsavo Trust, Kamungi Conservancy, and BIOPAMA.

Access the full SAPA report through this link.