10 year old Ellie Jones-Perrot has done the Ol Pejeta Conservancy proud by walking 20 kilometres across the Conservancy to raise funds for our Community Development Programme. Accompanied by Ol Pejeta Chief Executive Officer Richard Vigne, Ellie set off from their house on the Conservancy early on Saturday 30th January, determined to complete this noble cause, and requested that the money she raised be put towards a project assisting underprivileged children.

Ellie’s and Richard’s drudging walk and their sore feet that followed were well worth the effort. Ellie undertook to do this walk to raise money (she raised nearly $3000!) to support our bursary programme by sending two orphaned children to Secondary School!  An opportunity that too many children in Kenya will not be given. She did it because she understands that ultimately conservation is all about people and that, unless the process of "conservation" somehow benefits humans, it will never succeed.

The Ol Pejeta Community Development Programme assists neighbouring communities by engaging in development projects that provide social benefit and improve the living standards of the communities. The programme mainly focuses on six major areas of need among others; Education and Health facilities, Water and Road infrastructure, Agricultural Extension and Livestock support. The Education Programme includes a bursary programme for needy students, to which Ellie’s funds have been allocated.

Says Paul Leringato, Community Development Programme Manager

“Young Ellie has set an excellent example by recognising a need to assist others at such a young age. We have also seen this with the Project Kenya Sister Schools (PKSS), a partnership programme based in Canada and our neighbouring community in Laikipia, which pairs some Canadian schools with some of the schools in rural Laikipia District. Young students in PKSS member schools undertake projects that raise funds to support their “sister” schools. It is remarkable that these young individuals are taking the initiative to get involved in these projects. We should all learn from them and follow their lead.”