BCI's 2024 goal is to form beading and sandal cooperatives for the Maasai and Batwa tribes, enhancing self-sufficiency and job opportunities. Unlike investor-owned firms, these cooperatives distribute profits based on contribution, supporting community and personal incomes. They face challenges like funding and market targeting, but with collective effort and support, they can uplift communities, preserve cultural practices, and provide stable incomes.
The women of the Maasai tribe in Kenya find empowerment and artistic expression through beading, which is deeply rooted in their culture. Beading represents their identity and unity, while also providing a source of income. Establishing a beading cooperative would offer these women a steady market for their creations, supporting their art and providing them with a voice.
Today in the service of enlightened planetary management, I want to reflect on some conservation efforts in which I have been involved. These are stories of vision, persistence, resilience, and hope.
Twiga Trackers is a community-based conservation effort rooted in scientific data collection. “Twiga” means giraffe in Swahili, and youth Maasai participants of the Twiga Trackers program do just that – track giraffes!
Biocultural Conservation Institute is working in partnership with local schools to develop wildlife-centric activities and programs that target young school children. We are also developing community science programs that engage youth and adults in conservation and science initiatives.
The purpose of the Amboseli Guide School is to provide training in wildlife ecology and ecotourism, so that participants may become gainfully employed as guides in local national parks and on community lands.