Kenyan Adventure

HER Planet Earth, in partnership with Conservation International, treks 100km in Northern Kenya with Samburu warriors to promote wildlife conservation, women empowerment and eco-livelihoods

- Haylena Krishnamoorthy

In October 2019, a self-funded group of bold women set out to do their part to conserve our planet and the wildlife plus communities who call it home. They called upon their friends and family to donate to their cause, supporting wildlife conservation, anti-poaching initiatives, and eco-livelihoods through the work that Conservation International (CI) is doing in Northern Kenya.

Being part of an empowering all-female expedition team with HER Planet Earth (HPE)—a global women’s advocacy movement for gender equality and environmental conservation—their main objective is to increase awareness on climate change and raise funds for CI’s efforts in the region, with a focus on women empowerment. Studies have shown women to be most vulnerable and affected locally in remote areas, as they are at the forefront of agriculture for their families. Having raised around RM450,000, the team from HPE aimed to support, empower and educate women suffering and provide livelihood opportunities to create a ripple effect within their communities.

A total of 16 women from across the globe set out on foot, trekking 100km for a week through the Karisia Hills together with local Samburu warriors, expedition guides, trackers, rangers and a camel train loaded with tents and supplies.

The Samburu are a tribe of semi-nomadic pastoralists, and cousins to the Maasai tribe. Their survival and migration depends on their livestock, as they would travel in search for fresh pastures.