Letter of Commendation for The Sarara Foundation
Image by Ami Vitale
On December 11th, The Sarara Foundation was honoured to receive a visit from Samburu County’s new Governor, Hon. Lati Lelelit.
On December 11th, we were honoured to receive a visit from Samburu County’s new Governor, Hon. Lati Lelelit.
Wanting to personally witness the important work of the Sarara Foundation and Reteti Elephant Sanctuary within Namunyak Conservancy, we were proud to show The Governor and his delegation the positive impact of community led conservation programs. After touring Sarara’s three ecolodges that employ 105 local Samburu community members, learning about the Milk to Market program that provides income to local Samburu women, and observing the dedication of our keepers at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, the Governor was left “profoundly impressed” by our impact.
The Governor’s kind words and impression of what has been achieved in Namunyak Conservancy were summarized soon after his visit with a letter of commendation which you can view below.
The support we received from The Governor is a powerful affirmation as we continue to forge a new path in the pursuit of a sustainable future for both communities and wildlife within Namunyak Conservancy. Having the local government recognize our efforts as a model for future conservation efforts only helps to demonstrate to audiences local and foreign that the solution to many complex issues can only begin with a foundation of support for local indigenous communities.
As you read through the Governor’s letter, know that without a global community of supporters like you, none of our efforts would be possible. We look forward to having you by our side as we continue our journey to protect biodiversity, fight climate risk, and invest in a thriving indigenous community.
Letter of Commendation
On 11th December 2022 I, Hon. Lati Lelelit Governor Samburu County, visited Sarara Camps in Namunyak Conservancy along with Dr. Ltumbesi Lelegwe Senator, Hon. Pauline Lenguris Women Representative and members of County Executive Committee(cabinet) namely Hon. Rose Lekalesoi (Water, Climate Change, Energy & Natural Resources), Hon. David Loosenge (Lands, Physical Planning, Housing & Urban Development), Hon. Moses Leluata (Roads, Transport & Public Works) and Hon. Loronyokie Peinan (County Attorney).
We were treated to a wonderful experience and exposure tour of the commendable work of Namunyak Conservancy and the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary supported by The Sarara Foundation.
Namunyak is a successful working model in the Mathew Ranges that should be used as an example to others, and Reteti is a one of a kind community project providing many benefits to the people of Samburu East.
During the exposure and fact finding trip we visited the impressive Sarara Tourism facilities which have generated approximately Ksh. 55 Million in revenue for the conservancy in 2022. We met with elders, board members, women's representatives, staff and community members and found that work ethic and spirits were high. We toured the conservancy and were impressed to see wildlife prospering and to see the highly commendable work of the conservancy in protecting their land, particularly with rangelands rehabilitation and erosion control. We then visited the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary which was extremely well managed and a highly impressive project that is promoting the Samburu name globally. We toured the facility and saw the good work of the keepers who protect the 43 orphan elephants in the sanctuarv. We found the teams to be well motivated and dedicated to their work, and enjoyed the feeding of the elephants which will soon be re-introduced to the surrounding wilderness.
We were profoundly impressed to witness the Sarara Foundation Milk to Market program, which purchases milk for the Reteti elephants from 740 women members living within the area, providing daily economic support for the households whilst protecting our land and culture.
We were delighted to learn that Namunyak Conservancy, Reteti and Sarara employ more than 500 individuals, spreading the benefits of conservation far and wide.
I therefore will not hesitate to highly commend Sarara Foundation for its significant contribution not only to wildlife conservation but more importantly the enhancement of the quality of life of the Samburu people.
My administration is dedicated to supporting community conservancies and commendable models such as these, as we focus on building employment opportunities in Samburu County.
Sincerely
Hon. Lati Lelelit
Governor, Samburu County
The Letter of Commendation from Hon. Lari Lelelit, the Governor of Samburu County
