LAIKIPIA, KENYA | 30 March 2026 Forty-six community scouts from Kenya’s Tsavo Landscape have formally graduated, marking the successful completion of a 21-day training program designed to enhance frontline wildlife protection, habitat security, and community-led conservation.
Supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Kenya and led by the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), this initiative is part of a broader effort to build resilience for biodiversity and local communities in southern Kenya’s landscape.
This training was delivered and hosted by Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which drew on its extensive experience in ranger training, wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching operations, and operational excellence. The initiative brought together 46 community scouts and 16 representatives from 13 conservancies across Taita Taveta County and the Taita Taveta Wildlife Conservancies Association (TTWCA), providing a platform for knowledge exchange and practical skills development for Kenya’s wildlife and natural resources.
Aligned with the Kenya Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Academy curriculum, the training covered bushcraft and anti-poaching techniques, wildlife law enforcement, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, crime scene management, and modern conservation technologies, including GPS, SMART Mobile, EarthRanger, Survey123, and drone surveillance. This comprehensive approach enhanced the scouts’ practical skills, situational awareness, and ability to respond effectively to conservation challenges.
Speaking at the passing-out parade, Nancy Githaiga, Country Director of AWF Kenya, highlighted the significance of the graduation:
“This graduation is more than a ceremony; it represents the readiness of these community scouts to protect wildlife, secure ecosystems, and support communities’ peaceful coexistence with wildlife in these landscapes. At AWF, our vision is a future where people and wildlife thrive together. Achieving this requires sustained investment in training, resources, and collaboration with conservancies and communities across Kenya. The leadership demonstrated by these scouts reinforces the importance of ongoing partnerships to safeguard biodiversity and strengthen local stewardship.”
Prof Geoffrey Wahungu, Chief Programs Officer at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, noted the practical impact of the collaboration, highlighting the initiative’s role in sharing proven conservation expertise and strengthening ranger capacity across Kenya’s critical landscapes. He further emphasized that investing in practical skills and technology-driven approaches contributes to a more effective frontline for wildlife protection.
Building on this, Polycarp Okumu, Senior Warden at Kenya Wildlife Service, emphasized that community scouts are at the heart of Kenya’s conservation framework and require discipline, dedication, and collaboration. He added, “We are grateful to the partners for training them to national standards to strengthen both wildlife protection and the integrity of the country’s conservation landscapes.”
Over the years, AWF has worked closely with TTWCA, jointly training more than 150 community scouts and investing in local institutions, community stewardship, and operational capacity within conservancies.
This effort goes beyond a single training program and represents a strategic investment in Taita Taveta County’s role as a conservation corridor linking Tsavo East National Park, Tsavo West National Park, and neighboring ecosystems.
Strengthening ranger capacity in this landscape is a deliberate investment in maintaining habitat connectivity, safeguarding biodiversity, and supporting sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
AWF and partners reaffirm their commitment to working with communities, conservancies, government agencies, and development partners to ensure that wildlife, landscapes, and people thrive together, securing a sustainable future for Kenya’s southern landscapes.
About the African Wildlife Foundation
The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is the primary advocate for the protection of wildlife and wild lands as an essential part of a modern and prosperous Africa. Founded in 1961, AWF works to ensure that the continent’s natural heritage is protected and benefits all Africans. For more information, visit www.awf.org.
About Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a leading wildlife conservancy in Kenya, recognised for its integrated approach to conservation that balances wildlife protection, community development, and sustainable land use. Ol Pejeta is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East and Central Africa, home to the last two northern white rhinos and the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. It plays a critical role in the protection of endangered species, habitat management, and empowerment of surrounding communities through livelihoods, and education programs. Through partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives such as this, Ol Pejeta continues to contribute to strengthening conservation capacity across the country.