For many years Amara has worked closely with the people and communities situated along Tsavo’s vast perimeter. Through films, workshops and lectures, Amara has raised significant awareness of the vital need for a sustainable relationship between these local communities and the treasure that is Tsavo.
Amara’s proprietary educational programs have been indispensable in dramatically curtailing destructive activities by the people of these communities. Simply put, Amara’s efforts to raise awareness are working! Today, people flock to Amara presentations, and are often hungry for more— which Amara’s dedicated staff happily provides.
We are Amara, we refuse to live in a world without elephants.
We do not design solutions, we provide people with the mindset and information to know that they need to find solutions for themselves. In the words of Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
The long-term survival of the people and wildlife in East Africa is in the hands of the human population. Once they are informed they can make decisions to positively benefit their environment.
Amara Conservation started its work in Kenya in 2001, supporting the activities of other non-profits and setting up the first Mobile Education & Film Unit showing films of the African Environmental Film Foundation (AEFF).
Through our initial work in Kenyan communities and schools, we found that there was significant need and desire for more information on wildlife and the environment. We are determined to provide that information. We have Mobile Education & Film Units that travel to local communities to present the films from AEFF, host discussions and answer questions about these critical topics.
“It’s pretty hopeless to stop elephant poaching in Africa unless you get local buy-in.” Ian Douglas-Hamilton, one of the world’s most celebrated elephant researchers.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) asked Amara to organize and facilitate Bushmeat Awareness Campaign meetings. (Bushmeat Poaching is the illegal killing of wildlife for sale and consumption of meat). Through doing so, we saw with our own eyes the positive reaction people had to forums for discussion and dissemination of information, and we realized that it was important to include these workshops (barazas) in our work.
Several groups in Kenya address poaching issues directly. There are armed rangers who work against elephant ivory and rhino horn poaching, and teams who do the critical work of removing snares set for bushmeat. Others work to stop people from illegal woodcutting and burning.
What Amara does is unique! We focus on education and providing the reasons why it is important to conserve the area. We believe in the power of information.
OUR MISSION
To conserve critical wildlife habitats and promote sustainable livelihoods through environmental education and capacity building in collaboration with local communities.
OUR ROLE AND GUIDING VALUES
Our role is to provide information, alternatives and opportunities in an atmosphere of openness, honesty and cooperation. Our guiding value is that each community is unique and must find its own solutions to the problems of sustainability and we know that learning is an ongoing and constant process for all of us.
