The African Conservation Fund

Report from the Field: African Conservation Fund executive director, Roseann Hanson, is currently en route to eastern Africa and will be sending periodic reports on her trip.

 "One of the things I'm most excited about on this trip is visits to six women's cooperative groups in Tanzania and Kenya. Despite having extensive community responsibilities including looking after children and the young calves, gathering food and cooking it, building and repairing their enkangs (mud homes), and fetching firewood and water, many women also are joining together to form cooperatives to make and sell art to the world market.

Typical stated group objectives for the funds include "establish a cultural museum that also acts as a sale centre for beadwork products;" "establish a trust fund for the purchase of land sold by the local people thus increasing land for conservation;" and "establish a bursary fund for educating the needy children."

Each of the groups - at the northern edge of Tarangire National Park, and in Kenya at Siana in the Maasai Mara, near Amboseli reserve, and two in the Lake Magadi region - is at a different stage of development, from just starting to advanced business (such that they are beginning to train other women's groups).

 One group in particular has been particularly organized and creative. The Star Women's  Group has raised funds to build their own small bandas, small rental cabins for visitors from researchers to budget tourists on safari (pictured above). They also are hoping to build a cultural museum, a curio shop, an educational center to teach about Maasai culture, and an apiary products enterprise (beekeeping).

Each group is formalized, has a charter and a governing board with representative members from around their region. It is highly democratic, and will go a long way as well toward increasing women's status in the male-dominated Maasai socity. 

I look forward to meeting with these hard-working women, and working with them to form a partnership to market their products and increase their ability to help conserve their environment and their culture. I will have more to report soon; please email me if you are interested in becoming a sponsor of one of these worthwhile projects. (roseann at africanconservationfund dot org)"