The people of Kidong, Kasaani and Mahandakini have now given up poaching for over three years. For the past three years, GVI has been working with these communities to assist them to develop sustainable alternative income generating projects. When I first started working with these communities in 2008, I thought that the only issue facing them was the loss of their source of income. It is definitely the main issue, but what I have since discovered is that these communities also face other challenges associated with their withdrawal from poaching activities.

--Juma, a villager from Kasaani, looks over Tsavo West where he once poached wildlife to generate an income.--

Not only did the people of Kidong, Kasaani and Mahandakini rely on poaching as a means of generating incomes, the bush meat they poached also formed a critical part of their diets and the main source of protein. As such, their decision to stop poaching also left them with a lack of protein in their diets. Food security issues have long plagued the Taveta region which only exacerbates the ill effects of losing a key source of protein in the diet of these villagers.

--Volunteer Rachel teaching the people of Kasaani about Chicken Farming.--

As a means of overcoming these issues, GVI spent two weeks in the community of Kasaani introducing the idea of free range chicken farming to the community. Free range chicken farming can not only serve as an income generating project, but also, as a means of increasing the availability of protein to the people of Kasaani. The lessons covered topics such as disease recognition and treatment, humane ways of raising chickens, and general chicken farming information. The community of Kasaani were very enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming free range chicken farmers and the benefits that this project could bring to the wider community. As such, GVI is hoping to further assist the community of Kasaani with this project by constructing a number of chicken coops in the village via GVI’s Construction and Sustainable Development Project to ensure that their chickens are housed safely at night. If you would like to contribute to this or other sustainable development projects in Kenya just visit www.justgiving.com/GVItsavowest.