Sarara wins prestigious award for Extraordinary Commitment
We are delighted to announce that Sarara has been honoured with the prestigious Extraordinary Commitment Award at the 2023 We Are Africa Awards held in Cape Town.
Sarara Camps Manager, Robert Lemaiyan, accepting the award in Cape Town.
Photo by We Are Africa
The Extraordinary Commitment Award recognises the efforts of a company that has made a real difference in the realms of conservation, sustainability and community upliftment.
We Are Africa is a 4-day annual conference held in Cape Town that brings together lodges, buyers, agents and press in African Travel.
The award is a great recognition for the entire Sarara team and the Samburu community of Namunyak Conservancy who have been tremendously dedicated to the collective vision and putting in the hard work, day in and day out.
Our application for the Extraordinary Commitment Award
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After two decades of rampant poaching, Northern Kenya, once a haven for elephants and rhinos, had been stripped of its wildlife. The indigenous communities were neglected and the region was far from being a tourist destination.
However, the emergence of the community conservation movement led to the establishment of Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in 1995, and two years later, Sarara's first eco lodge opened its doors. Our objective was clear: to support the local Samburu community in reviving the biodiversity of their land, encourage wildlife conservation, and create a sustainable tourism model owned and operated by the Samburu community.
The names Namunyak and Sarara are integral to our commitment to wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism. Namunyak, meaning "Place of Peace" in Samburu, embodies our ultimate goal to conserve a landscape where indigenous people and wildlife can flourish, side by side for generations to come. Sarara, which translates to "Meeting Place," - reflecting the idea that the three Sarara Eco Lodges bring people together from all over the world to experience, celebrate and meet the remarkable indigenous Samburu and their natural heritage.
These names have instilled a sense of purpose and dedication at Sarara, inspiring us to work towards the restoration of the land and the promotion of the indigenous Samburu people, their wildlife, and their habitats.
When Sarara first opened in 1997, guests were unlikely to encounter any wildlife. However, over the next 25 years, one of the world's most remarkable community conservation movements was born. Today, Sarara is not just an eco-lodge but a beacon of hope for the people and wildlife of Northern Kenya. The names Namunyak and Sarara signify the unwavering commitment and dedication of Sarara to their cause.
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The objective was, and still remains, to create a partnership with indigenous communities to protect biodiversity, improve livelihoods, preserve their cultural independence and build economic strength.
This is particularly important considering that 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity is protected by just 6% of the world's population, all of whom are Indigenous Peoples. Furthermore, 70% of Africa’s wildlife exists outside of National Parks and Reserves and most of Africa’s remaining biodiversity is co-habited by wildlife and Indigenous Peoples.
Preserving this biodiversity is key to turning around the climate crisis. Without support, the cycle of poverty in indigenous communities is deepening due to rapid urbanisation, loss of indigenous identity, biodiversity loss, irreversible loss of species and climate change.
By investing in indigenous communities in Northern Kenya - who are the custodians of some of the largest remaining wilderness left in Africa, including many key endangered species - we support the community to conserve this precious biodiversity.
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An inspiring testimony to the community conservation efforts, Namunyak is now home to the biggest herd of endangered Reticulated giraffes, over 5,000 elephants as well as Grévy's Zebra, leopard, wild dog, kudu and more.
The conservancy also serves as a critical wildlife refuge for many species for an astounding number of endemic, migratory and predator birds, and is a treasure trove of rare and often uncatalogued species, including the rare and beautiful De Brazza Monkeys & Guereza Colobus Monkeys and the IUCN red-listed sub species of the Cycad, Encephalartos tegulaneus.
To expand the positive impact within Namunyak, Sarara established The Sarara Foundation in 2019, to focus specifically on Nomadic Education, Nomadic Healthcare, Enterprise Development initiatives, Wildlife Conservation and Rangeland Management.
・ Since 2020, our Nomadic Healthcare Program which focuses on pediatric and maternal health, has treated 7,624 children. under the age of five 2,417 mothers
・ In 2019, we established the world’s first Nomadic Montessori PreSchool - a school to move with the nomadic Samburu to ensure kids remain in school. Today we have 3 pre-schools across Namunyak and have had more than 700 children graduate.
・ Sarara supported the community in opening Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in 2016, located in Namunyak Conservancy, which became Africa’s first indigenous community run and owned sanctuary and became the first to employ female elephant keepers. The sanctuary today employs 97 elephant keepers, all from the Samburu community.
・ Our newest program, the Milk to Market Program enables 748 Samburu women to sell goat milk to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, thereby earning an income to support their families.
・ In 2022, the Foundation supported 75 Wildlife Rangers, 4 Eco Rangers, 30 Administrative Staff and 97 Elephant Keepers at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.
・ Sarara opened its third eco lodge in 2022, and disturbed 594,173 USD to Namunyak Conservancy directly from the Sarara Ecolodges.
・ Sarara issued 1,962 bursaries to high school and college learners from Namunyak Conservancy in 2022
・ In 2022, President Uhuru Kenyatta administered the issuance of Title Deeds for the Sarara and Sapashe communities within Namunyak Conservancy - an enormous step forward and critically important recognition for Samburu land rights.
Thank you We Are Africa for the recognition and platform. We are truly grateful.
