Lamu Marine Conservation Trust
Category: Quaterly Newsletter | Date: Nov 02 2008 | By: lamumarine
Lamu Marine Conservation Trust Newsletter
June –September 2008
A) Data for turtle protection and monitoring
i) Number of Adult and juvenile turtle tagged and released 2008
Lamu Marine Conservation Trust has so far released/protected 124 tagged
turtles in the last 8 months, accidentally caught by the fishermen in
Lamu District from January to July. The programme is continuing.
ii) Number of Babies turtles released/protected and monitored.
safely to the sea
We have had very fascinating and exhilarating moments on the day(s)
of turtle nest hatchling for the entire community of Lamu and its tourists.
Trips are organized to the nest sites. Whoever comes back gets touched with
our noble work and without hesitation, cross their fingers with us.
A total miracle of life!
After thorough protection and monitoring of the nests, the project released
50,548 successfully hatched baby turtles since the beggining of the project(1992).
Summarily, Lamu Marine Conservation Trust has been very successful in the protection of turtle nests since the begginning of the project. See the below graph.
B) Education programme
The project We run the programme at each school on a weekly basis. Pembe boat,
donated by Tusk Trust in 2004 has been very useful to the project in reaching
the three far schools and in patrolling. When the clubs finished their first
term, we had excursions to the related topics.
C) Bee project
Lamu Marine Conservation Trust has started the bee project in Kibuyuni. There
dozens of acres of mangrove have been exploited without a single tree being
replaced. The project has provided 10 hives to the community of this area
where by the harvest will be shared between, the sponsors (LaMCoT) and other
joining forces in conservation.
Kibuyuni is where Ama Environmental Kindness Club plans to have its project
on Mangrove rehabilitation, while the bee project is for all schools
(during of excursions)
(D) A turning point
In deed it is; the elders of Shella community have recently teamed up for a
better tomorrow for shella children, youth and the entire community.
It was after Idd Mubarak 3 days ago that all elders, children and youths
gathered together to discuss matters relating to Shella Village; education,
culture. Social changes and the other main agenda was a play ground for the
children during ceremonial occasion. A committee was chosen to mandate
different games of which some were already in line; the dhow race and tag of war.
The meeting at bahari Hotel
Tag of war game
Other Achievements
i. Solar system
Through the efforts of Sarah Watson, the project was able to benefit with some
funds from the Safaricom Marathon competition held at Lewa. The funds were used
to pay for the installation of solar panels at the Patrolling sites of the turtle
nests. This solar system will help in the efficiency of communication as there is
no power in the area. Therefore, charging of mobile phones will be available
without any difficulties. At the same time the patrol team will benefit by getting
some lights at their home stead. ( we have already paid Bruce and just waiting for
the tides for it to be installed)
ii. Trees at the airstrip
Still with the financial assistance from Tusk, together with the collaboration from
the pioneer Shella environmental club, 70 indigenous trees of which 50 survived is a great success to us and the donor. This area is now looking beautiful to all
guests coming to lamu by Flights. Indeed the work could be describes as from
nothing to something, in this programme, the project consumed a lot of its time and
money but fortunately we won the battle. Many people tried to plant in this venue
but all efforts in vain as this area is very dry and salty during high tides.
Acacia and coconut trees at the lamu airstrip
our sign board at the airstrip
iii. Information abroad
The year 2008 has been a very successful year when it comes to information dissemination
through story telling by journalists and film crews across the world.
We have been visited by both national and international broad casters and journalists.
We believe in this way we will definitely win.
KTN the second leading channel in Kenya, visited us in April, the Italian film crew
in Feb, the French film crew in January, Spanish Journalist for (El Mundo, Spain’s
second largest newspaper) by the name Pablo Pardo, Lee Middleton from Tanzania April,
Ingrid Mueller Journalist from German and Swara Magazine by East African Wildlife Society.
Project constraints
Remember that we heavily rely on Subscription from both Locals and foreigners, Tusk Trust
from UK help us a lot in catering the social overheads (www.tusk.org ). Therefore,
donation could be made through wildlife direct as per the column donation, at our
account here in Kenya i.e. Swift Code: KCBLKENXXX Beneficiary: Lamu Marine
Conservation Trust
Account Number: 205 670 971
Alternatively funds could be sent to Tusk Trust in England
Tusk Trust Charity Aid Foundation
UK Reg 803118
” Tusk Turtles, Lamu”
And sent to:
Tust Trust
5 Townbridge House
High Street
Gillingham
Dorset
SP8 4AA
Tusk is our main sponsors. www.tusk.org
WE ARE HAPPY TO RECEIVE DONATIONS INFORM OF MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE SO ALREADY..SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY BECOMING AN ACTIVE
MEMBER OF LAMCOT
YOU CAN REGISTER YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY EMAILING US AT: dotatwa@yahoo.com or
lamutrust@gmail.com
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It is all about interest ! I am Atwaa Salim back home, having finished my bachelors degree from the university of Nairobi. I am now the co-ordinator of Lamu Marine Conservation Trust. Having volunteered for two years, I found the conservation of the natural resourse inclusive of turtles as very important. We are a group of ten people. We have got 4 guards a captain and a crew, with 3 office bearers. We are all from local communities around Lamu.
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100% of your donation, minus a small bank fee, will go to your intended purpose.
Donations made here are safe.
