In 2025, AWF Kenya focused on practical solutions to reduce pressure on both people and ecosystems amid increasingly scarce water resources, especially during the driest months in northern Kenya. By strengthening water access, supporting livelihoods, engaging youth, and promoting transparent governance, the organization worked across Marsabit County, key wildlife corridors, and community conservancies—including the Tsavo landscape—to ensure that conservation benefits were inclusive and people-centered.
The Sustainable Opportunities for Improved Livelihoods (SOIL) project in Marsabit, implemented with BOMA and the LIGHT Foundation, delivered measurable results within a year. Over 1,000 participants attended community engagement sessions on climate resilience and natural resource management. Improved cookstoves and solar energy systems were provided to 190 households, while four community tree nurseries were established to support reforestation and fruit tree planting. The project also introduced sustainable rangeland and water management practices, including desilting and structured water access at key pans, and engaged schools through environmental clubs focused on poultry farming, tree planting, and kitchen gardens.
Water infrastructure was a central priority in 2025, addressing scarcity that drives both human-wildlife conflict and livelihood instability. AWF Kenya’s interventions enabled over 6,500 households, 2,500 livestock, and more than 1,000 elephants to access improved water supplies. Enhanced water availability not only supports sanitation and school attendance but also allows riparian zones to regenerate and strengthens long-term ecosystem resilience.
Youth engagement expanded through the Young Conservation Heroes initiative, developed in partnership with Wildlife Clubs of Kenya. Model Schools in the Tsavo landscape served as hubs for conservation education, reaching more than 500 learners from 130 schools. In Marsabit, the SOIL project established wildlife clubs in 10 schools, demonstrating that youth engagement scales most effectively when combined with practical investments in water, restoration, and sustainable livelihoods.
Policy and governance also saw progress in 2025. AWF engaged in discussions around the proposed Wildlife Conservation and Management Bill, emphasizing inclusive benefit-sharing, clear governance structures, and open access to conservation data. The release of the 2024–2025 National Wildlife Census highlighted the recovery of major species like elephants and rhinos while noting rising poaching threats, providing guidance for conservation priorities such as wildlife corridors, habitat restoration, and strengthened monitoring. A historic handover of Amboseli National Park from the national government to Kajiado County marked a milestone in local stewardship and community-led conservation.
Looking forward to 2026, AWF Kenya plans to protect the gains of 2025 while planning for growth. Priority actions include safeguarding wildlife corridors, responsible water management, and integrating environmental safeguards into large infrastructure projects such as the LAPSSET Corridor initiative. By building on the foundations laid in 2025, Kenya aims to demonstrate people-centered conservation where water flows, landscapes recover, communities thrive, and wildlife prospers.
