ASSETS

Category: ASSETS | Date: Jul 16 2008 | By: assets

Today I had a great meeting with the new District Forest Officer (DFO), Malindi District. I have severally tried to meet with him to pick on his advise regarding community participation in conservation as regards the new forest act. At last I have managed to do so today! As he courteously ushered me into his office I was greeted by the very familier set up I have known for over 3 years with only one change, the officer on the chair.

After a lengthy explanation of how ASSETS has progressed over the last 6 years, it was evident that the DFO had had very little information about the programme. Armed with past reports, newletters, minutes of previous meetings and letters of authorisation from the Director of Kenya Forest Service, I had the pleasure of bringing him to par with the opearations. It however turned out that according to the new forest act, several adjustments might need to be made. This will only take place after proper policies are constituted by the Kenya Forest Service.

This meeting will be followed up with another visit by the comittee of ASSETS beneficiaries to chat a way forward for revenue collection from the Arabuko Tree Platform. We hope and pray that the relevant policies will be put in place sooner!

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Category: ASSETS | Date: Jul 07 2008 | By: assets

After many year of head scratching trying to avoid the question “what next after the student’s graduate from secondary school”, at last there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel. ASSETS is now linked to a UK charity, Gift International which seeks to finance post secondary education.

Grassroots Initiative Funding and Training (GIFT International) is run by very experienced environmental education teachers attached to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in the UK. This charity seeks to facilitate education and training of communities for the purpose of environmental conservation.

Thus it has been another day on the motor bike though this time not paying bursaries. I have been busy searching for the ASSETS graduates who qualify to join University and potential beneficiaries to this new initiative. From our initial assesement, we have identified 10 graduates who qualify for this assistance. Interviews are scheduled for the next week to pick on the best four. Out of these, two are girls, and the most encouraging thing is, they are looking forward to a good future. One of the graduates I met had this to say. ‘Through the great assistance offered to me by the ASSETS project, I was able to complete my high school and sincerely speaking ASSETS project has been the backbone of my success’.

Bats

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