Radio initiative aims to make waves in Maasai-land, Kenya

(Story by Kirsti Shields)

Tired of battling drought and an ever-declining livestock market, many Maasai farmers are tempted by outsiders’ offers to buy their land and resettle their families in nearby towns. “It’s devastating,” explains local representative Paul Kilelu of Kajiado Village. “Our land’s our biggest resource. If we abandon it - we lose everything.”

Paul urges struggling farmers not to sell but to consolidate their land-holdings into tracts of sustainably-managed land such as the Empaash Oloriento Nature Conservancy. Intelligently preserved land, Paul explains, can support vulnerable wildlife species and attract tourists. “Eco-tourism offers us a way to keep our land without being dependent on precarious climate and livestock markets,” he insists. “It’s our best hope for the future.”

Paul hopes his latest innovation - a local-language radio station presented by the community, for the community, and focusing on issues affecting area residents – will get people talking about conservation. Using on-air theater, documentaries and call-in sessions to educate local landowners about sustainable land-use Paul hopes to make eco-tourism a household word. “After all,” he observes. “Eco-tourism’s about more than making a living. It’s about saving the land. It’s about preserving our identity.”

Stay tuned.

- To get involved with Kajiado Village, please click here.