About Us
The general philosophy of Uvumbuzi Africa is to ‘leave the earth a better place than we found it.’ This is in line with the spirit of the preamble to The Constitution of Kenya 2010 which states: ‘We the people of Kenya…RESPECTFUL of the environment, which is our heritage, and determined to sustain it for the benefit of future generations’ We encourage the protection of all wildlife and natural resources, recognizing that their future depends on our actions today.
As an NGO dedicated to the protection and conservation of wildlife and the environment, Uvumbuzi Africa exists to promote and actively advocate for the entrenchment of citizen engagement in conservation in Kenya and across the broader African continent. The establishment of Uvumbuzi Africa as an independent NGO was inspired by the Uvumbuzi Club and its founding members who have been passionate about conservation since the 70’s and it is the pioneer members of the club that we have to thank for further fuelling the fire of conservation in the organization’s founders’.
Our identity is derived from the Swahili word ‘Vumbua’ which means ‘to discover’. In this context, Uvumbuzi Africa is premised on the concept of ‘Conservation by Discovery’ of the numerous, largely undiscovered conservation stories, people and natural habitats in Kenya and across Africa.
Mission
“Our Mission is to encourage, promote and support citizen participation and ownership of sustainable conservation of wildlife and the environment in Kenya and the broader African continent, through advocacy, conservation philanthropy and stewardship.”
Vision
“To empower citizens at the community levels in order to achieve equal, sustainable and feasible conservation of wildlife, the environment and natural resources, for the benefit of future generations.”.
Our Scope of Work
Advocacy and Use of New Media in Conservation
We are committed to using new media and interactive forums to advocate for the inclusion and amplification of the voices of the youth and women involved or wishing to be involved in conservation related initiatives. We believe that our approach is pivotal to our efforts at entrenching inclusivity of largely unrecognized/unheard voices in the future of African environmental stewardship.
Youth and Women Engagement.
Uvumbuzi Africa firmly believes that the future of conservation lies in the hands of the youth and women. Our programs are therefore designed to encourage their involvement in conservation leadership and stewardship, while encouraging them to embrace conservation as a tool for socio-economic development.
Conservation Philanthropy and Strategic Partnerships
By forging sustainable partnerships we strive to act as a conduit linking stakeholders such as individuals leading grassroots youth/women-run conservation initiatives to conservation organizations, state offices, and corporates, and across Kenya. Our aim is to leverage these partnerships to channel the necessary support to these enterprises, and ultimately foster relationships that will make these initiatives self-sufficient.
Conservation by Discovery
Our discovery journeys allow us to unearth a multitude of undiscovered conservation heroes and their initiatives who are provided a chance to showcase their initiatives, opinions, proposals, challenges and concerns on our web-series ‘Sauti Za Conservation’ and through all our advocacy programme. Through these Discovery Journeys, we also endeavour to ensure the discovery of hidden ecological biodiversity gems within unique habitats that desperately need nurturing and protection. Through these Journeys, we intend to broaden the stakeholder base and future protectors of these natural habitats through their discovery of these habitats and a personal and often unique experience of nature’s majesty. Through this approach we hope to pioneer a new model/approach to conservation that can easily be replicated and up scaled with visible impact and effectiveness.
Behavioural Change and Conservation Relatability
We endeavour to inspire a culture of global responsibility towards conservation by making conservation relatable to ordinary individuals in a manner that resonates with them on a practical and personal level.
Preservation and Up scaling of Indigenous Knowledge
Effective environmental stewardship and the sustainable management of the ecosystem is impossible without the involvement of the indigenous people at the community levels who possess in-depth traditional knowledge of natural resources. Uvumbuzi Africa therefore aims to promote the preservation and dissemination of this knowledge by showcasing members of the community who are actively applying it in their conservation efforts.