Kenya Faces Catastrophic Floods
Kenya is facing catastrophic floods that have resulted in over 200 deaths, leaving dozens of families homeless and causing the loss of property and livelihoods. Despite the severity of the situation, we are grateful to report that our staff and vast network of teachers and conservation colleagues in the region are safe. Unfortunately, we lost a school child and a parent from Shofco Kibera School for Girls, who are part of our conservation education program. We also mourn the loss of two rangers, whose car were swept away by floodwaters in the Naboisho Conservancy in Maasai Mara. While this is our rainy season, we have been witnessing extreme storms since January, the effects of extreme weather events due to climate change, exacerbated by land degradation, deforestation, sand harvesting, and urban development, especially along riparian lands. Coral bleaching has also been reported all along our coastline. The environmental impact of all these factors has resulted in massive soil erosion, leading to food insecurity, fisheries collapse, and schools closing. This will have a significant impact on the people of East Africa.
While we mourn the loss of life, this catastrophic season reminds us about how important our work is in terms of storytelling and education. Our field lab focuses on disaster preparedness and nature conservation education, taking advantage of the weather to capture water, grow trees, and learn about climate change. We are also committed to using the power of storytelling for conservation by accelerating the production of impact films that lead to positive conservation outcomes. We aim to grow our filmmaking community through training, festivals, and awards to amplify important messages and educate and inspire our people to take actions that protect nature and themselves.
