Youth
for Conservation (YfC) is a grassroots wildlife conservation organisation.
It was established in Kenya by youth who are concerned about their
wildlife heritage. They came together and created a forum that safeguards
wildlife from snares and poaching, involves the local communities
in conservation and prevents habitat loss.
Legal
Status:
Youth
for Conservation, hereinafter referred to as YfC, is a charitable
grassroots wildlife conservation organisation made up of volunteers.
YfC was launched in August 15, 1998 and is duly registered under
the provisions of the Non-Governmental Organizations Act, 1990 section
3(10) of Laws of Kenya as an independent body.
Reason
for Conception:
Youth
for Conservation was formed to provide a forum that aims to help
safeguard wildlife from snares, poaching, cruelty, mistreatment
and. exploitation
The
organisation received initial funding from the 'International Fund
for Animal Welfare' (IFAW) in 1999 and 2000. This enabled it to
run a co-ordinating office.
Vision:
Through its younger generation, Kenyans will grow to have a greater
understanding and therefore appreciation of their country's natural
heritage.
Mission:
Working
together with the relevant authorities YfC seeks to unite individuals,
communities and organizations through activities aimed at protecting
and preserving our biodiversity.
Motto:
Wildlife-Our
Future
Objectives:
- Safeguard wildlife by searching and removing snares used by
poachers to maim, injure and kill animals.
- Initiate and encourage community involvement in conservation
through education and activities.
- Campaign for animal welfare through action, information dissemination
and research.
- Cultivate and perpetuate interest in wildlife conservation amongst
young people, involving them in conservation activities.
- Raise and disburse funds and other resources for the achievement
of the above core objectives.
Main
Activities
- DE-SNARING
"In comparison to the past today there is a mere fleeting
shadow to echo the past. In the 70 years span, 90% of the Kenya's
wildlife has gone. What about the future? Now remnants, our children
may not even see the remnants." Dr. Daphne Sheldrick (MBE,
MBS)
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Snaring for bush meat is one of the major threats
to wildlife in Kenya and Africa at large today. Snares
are indiscriminate lethal weapons that do not spare any
animals. Snaring is wide spread and is usually conducted
for local, domestic and commercial purposes. YfC deploys
desnaring teams to "snaring hotspots" to remove
snares thus directly saving many animals from what is
otherwise a slow agonising death. YfC by June 2002 had
removed 3,192 snares in 31 different one-week desnaring
operations undertaken in and around five of Kenya's National
Parks/Reserves. The two documented projections below show
how shocking the situation has become on the ground:
In
a 21 day operation '779' snares were found in an area
of 24 sqkm. From our findings, 3 - 5 % of snares trap
an animal daily. Taking the smaller percentage of 3 it
means that 24 animals are killed everyday, 168 weekly,
672 monthly and 8,064 in a year in only a 24 sqkm area.
During
another 6 day operation '141' wire snares and '1' bird
trap were found and removed within an area of 23 sqkm.
Also during this operation the team found 60 snares within
a section of ½ sqkm and rescued a snared dik-dik.
These figures equate to nearly 2 snared animals every
day and 730 every year in just a half a square kilometre
area. This is only the tip of the iceberg! Snares
are a huge problem and in an effort to eradicate them
YfC needs to continue conducting desnaring operations
combined with community education programmes.
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Rescuing
snared lion
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- COMMUNITY
CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION
"In the end we conserve what we love, we love what we understand
and we understand what we are taught." Bab Dioum
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We are fully aware that desnaring alone is not the ultimate
answer. It is crucial that YfC reaches out to the communities
and try to change their attitude towards wildlife and the
environment as a whole. We therefore carry out community
conservation education programmes that involve working together
with the communities on various conservation projects. At
the same time we encourage the development of sustainable
income generating alternatives to bushmeat trade such as
bee keeping and Neem tree farming with a focus on community
economic empowerment and welfare.
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Community
Education
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Other
Activities
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Wildlife Welfare Campaigns
"Never
doubt that a small group of thoughtful people, committed citizens
can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead
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Through the media and public campaigns YfC has boldly protested
and spoken out against the mistreatment of animals and the
environment and has brought to the public eye wildlife issues.
Notable campaigns include a protest against the proposed
excision of vital Kenyan forests (2001), lifting of the
IVORY ban (CITES 2000) and the mistreatment of the Tuli
elephants in South Africa (1999). |
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CITES
2000 in Nairobi
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- Habitat
Protection and Restoration
“We are trustees for posterity of the natural contents of
our world.” Hon. Earl of Elgin
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As a direct result of population explosion and the increased
quest for more land, most habitats especially forests are
threatened with destruction, depletion or excision. YfC
has been involved in tree planting and promotes habitat
conservation through the media and public presentations.
To date we have also planted over 500 trees on the Ngong
Hills, near Nairobi.
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Tree
Planting on the Ngong Hills
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Sensitization on a Clean Environment
“Take nothing but photographs; leave nothing but footprints.”
Anonymous.
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Litter is a widespread problem that negatively affects most
wildlife sanctuaries. Most people are unaware of the fact
that litter particularly plastic is non-biodegradable and
has long term detrimental effects on the environment. It
also poses a direct threat to wildlife. YfC sensitises people
on this and conducts regular clean up activities, combined
with presentations and talks. |
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Litter
Collecting in Uhuru Park
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