Introduction

In 2003, committed conservationists and co-founders of Finch Travels, Ltd. (FTL) Frank Omondi and Boniface Nganga began a process to offer an alternative source of livelihood to the Taita community living in the Kasigau area of Kenya’s Taita Taveta District.

The process saw them attend numerous board meetings and three annual general meetings, each with approximately 1,000 shareholders. Finally, a 3Cs concept (conservation, community involvement, and competitive returns) emerged from their efforts. Consequently, the management and shareholders of Kasigau Ranch opted to include tourism as a land-use option. This move was formalized by the incorporation of Kasigau Wildlife, Ltd. (KWL), which is a joint venture between Kasigau Ranching, Ltd. (shareholders and owners of Kasigau Ranch) and FTL.

Kasigau Ranch constitutes the only unifying economic interest among the five local villages. Each village elects one representative to serve on the Kasigau Ranch board of directors during the general meetings. The incredible thing about the ranch ownership is that almost every household in the location is represented among the ranch’s 1,200 shareholders.

Although Kasigau Ranch is endowed with significant natural resources and invaluable tourist attractions, the region has yet to benefit from these enormous resources. Instead, the region’s wildlife populations and indigenous forests face a constant threat of poaching (i.e., snaring and harvesting of trees for charcoal).

Strategic Intervention

At KWL, therefore, we are embarking on strategic interventions, including institutional/organizational building, capacity building, opportunity and resource analysis, tourism infrastructure and linkages development, networking, and aggressive marketing/publicity.

KWL is pursuing three core goals:

• Constructing a 24 bed eco-lodge in Kasigau Ranch.
  
• Promoting the 3Cs concept.
  
• Encouraging awareness on the ecological, aesthetic, and financial significance of conservation of wildlife resources among the Kasigau community and Kenyans at large.
  

Why involve the community in a formal business?

Although several community initiatives exist in Kenya today the Kasigau Eco-tourism Venture differentiates itself by the local community’s significant involvement in running the project. The Old Line Group’s decision to collaborate with the local Kasigau people, who possess limited experience in formal business or venture capitalization, certainly presents significant challenges and risks. However, we believe their involvement in the long run will authenticate this partnership by:

• Cultivating a sense of ownership among the Kasigau community as well as fostering commitment to the business, thus mitigating risks such as political interference or others.
  
  
• EEnhancing the Kasigau community’s capacity to manage formal business establishments, make informed choices, and hold its leaders and partners accountable.

About Kasigau

Bordering the southern part of Tsavo West (part of Kenya’s largest protected area, The Tsavo’s) in the Taita Taveta District. Kasigau Ranch covers approximately 52,000 acres of dry bush and scrubland and hosts a wide variety of wild plants and animals. Animals commonly sighted include the African elephant, Maasai giraffe, lesser kudu, spotted hyena, Burchells zebra, and impala. Kasigau derives its name (chosen in consultation with the local community) from towering Mount Kasigau (1,641m), a symbol of hope and a source of spring water for the 26,282 locals in the five surrounding villages.

Support the Kasigau Eco-tourism Venture, and make a difference today!

The Kasigau Eco-tourism Venture is seeking strategic partners and investors to provide additional financing and voluntary skills for its conservation and eco-tourism endeavors. You can help by supporting any of our community programmes, conservation and eco-tourism.

Conservation

Your donation of:

• US $1000 will pay for one month’s allowances and food rations for an anti-poaching/security team of seven.
  
  
• US $38,000 will buy one patrol Land Cruiser for the anti-poaching/security team’s use.

Eco-tourism
Kasigau Ranch’s tourism resources promise to render a major source of income to Kasigau Ranching shareholders and to the people of the Kasigau area in general. We plan to develop a high-end tourist eco-lodge that can provide a major source of revenue for the communities in the wider area who are majority shareholders in the venture. Please contact us for more.

Community
The entire population of 26,282 around Mount Kasigau that Kasigau Ranch supports is expected to benefit directly or indirectly from this project in the long run, hence our motivation to support critical community needs, including schools, clinics, and water systems:

Schools
Your donation of:

• US $20 will buy one desk to be shared by three students.
  
  
• US $5000 will pay for the construction of one classroom.

Clinics
Your donation of US $10,000 will supply essential drugs to three health clinics around the conservancy.

Water Systems
Your donation of US $14,000 will pay for sinking one borehole, including piping and distribution.

Kasigau Needs List

• Computers (One desktop computer [US $500] and one laptop computer [US $900] are required for the base station in Kasigau)
  
  
• Solar panels (Two units [US $1000 each] are required to power the base station.)
  
  
• Camping equipment
  
  
• Two-way radios
  
  
• GPSs

Making Donations

We accept personal and corporate checks and wire transfers. Our credit card payment facility will be up and running soon.

Wire transfers prove the least expensive and surest way of getting donations to us. You can wire the amounts through our corresponding overseas banks, depending on where you live.

• To send US Dollars, Euros or British Sterling to Kenya (Please contact us for the details)
  

When wiring money, please email us your name, transfer amount, and corresponding bank so we may confirm the transfer’s arrival.

Kasigau Wildlife Conservancy
Kasigau Wildlife, Ltd.
P.O. Box 177-00517
Mucai Drive, Off Ngong Road
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-20 272 5502
Fax: +254-20 602457
www.theoldlinegroup.com