Children in the communities surrounding Ol Pejeta have up to 12km to walk each way between home and school, and often encounter elephants, lions, and leopards on the road. This has led to an increase in human/wildlife conflict and decreased school enrolment rates. You can help us to build dormitories for Mwituria High School to educate and safeguard 400 children who will grow up to be ambassadors for our work in conservation.
Dangerous encounters with animals on the long road to Mwituria discourage students from reaching school, ultimately lowering attendance and enrolment rates. This has led to negative community attitudes to animals and conservation. Girls in particular are dropping out of school at alarming rates due to the added concern of being approached by men on the road which often results in underage pregnancies. A dormitory would reduce this walk to just a few steps.
You can help Ol Pejeta to build a dormitory to restore enrolment and attendance rates that have been declining for several years, while protecting both the wildlife and children that share one road. Investing in the neighbouring communities of Ol Pejeta is important to us and key to healthy conservation relationships. Even more important to us is education: if we support local children, they will understand and share the significance of our work, now and in the future.
The dormitories will empower Mwituria's existing 95 children through education and accommodate for 300 more, pulling in students from further afield. Girls in particular, who are more at risk of dropping out of school, will be given even ground on which to prosper. This is 400 children who will recognise the importance of our work while learning to respect rather than fear wildlife. The same children will hopefully become advocates for conservation and Ol Pejeta's own future ambassadors.
