In a jubilant gathering at Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge from January 23rd to January 25th, Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF) joined hands with other stakeholders to commemorate the success of the restoration champions selected for funding through TerraFund for AFR100. This three-day event marked the beginning of a transformative journey towards reclaiming our environment, with 36 organizations poised to contribute to Kenya’s commitment of restoring 5.1 million hectares of land by 2030.
Back in 2015, Africa embarked on an ambitious mission to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, with Kenya pledging to restore 5.1 million hectares. To accelerate progress towards this goal, TerraFund for AFR100 was established in 2021. This consortium, comprising the World Resources Institute (WRI), One Tree Planted, Realize Impact, and Barka Fund, aims to provide financial assistance and support to local communities engaged in land restoration efforts.
The event kicked off with a warm welcome, with notable guests including Peter Ndunda and Dr. Susan Chomba from WRI Africa, George Tarus representing the Principal Secretary (PS), State Department of Forestry, and Mr. Gitonga Mugambi, delivering speeches that underscored the potential impact of the restoration movement. Attendees were introduced to TerraFund’s 36 Restoration Champions from Kenya, followed by insightful discussions from partners in Cohort 1 during panel sessions.
Day 2 marked the commencement of the onboarding process, featuring community-building exercises, in-depth discussions on TerraFund’s initiative and the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) framework, and an introduction to geospatial data collection systems. Presentations emphasized the importance of trust and collaboration between restoration champions and the TerraFund team. Additionally, two champions from TerraFund’s “Top 100” cohort shared their progress and offered valuable advice on succeeding in conservation efforts. Caroline Kariuki of Green Pot Enterprises, a recipient of two investments from TerraFund, shared insights on balancing restoration and financial returns, while Grace Wacu Nding’uri of Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO) provided inspiration and guidance for new partners based on KENVO’s experiences throughout the TerraFund process.
On the final day, the onboarding process concluded with further guidance on reporting and support mechanisms from TerraFund. Each partner had the opportunity to engage in personal support sessions with TerraFund staff, allowing champions to delve deeper into their projects.
The event culminated with a speech from Will Anderson, expressing gratitude to his Kenyan colleagues for their dedication and emphasizing the available support system for champions both locally and globally.
Restoration champions engage in a networking session.
The celebration at Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge marked a significant milestone in the journey towards restoring our environment, underscoring the collective commitment to creating a sustainable future for generations to come.
