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Tsavo Sat-camp February 2014






Voices of our forefathers A satellite camp in Tsavo

Achievement report by field staff David Best and Base manager Reggie Lang

GVI, in partnership with Tsavo pride have been working in the Taveta region of Kenya on alternative
livelihood projects with small communities to better manage the habitat and resources around them
for a number of years now. In November 2013 contributing toward these aims, GVI worked with
Ngoyaki a local community based organisation (CBO). Ngoyaki meaning voices of our forefathers
have been awarded merit base management rights over a tract of land near the village of Kasokoni,
about 30 minutes Taveta, on the route between Arusha and Mombasa.

In February 2014 GVI returned to work with Ngoyaki to complete the work from 2013 and begin
looking at alternative livelihood projects for the community members. Livestock herding places large
pressures on the land in this area with soil erosion and pollution of the creek having adverse effects
on the habitat. We worked to complete the construction of a cattle trough whereby herdsman could
take their livestock to water them thus protecting the creek and the valuable water source
downstream.

However GVI undertook another project while working in Kasokoni. There is great potential for ecotourism in the area with great biodiversity particularly among bird species. The CBO Ngoyaki also has
long term aims of establishing an eco-tourism site with guided walks encompassing views of
Kilimanjaro and a visit to the adjacent Crater Lake. Already possessing a rich Taveta culture and
extensive knowledge on local plant and animal species Ngoyaki could become a great eco-tourism
spot. In an effort to help with these objectives GVI volunteers were guided around the territory by
group members with a GPS device in order to map sections of the territory as possible tourist routes.
Areas that we mapped during our time with Ngoyaki are the Northern range of their territory, a
short walk from our campsite to the nearest road and a possible tourism trail visiting Lake Chala
through an abandoned hotel. While being guided by the group we were also taking note of all animal
species that were sighted and identified along the way to add to our ongoing species list for the
area, another way of encouraging tourism. Mapping the area was a great help to Ngoyaki because it
utilises resources GVI has access to that the group would not be able to fund themselves. GVI has
used Google Earth to create a KML file showing satellite images of the territory that Ngoyaki owns
and the routes they guided us on. This will be a valuable resource for eco-tourism as it gives them a
tangible document they can present to possible visitors and is something they can include in any
tourist brochures they produce.

Looking to the future Ngoyaki are aiming to build a catchment area and pump to fill the completed
cattle trough and expand their knowledge of ecotourism and develop a tourism centre. GVI, in
partnership with Tsavo Pride and Ngoyaki are optimistic about the continuing partnership and goals

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with the community and land management focusing on anti poaching, alternative livelihood and
wildlife conservation collaboratively to protect the habitat around Kasakoni.


For any further information on projects being undertaken in Tsavo visit http://www.tsavopride.org/,
or for other GVI specific updates look at www.facebook.com/GVIShimoni.