Kifaru Twakupenda song is out.

The song was finally launched finally hitting the air waves. Kifaru Twakupenda song meaning Rhino we love you.


Sam Chizi, the musician admiring his final product.











More funs admiring the song, thanks Rashidah.

A shot at the recording studio, thanks  for the team effort for your hard work.

Sam Chizi the musician and the song producer, Benjah, at the recording studio.

And finally the song hit the airwaves, thanks to Koch FM. More radio stations are playing the song including Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), Q fm and Citizen radio.
We hope it reaches far and wide. With the video on the way, we hope it will be more educational and entertaining.
Thanks Koch Fm for being the first to play the song.

Kifaru Song (Rhino Song)

More creative ways for sensitization and awareness are being embraced. That is why we decided to release a song about the rhino for the message about rhino conservation to reach more people.Not forgetting talent and creativity, we as an organization also support talent like music. Big up Sam Chizi for a job well done in the song.

 Some dvds.

Both the front and back of the dvd cover.

FOLKLORE AND ITS EFFECT TO CONSERVATION

Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales, stories, tall tales and customs. It is often used in passing messages, education purposes, and for entertainment with the objective of sensitization. The art of folktales was often passed from generation to generation. 

Folktales have played a critical role in environmental conservation. Expressions such the haunted forests, dark forests, cursed forests among the many names given to scare off people were used to discourage people from visiting the forests and cutting trees. In these haunted forests, there lived evil creatures. We often hear of monstrous creatures, cursed animals among others. All these were a way of discouraging people from entering the forests.  

Illegal hunting was also discouraged. In folktales, hunting in some forests was discouraged. We often hear of remarks like cursed animals with reference that; if one consumes a cursed meat then he/she is definitely cursed. As such, people often kept away from hunting some creatures which in turn ended up conserving them. 

Comparison in folktales is also used. The hare is often regarded as the naughty one, the tortoise as the wise one, the jackal as the sly one, and the lion as the King of the jungle among others. All this comparison was to show the balance in nature. These folktales often taught on diversity in nature and how they depend on each other. An imbalance often lead to distortion in nature.

It is evident that conservation awareness was practiced times before, a clear indication that our fore fathers did practice conservation. Let us borrow a leaf from our wise men, let us also promote conservation. 

ART IN CONSERVATION

Art is one of humanity’s earliest forms of expression that dates back to the pre-historic period. Painting is a form of art that involves expression by use of brush, paintings, charcoal, and pencils among others. Among the various paintings include wildlife paintings. The paintings tended to depict the forms of wildlife that exists in the localities.

During the pre-historic period, rock painting was a common activity. Some of the common rock paintings across Africa include; Saharan rock art from Tibesti Massit to Ahaggar mountains, the San Rock art paintings in south Africa, and in East Africa the Nyiro rock paintings in Uganda, the Kakapel rock art site in Teso, the Mawanga concrete circles in suba districts among others.   

Modern painters involved in wildlife painting seek to enrich and inspire public appreciation of the human relations with the aim of creating awareness on the plight facing wildlife today. They for instance raise funds to help in conservation efforts through selling the paintings in exhibitions and also as an educative activity.  Some of the notable wildlife painters include Jan Martin McGuire, John Cylymer, Kim Donaldson among others.

Ideal Community empowerment is one of the organizations that has embraced art in conservation as a component of creating awareness on the plight facing the flora and fauna, nurture art as a career and as well as a teaching aid. Over 600 students have been involved in the program across the country that is from Nairobi, Kakamega, Kisumu.  

The program has been received well by both students and teachers reviving art and craft as a subject. It has acted as a learning platform by creating wildlife artists, nurturing future conservationists and creating awareness on the 

environment. For this reason, it is of a strong opinion for the society to promote and protect biodiversity.

MAZINGIRA YETU MAGAZINE

Finally we have launched MAZINGIRA YETU MAGAZINE. It is all about making a difference by contributing to conservation. Our sincere gratitude to Nigel G Goodman for your assistance in achieving this dream.

A little difference in a small way. Let us all remember that we are tenants in this world, so let us  play part in conserving it. As for me.... I have reached out to you... what about you!!!!

 The Magazine was launched in Kifaru Primary School, making it the first school to receive the copies. It was received by the school's head teacher who gave her blessings and encouraged its' continuity. Thanks alot for the kind words you shared.

 The school children had time to go through, and appreciate the magazine. It is a great feeling to see the smiles and happy faces of the future generation.

 Moses too was not left out as he had a session to read some articles to fellow schoolmates and give his opinion.

 These are some of the pages contained in the magazine.

MATERIALS IN CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

The use of adequate materials in conservation awareness is important. It is used as a reference point by both the teacher and student, it act as a study material to everyone and also act as a reminder on the need to conserve. That is why we encourage the use of educational posters as a way of reaching many in the schools, communities and the general public. Many get to see and understand what they are being taught since the posters contain adequate information and real pictures.

There are many posters that are being used in different topical issues in conservation, as a result we still encouraging you to support us so that we can reach many and play part in conservation. 

This High  school in Kakamega was taught HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT and PRIMATES. The two posters were left for the school for their use and reference point.

The children here were being taught about mammals, and many got a chance to see and identify mammals they had never seen, including the big 5. 

The SNAKE Poster was donated to the community in Kakamega, an area prone to snakes. The community was educated on the herpatofauna which they really appreciated.

The forest cobra, a common snake in Kakamega Forest.

The black mamba, a common forest in Kakamega forest.
Through the education of snakes, the community got a better understanding of the snake.

The use of COMMON BIRDS poster is also used in understanding avifauna and conservation.

Using RHINO SPECIES posters, schools and the general public get to understand the various species of rhinos and the need to conserve them.

A poster for the OJOLA PRIMARY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB that was given to the school so as to encourage them to keep on with their conservation exercises.

A poster for the KIFARU PRIMARY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB that was given to the school so as to encourage them to keep on with their conservation exercises.

By using SOIL poster, everyone gets a deeper understanding of the soil, how to conserve it and what role soil plays in the ecosystem.

THE JAN MARTIN McGUIRE DRAWING CHALLENGE 2012

The beauty of conservation is the ability of everyone embracing creative ways of expressing their inner understanding on the surrounding they want. This is witnessed in the expression of school children through art on what they think about the environment, how they wish it to be and what they intend to do in order to conserve the environment. Thanks alot for THE JAN MARTIN McGuire DRAWING CHALLENGE 2012 for strengthening environmental understanding  while embracing art.

Four schools played part in this exercise with competitors reaching 300. I believe it will keep on growing as we continue. Please play part too in making a difference by supporting us and the Children and the Environment.

It is amazing how you can express understanding of the environment through art. So let us all play part in promoting talent and creativity like art in conservation exercises.

 And here are some of the future great conservationists and artists and painters.

And after the challenge, a reward of a trophy was awarded to the best. The decision was reached based on creativity and the understanding of conservation. Thanks Oluowa Primary School for giving the best this time.