Dec 20, 2012

Ecco le proposte per il 2013! (English version below)

Ciao a tutti!

con l'avvicinarsi del Natale, ho preparato una serie di nuove proposte per il 2013. Ebbene sì! anche quest'anno salveremo il mondo, o per lo meno daremo il nostro contributo per renderlo un pochino migliore...

Spero che a tutti voi piacciano queste piccole idee, che proseguono le attività iniziate negli scorsi anni. Anche quest'anno ci concentreremo su studenti delle scuole e dell'università, su specie di animali minacciate, e su piccole attività di commercio ecologico che creano posti di lavoro e contribuiscono a proteggere l'ambiente.

PER DONARE UTILIZZATE IL LINK PAYPAL QUI DI FIANCO (NECESSARIA CARTA DI CREDITO)

1) Borse di studio per studenti delle scuole primarie e secondarie del Samburu District, Kenya. Il Samburu District è una delle regioni più povere del Kenya. Per molti studenti e studentesse, le spese scolastiche sono semplicemente impossibili: troppi ragazzi abbandonano la scuola o non la frequentano perché le loro famiglie non possono permettersele. Propongo di istituire 7-10 borse di studio, di circa 150-200 Euro l'una: questa somma paga le spese scolastiche di un intero anno. Gli studenti saranno scelti dagli anziani dei villaggi, con l'unica richiesta di assegnare il 50% delle borse a studenti dei due sessi.

2) Borse di studio per studenti in collaborazione con i National Museums of Kenya. Il Museo Nazionale del Kenya è l'istituto demandato a studiare e conservare la biodiversità del Kenya. Vogliamo istituire borse di studio annuali per studenti che in collaborazione con il Museo lavorano per la conservazione delle specie animali del loro paese. Sammy Bakari lavora nell'altopiano di Kinangop per conservare l'habitat dell'Uccellino zampagrossa, uno degli uccelli più in pericolo del mondo.  Lawrence Wagura sta cercando di salvare la Taita Apalis, un uccellino la cui popolazione è ridotta a soli 200 individui arroccati in cima una montagna nel Kenya meridionale, dove la deforestazione supera il 99%.

3) Didattica per la conservazione ad Ol Bolossat. George Ndungu è un ornitologo autodidatta che vive ad Ol Bolossat, uno dei siti più importanti per la conservazione dell'ambiente in Kenya. Ol Bolossat è minacciato dall'espansione incontrollata delle attività umane, ed uno dei problemi più gravi è che la gente del posto semplicemente non conosce il valore dell'ambiente e perché sia importante proteggerlo. George ha scritto una proposta per insegnare la conoscenza dell'ambiente nelle scuole di Ol Bolossat. Riusciremo ad aiutarlo finanziando il suo lavoro?


4) Una terra per Njabini! Il laboratorio di filatura e tessitura di Njabini è una piccola cooperativa che contribuisce a salvare le praterie indigene del Kenya creando posti di lavoro in un villaggio dove poche persone hanno un reddito fisso. Dopo anni di lavoro con questo gruppo, abbiamo ottenuto buoni risultati: la qualità dei prodotti e la quantità di lana acquistata sono nettamente cresciute, e il laboratorio ha contribuito a salvare oltre 20 ettari di prateria, che è l'unico habitat di specie minacciate, fra cui il ben noto Uccellino Zampagrossa. Ora siamo pronti per un passo ambizioso: acquistare un pezzo di terra per costruire un nuovo e più moderno laboratorio dove la cooperativa di Njabini potrà espandersi. Durante il 2012, ci siamo dati da fare per individuare diversi appezzamenti di terreno adatti allo scopo. Il 2013 sarà l'anno del grande salto! Vi faremo sapere!


5) The Mbara Community Project. Le scuole di Temow, Chopotwo e Kapsor Schools, Vicino al villaggio di Mbara , nel Kenya occidentale, sono tre scuole elementari dove manca tutto. Niente aule, niente banchi, niente posto per giocare ... Con il mio amico Terry John Hummerston, che da anni lavora in questa zona vogliamo aiutare queste scuole a diventare  un posto dove i piccoli studenti potranno avere una vera educazione. Ce la faremo?

Dec 8, 2012

The proposals for 2013 are here!

Hello all!

as Christmas approaches, I have been working on the new package of proposals for 2013. Yes! even in 2013 we will save the world, or at least give our small contribution to making it a better place to live in...

I hope you all will like these small ideas, which are the prosecution of things that we begun in previous years. We will again focus on school and university students, on endangered species and on small eco-business activities that contribute to creating jobs and conserving the environment.

IF YOU WISH TO DONATE, PLEASE USE THE PAYPAL LINK ON THE RIGHT (CREDIT CARD NEEDED)

1) Scholarships for primary and secondary school students of the Samburu District, Kenya. The Samburu District is one of the poorest regions of Kenya. For many female and male students, school expenses, are just beyond reach: too many drop off school or never attend it because their families can’t afford school expenses. I propose to sponsor 7-10 students with small scholarships, of about €150 each: this sum is enough to pay school fees for one year. The students will be chosen by the village elders and we will ensure that female students make about 50% of the prize winners.

2) Scholarships for students in collaboration with the National Museums of Kenya. The National Museums is the governmental institution mandated to study and conserve biodiversity in Kenya. We will award small grants to University students who are interns of the Museums of Kenya and work on biodiversity conservation in the field. Sammy Bakari works in the Kinangop Plateau, in central Kenya, to preserve the habitat of Sharpe’s Longclaw, one of the most highly endangered species of birds in the world.  Lawrence Wagura is trying to save Taita Apalis, a small bird whose population is down to only 200 individuals on top of a mountain in southern Kenya where deforestation rate has reached 99%.

3) Teaching conservation at Ol Bolossat. George Ndungu is a self-taught Kenyan ornithologist, native to Ol Bolossat, one of the most important sites for bird conservation in Kenya. Ol Bolossat is threatened by the expansion of unsustainable human activities, and one of the main problems is that the local people are unaware that they live in place having such an importance for conservation. George wrote a project to teach about conservation in the schools located in Ol Bolossat area, and I hope we will be able to help him with the funds needed to carry out this activity

4) A land for Njabini! Njabini woolspinning workshop is an eco-friendly business that creates jobs and contributes to the preservation of the highly threatened highland grasslands of Kenya. After years of work with this little grassroots group, we have obtained many results: the quality of their products has significantly improved, the amount of wool purchased from local farmers grew, and the positive impact in terms of jobs created and of grassland conservation is undeniable. The next step that we want to take is an ambitious one: to buy a plot of land where a new, large and modern workshop can be built and the Njabini group can grow further. In 2012, we have been looking for suitable plots of land, and at the same time saving money to raise the sum needed for the purchase of the land. Hopefully 2013 will be the BIG year! We'll keep you posted about this!

5) The Mbara Community Project. Temow, Chopotwo and Kapsor Schools, near Mbara village, in Western Kenya, are three small primary schools where nothing is available. No classrooms, no desks, no playground for the pupils ... With my friend Terry John Hummerston, we want to help these schools becoming a place where young girl and boy pupils can get a real education for their future

Dec 1, 2012

Teaching conservation in Ol Bolossat grasslands!

Let me introduce a friend of mine: George Ndungu is a self-taught ornithologist, native to Ol Bolossat area in central Kenya. Ol Bolossat is an important site for conservation: it is one of the few remaining chunks of natural highland grassland, and a wetland supporting large numbers of resident and migratory birds, and many rare species.
Ol Bolossat is threatened by the expansion of human activities, but local people are unaware that they live in place having such an importance for conservation.
George wrote a project to teach about conservation in the schools located in Ol Bolossat area. This is a very important idea, because people will only protect the environment if they know its value. 
I propose to fund George's proposal with a donation that will enable him to work for two months in the local Primary Schools.
Please read George's proposal below

Nov 30, 2012

Congrats to Naomi, Danson, Simon and Thomas!


Four of of our secondary school students, Naomi, Danson, Thomas and Simon, have just taken the KCSE exam, which marks the completion of their secondary studies. While we await the final exam results, we already know that they have fared very well, and that their final grades will be satisfactory.


Naomi, Danson, Simon, Thomas - we wish you all the best, and we are proud of having had the opportunity to support your school studies!

And of course, in 2013, a new batch of students will be selected among the most promising and most deserving young girls and boys of the Wamba Samburu district of Northern Kenya.

Stay tuned! I will post the names and photos of the new students as soon as possibl, and of course donations are welcome at any time to support as many students as possible!

Activity report 2012, by Dominic Kimani

NOTE by Luca: Dominic Kimani is one of the three University-level students we have funded in 2012. Dominic’s fellowship is supporting his attachment at the Zoology Department the National Museums of Kenya. As part of his fellowship, Dominic regularly visits a number of primary and secondary schools in his native area, the Kinangop plateau. In these schools Dominic organizes numerous activities related to the conservation of nature and environmental resources.

Oct 20, 2012

Field Guide to the Masai Mara butterflies published!

Planning a visit to the marvels of Masai Mara Game reserve? Why not bring with you a copy of the newly published guide to the butterflies. Fifteen pages, six color plates, over 40 of the most common and beautiful butterflies of the Mara region fully illustrated!
Available for free from the authors, just write us and we'll send you a PDF

Oct 15, 2012

Nest of the Taita apalis discovered!

Lawrence Wagura, a student who is receiving one of our fellowships, is studying the Taita apalis, one of the rarest birds in the world. Its entire population is no more than 300 birds, living in seven small forests of just a few hectares each.
During his work in the forest, Lawrence discovered the apalis' nest - which had never been observed before. This is major step forward in saving this critically endangered species. A paper written by Lawrence has been published on a scientific journal (Bull ABC 18(1):42-46). Congratulations to Lawrence and keep up with the good work!

The apalis's nest, deep in the forest
A male Taita apalis
Lawrence and Dr Liv in the Taita Hills forest


Sep 21, 2012

Njabini workshop grows...

 
 The Njabini woolspinning workshop is one of our Kenyan partners. Here are some photos that I have just received form them. The photos document the work at Njabini, the range of wool products that they weave and, above all, the steady growth of this small eco-business that we have been supporting since 2007

Aug 28, 2012

Dr Liv visits the Mara!

It was just great to have the opportunity to visit the Maasai Mara Reserve again. I had not been there for many years. The Mara is one of the pearls of Kenya's protected areas system, and not for a chance. It is one of the best places in Africa to see wildlife.

Aug 17, 2012

The Small Field Guides to the East African Wildlife

One of the main problems for the conservation of African wildlife is that many Africans do not have access to books that could help them to identify the species of plants and animals that are found near their villages. This means that many villagers and school students know very little or nothing about the environment. And of course, nobody is interested to conserve something that he or she does not know.
Working in Kenya, I often noticed that local people have a keen desire to learn more about wildlife. For this reason, I began to write a series of "Small Field Guides" that contain information and photos of the commonest animals and plants. Each field guide is focused on a specific area where I have worked, and whose wildlife I know well.
Each Small Field Guide can be printed cheaply or photocopied, and then distributed to the schools or to people who have an interest in wildlife. They can also be of interest to tourists.

Please contact me to obtain copies.



Jan 15, 2012

Consuntivo economico 2011 - Financial report 2011

Carissimi
Nel 2011 abbiamo finanziato 6 attivita': (1) otto borse di studio annuali per studenti delle scuole primarie e secondarie (2) tre borse di studio annuali per studenti presso il Museo Nazionale del Kenya (3) la riforestazione degli Aberdare mountains insieme al gruppo Kawama (4) la costurzione dei banchi della scuola di Temow nell'ambito dello Mbara Community Project (5) la costruzione di un gruppo di latrine presso Scuola di Mugumu-ini a Kinangop (6) corsi di aggiornamento per i membri del Njabini Woolspinning Workshop. Maggiori dettagli sulle attivita' del 2011 sono QUI
In totale, nel 2010 abbiamo ricevuto 18 donazioni per un totale di 7.469 Euro, a cui si somma il residuo di cassa del 2009 (911 Euro). La cifra disponibile è stata dunque in totale pari a 8.380 Euro, il che rappresenta anche per quest'anno un incremento del 40% rispetto all'anno precedente. Il che significa che, a questo ritmo, in capoa meno di 150 anni le Borse di Studio Africane raggiungeranno le dimensioni della Fondazione Gates :-)
Le spese effettuate nel 2011 ammontano a 6,963 Euro. Rimane quindi al 31 Dicembre 2011 un residuo di cassa di 1417 Euro, che sara' speso nel 2012.

Pace e bene dunque a tutti dal sempre vostro Dr Liv


English summary:

Dear All,
in 2011 we received 18 donations for a total of 7,469. Expenses amounted to
€6,963 according to the table below. You can find a description of the six projects that we funded HERE.  The unspent balance on 1st January 2012 amounts to 1,417, which will be spent in 2012.


Peace and Happiness to everybody!

Residuo cassa al 1 Gen 2011 - Balance on Jan 1st  2011+911
Donazioni ricevute nel 2011 / Donations received in 2011+7469
Scholarships/borse di studio for primary and secondary schools-1148
Scholarships/ borse di studio National Museums of Kenya-3764
Tree planting in Aberdare forest/Riforestazione Monti Aberdares-165
The Mbara Community Project-300
Mugumu-ini School/Scuola di Mugumu-ini-674
Njabini woolspinning workshop-886
Commissioni bancarie e spese/Bank fees and expenses-26
Spese totali 2011 / Total expenses 2011-6963€
Saldo al 01 Gen 2012 / Balance on 1st Jan 2012+1417€