Conserving Ewaso Ng'iro River for Peaceful Coexistence
Conserving Ewaso Ng'iro River for Peaceful Coexistence
From David Barmes
Fundraising for the Ewaso Ng'iro Camel Caravan 2017 (11 to 15 September) - a shared journey promoting the health of the Ewaso Ng'iro River and the people who depend on it - planned and managed by IMPACT and MID-P.
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Update #1
CAMEL CARAVAN 2017 UPDATE:
In addition to this online campaign, and following fundraising meetings, MID-P (Merti Integrated Development Project) has pledged a mighty 1.4 million Kenyan Shillings, equivalent to just over 17,000 Canadian Dollars (to be settled outside of this Fundly page) for the Camel Caravan! This enormous contribution comes from their Peace, Security and Stability budget, funded by the Danish Embassy.
First and foremost, this will allow us to include Borana and Turkana communities, as well as already planned for Maasai and Samburu communities, in the journey and discussions. This will make the 2017 Camel Caravan even more far-reaching, inclusive, and influential than had been envisioned.
However, due to concerns over security, drought, and the upcoming elections, we have decided to postpone the event. The new dates are set for the 11th to 15th of September. The current drought across the country and the conflicts in central Kenya highlight the need for water conservation and peace-building initiatives.
On the upside, the postponement of the event means that the fundraising process can continue, and additional time is available to advertise more widely and seek even greater participation in the project. We are currently reworking the budget to incorporate further avenues for expansion and set a new fundraising target.
We would like to thank all of the contributors who have set aside donations out of their personal income and savings to help bring this project to fruition – your generosity and support is greatly appreciated and is allowing the Camel Caravan project to grow to its full potential. Thank you.
More Info
Kenya’s Ewaso Ng’iro Camel Caravan is a unique river journey initiative, based upon the pastoralist traditions of
the indigenous people of the Ewaso Ng’iro Basin Ecosystem. The Ewaso Ng’iro
River's source is located on the north-western slopes of the iconic Mt Kenya, and
flows through arid and semi-arid lands into the Merti Aquifer and Lorian Swamp,
after which it passes through Somalia, joining the Jubba River. The health of this river is crucial to the livelihoods of approximately 3.6
million people.
The Ewaso Ng’iro has been under threat from a number of human activities, such as polluting practices, cultivation along river banks, and over-extraction. This continues to result in lower water flow and increasingly polluted water. Further, a government-proposed Mega Dam project would severely restrict water flow, as well as displace many people living around the proposed site of construction. If these threats are not addressed and mitigated, the likelihood of conflict over the river increases.
The Ewaso Ng’iro Camel Caravan is a 5-day walk with camels along the river that brings together local communities, NGOs, private sector stakeholders, local media, and county and national government officials. Through a combination of research, education, and advocacy, the purpose of the journey is to promote and facilitate a shared understanding of the human-induced threats facing the river, and support collaboration between upstream and downstream users to mitigate these threats. The current drought and conflicts in the region highlight the need for water conservation and peace-building initiatives.
Funds will be used for the sourcing of camels and their handlers, food and water for all participants for the five days of walking, a car and security personnel to accompany the Caravan, tents for sleeping, community information dissemination and mobilization, production of materials to promote the message (banners, badges and t-shirts), evening cultural and educational events with local communities, and a joint event at Archer's Post on the final day of the Caravan.
The last Camel Caravan occurred in 2014 and was a great success. With your support, we can make the 2017 edition even more far-reaching, inclusive, and influential. The journey will take place from the 20th to the 25th of July 2017.
For more information on the Ewaso Ng'iro River, please see the documentary at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O32VEscJxdY&feature=youtu.be. A short version is also accessible in the photo gallery above. Furthermore, a documentary of the 2014 Camel Caravan can be found at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1N5Qv1cIqY&list=UUoYBCp8Son071pwqZMBcs8A
Below are screenshots of some of the press and social media coverage of the previous edition of the Camel Caravan:
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David Barmes posted a new update:
almost 7 years agoUpdate #2
CAMEL CARAVAN 2017 UPDATE:
In addition to this online campaign, and following fundraising meetings, MID-P (Merti Integrated Development Project) has pledged a mighty 1.4 million Kenyan Shillings, equivalent to just over 17,000 Canadian Dollars (to be settled outside of this Fundly page) for the Camel Caravan! This enormous contribution comes from their Peace, Security and Stability budget, funded by the Danish Embassy.
First and foremost, this will allow us to include Borana and Turkana communities, as well as already planned for Maasai and Samburu communities, in the journey and discussions. This will make the 2017 Camel Caravan even more far-reaching, inclusive, and influential than had been envisioned.
However, due to concerns over security, drought, and the upcoming elections, we have decided to postpone the event. The new dates are set for the 11th to 15th of September. The current drought across the country and the conflicts in central Kenya highlight the need for water conservation and peace-building initiatives.
On the upside, the postponement of the event means that the fundraising process can continue, and additional time is available to advertise more widely and seek even greater participation in the project. We are currently reworking the budget to incorporate further avenues for expansion and set a new fundraising target.
We would like to thank all of the contributors who have set aside donations out of their personal income and savings to help bring this project to fruition – your generosity and support is greatly appreciated and is allowing the Camel Caravan project to grow to its full potential. Thank you.
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Jul 13