De – Snaring Report for June 09

Participants:

Patrick Mutuku Mutua Koti Musau Kitulya Lemanten Labarakwe James Lodungokiyok

Area of operation:

During the month of June the Ithumba team patrolled the Community areas surrounding the National Park. Due to the new restrictions the Team could not carry out its normal operations.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME

The Ithumba team visited the Oroma community in Tana River district at coast province. This was a follow up meeting after another we held last month with the community elders. We had proposed to them the idea of having community scouts. The community scouts will act as informers to the Kenya Wildlife Service security officers. The elders welcomed the idea whole heartedly given that we have a very good rapport after the desks and the sports equipment support to the only school. We combined the visit to the community with carrying out service and repair work to the machine that powers the community borehole. We held some discussions with the elders and agreed that the machine needs to be handled by somebody with some knowledge of Engineering unfortunately they lack educated personnel with such skills.

Towards the last week of the month we visited Kasaala primary school on needs assessment. The Team found out that since the introduction of free primary education the government is providing both textbooks and exercise books. However sport equipment were lacking completely. Some visitors who had come to Ithumba had shown some interest of donating something to the school and we suggested sports equipment. The sports equipments were donated on 25/6/09 by visitors from America. A demonstration was done the same day on how to use some of the equipments. The entire school community has thanked the visitors and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for the timely donation of the sports equipments. On the last day of the month the Ithumba team and four schools that neighbour Tsavo national park organized a clean up exercise at Kasaala market. The main objective of the clean up campaign was first to the change the attitude of the pupils and students. From each school we had 25 pupils that translated to 100 pupils who participated in the clean up exercise. At the start of exercise we held small lecture about attitude change on why we should not throw litter and polythene bags without proper disposal. Each pupil was to act as an ambassador and a massager to teach and change attitude of 5 other pupils. This will translate to 500 pupils for the first Month. We intend to be having the clean up once every month for just one hour. The next clean up will involve 500 pupils who will change attitude of 5 pupils each this builds up to 2500 pupils. In the next sessions we will incorporate the area Chief, the local Councilors, Public health officer and the local news reporters in an effort to spread the issue and make a difference. REPORT COMPILED BY PATRICK MUTUKU