Vivian Silole, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Collaboration, and Sustainability at IMPACT Kenya, has highlighted how direct funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is transforming Indigenous-led conservation efforts in northern Kenya. IMPACT Kenya works with pastoralist communities whose livelihoods, identity, and traditional knowledge are closely tied to the landscapes and animals they have stewarded for generations.
The organization is one of ten Indigenous Peoples-led groups implementing the GEF-funded Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI), a global program designed to provide direct financing to Indigenous communities so they can lead biodiversity conservation on their own terms. Speaking at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York, Silole reflected on how the initiative has strengthened both institutional capacity and community ownership.
Through the ICI, IMPACT Kenya co-designed a five-component conservation model directly with local communities rather than imposing external frameworks. This participatory approach ensured that communities defined their own priorities, including what they wanted to protect and how conservation efforts should be structured in their territories.
Silole noted that managing large-scale international funding initially required the organization to strengthen internal systems, policies, and staff capacity. However, she emphasized that this process has enabled IMPACT Kenya to grow institutionally while also expanding its partnerships and funding base. More importantly, the flexibility of the funding has allowed the organization to respond to shifting environmental realities such as droughts, which often require rapid changes in community priorities.
A key feature of the initiative is its strong commitment to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), which IMPACT Kenya applies as an ongoing, iterative process rather than a one-time approval. Communities are actively involved in every stage of decision-making, and their choices are respected even when they decide not to proceed with certain activities.
The program has also supported biocultural mapping efforts, helping communities document their deep relationships with land and resources. These maps have even been used to support land rights claims in areas affected by competing land uses. In addition, the development of biocultural protocols and community-led monitoring systems is ensuring that Indigenous communities retain long-term ownership over conservation data and decision-making processes.
Silole emphasized that working closely with communities has reshaped IMPACT Kenya’s approach to conservation, reinforcing the importance of patience, trust, and adaptive programming. She stressed that meaningful conservation must align with community realities rather than rigid donor timelines.
Addressing global donors, she called for continued expansion of direct access funding models for Indigenous Peoples. While acknowledging past barriers such as complex application requirements and institutional constraints, she argued that trust-based financing is essential for effective conservation outcomes.
She concluded that Indigenous-led conservation models are both scalable and effective, especially when communities are placed at the center of decision-making. According to Silole, the future of global biodiversity protection depends on recognizing Indigenous Peoples not just as stakeholders, but as leaders in shaping conservation systems that truly work.
