Project Description

Empowered kids are restoring nature

August 31st, 2021

Kenya is a youthful country with more than 50% of the population under the age of 18. On June 5th, World Environment Day, WildlifeDirect launched the Wildlife Warriors Kids ‘Restoring Nature Challenge’ in partnership with Mpala Research Centre. The Challenge involved 94 public and community primary schools in Kenya that are currently enrolled in the Wildlife Warriors Kids Education and Outreach program.

Children identified the environmental challenges facing their communities and proposed solutions. Our panel of four judges waded through 33 proposals to give 8 schools cash prizes to implement their projects which included afforestation and agroforestry projects, beekeeping and butterfly farming, and pollinator gardens. Two schools won seed funding of Ksh 100,000 ($1,000), two won Ksh 75,000 ($750), and four won Ksh 50,000 ($500).

Iltilal Primary School from Kajiado County won Ksh 100,000 to start an indigenous tree afforestation project involving the whole community.  

Inkoisuk Primary School in Kajiado County won Ksh 100,000 to start a pollinator garden to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. 

Ng’onyi Primary School in Meru County won Ksh 75,000 to restore the Wildlife Warriors Forest in the school.
Shilishili Primary School in Kajiado County won Ksh 75,000 to establish and maintain maximum tree cover in the school and promote and increase awareness on values of trees.
Mgamboni Primary School in Kilifi County won Ksh 50,000 to start an Indigenous tree nursery to demonstrate the value of native trees in promoting and sustaining wildlife conservation.

Marigu B Primary School in Nakuru County won Ksh 50,000 to address soil erosion and food shortage through agroforestry by planting indigenous trees on their school farm.

Mukothima Primary School in Tharaka Nithi County won Ksh 50,000 to establish an indigenous tree nursery in the school using milk packets.

Olgirgir Primary School in Laikipia County won Ksh 50,000 to creating a manmade forest within the school compound.

We are grateful to Mpala Research Centre and Milkywire Foundation for the funding of the projects. We are indebted to the judges: Caroline Kibii, environmentalist and founder of EnviroWild; Emmanuel Ngumbi, Head of Conservation Education Programs at African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) – Giraffe Centre; Patricia Kombo, founder of PaTree Initiative; and Thaddeus Obunga; teacher of Computing and Environment Club patron at Brookhouse School. The judges have been most generous in giving their time to review and select winners.

If you would like to be part of this wonderful initiative that was launched on World Environment Day please contact our Education and Outreach Manager Joy Omulupi at jo@wildlifedirect.org.