ROUND UP REPORT 2022
The story of 2022
10% free to grow. 90% free to roam.
People and planet must unite to change the inevitable outcome for the world. The climate crisis is real, and we all must play our part in being more conscious consumers. These messages are clear, with the outcome of Cop27 and the more recent Cop15 whereby governments from around the world came together to agree on a new set of goals to guide global action through to 2030 to halt and reverse nature loss. Some bold ambitious commitments were made, but the time for us to put words into action is now. In our small way, at Tofauti we have been working tirelessly to help communities and wildlife do exactly that.
Our most impactful project to date was illustrated in a short film available on our website, where Kyalo Ndeto, a Kenyan farmer and landowner, tells us his emotive story of the benefits a fenced area had on him and his land. He describes the hardships and frustrations of wildlife having decimated his crop and how this grew into deep hatred for them such that he felt forced to retaliate. Conversely, with the fenceinstalled it provides protection to his livestock, helps his crops to flourish and allows his family to progress. Kyalo has now become an advocate for wildlife in the village explaining to others how the presence of animals enabled him to access this life changing provision that allows peaceful co-existence on a National Park boundary.
We have one chance, and we have one planet, and now we are experiencing a movement like none other where the recognition of her finite resources is real. We are left with no choice but to collectively unite to make a different path. We at Tofauti believe in less talking and more action. While we cannot change the entire world, we can bring about life changing impact on targeted communities and wildlife to help them build resilience together. Be that with communities, with specific species projects, or with infrastructural development and proven conservation methods that truly can benefit all.
Help us, join us as collectively we can always do more. Together.
A message from Crista
As always with our annual report, Tofauti will not be what it has become without our able and committed board of Trustees. I am so grateful for their belief and support in what we are doing and what we stand for. There is always so much to do and more can always be achieved, as we are continuing in our quest to help communities and wildlife thrive together on the African continent. As we continue in our post pandemic recovery, we have embarked on the process of becoming an independent charity as a necessary step on the path to elevating our impact for those who benefit and our community of fantastic supporters.
With the pressure of different land usage and additional revenue generation options for landowners, heightened by the ever-increasing population expansion we are seeing wilderness areas put under more relentless pressure. This coupled with the cost-of-living increasing worldwide and in some parts of Africa suffering a fourth drought in succession, makes it ever more cumbersome to feed families where desperation for food and water ensues. The climate crisis is upon us, which whilst not new news, it is more openly discussed and gathering healthy momentum and action to working toward negating its impact.
With our commitment to working with select abled partners, we have continued to expand our ‘10% fence plan’community benefit projects and are deeply proud of having installed over 30 Kms of solar electric fence around 12 different landowners’ plots. This has in turn seen sizeable increase in crop yields where the benefit in Kamungi Conservancy can be both seen and felt by the people who now peacefully coexist with wildlife on their doorsteps.
We are delighted that the sand dam in Naibunga Conservancy has reached early maturity and is now providing water in a remote and arid northern territory which otherwise would not have had access to water throughout the year. The Roan antelope project is continuing to thrive in Ruma National Park where our strategic partnership was instrumental for the ultimate survival of this beautiful species in Kenya. There has been new births within the group and we expect this to continue.
The TogetherForWater online fundraising initiative was piloted with local artisans to develop adequate and robust water collecting devices designed to directly support and help rural women collect water for their families. Finally, we continue to support the raptor world with a potential African Grey Parrot project in the Kakamega Forest, along with our beloved endeavors to support vultures to see their numbers return once more.
We have ambitious plans for 2023 which are well underway. A big thanks to you all and please continue to reach out, join us and support as we continue to make an impact, together.
Crista Cullen MBE | Founder