admin | November 22, 2024
News Brief
A group of Indigenous women is leading efforts to protect the vast Mau Forest in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. Over the past 25 years, the forest has lost 19% of its tree cover, but the Paran Women Group is working to restore 200 acres by planting nearly 100,000 seedlings. The women hold a title deed to this large tract of land, a significant accomplishment in a community where women have limited autonomy and land is typically owned and controlled by men. In addition, the group has established seven satellite resource centres across the region, aimed at providing women with access to productive resources.
The Great Rift Valley is a breathtaking, diverse region in Kenya, home to dramatic landscapes and the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It is also the location of the 400,000-hectare Mau Forest Complex, the largest indigenous montane forest in East Africa and a vital watershed for numerous rivers and lakes.
However, Mau Forest has faced significant destruction due to illegal activities, with 25% of the forest lost between 1984 and 2020 and 19% of its tree cover disappearing between 2001 and 2022. Despite these challenges, women’s groups are leading efforts to restore the forest.
Naiyan Kiplagat, executive director of the Paran Women Group, explains, “We are committed to restoring Mau Forest. To address the forest’s degradation, we approached the Kenya Forest Service and gained access to 200 acres of the Maasai Mau Forest block.” In January 2024, the group began restoration activities, covering 100 acres, and plans to plant 100,000 tree seedlings with the help of local women’s groups.
The name Paran means “come together to assist each other” in Maa, the language of the Maasai. Founded in 2005, the group includes 64 women’s organizations and 3,718 members from the Maasai and Ogiek communities, both indigenous ethnic groups. They work together against marginalization and patriarchy, using indigenous knowledge in conservation and land restoration. The women hold a title deed to their land, an important achievement in a male-dominated community.
Their work extends beyond conservation to support livelihoods, with sustainable agriculture, beekeeping, beadwork, and energy-saving cooking technologies like briquettes and stoves that reduce pressure on Mau Forest. Over 617 households already use energy-efficient stoves.
Patrick Lemanyan, a local resident, notes that the community supports the women’s efforts, recognizing that saving the forest is crucial for their survival. He adds, “We have suffered from failed rainfall, and saving the forest means saving us.”
Mrs. Kiplagat points out that women, who own no assets, are particularly vulnerable during the ongoing climate and biodiversity crises. In the Maasai community, men control the livestock, leaving women without resources during prolonged droughts. The Ogiek, traditionally hunters and gatherers, also face severe challenges as their ecosystem is destroyed. They are adapting by taking up alternative livelihoods such as poultry farming, which is considered menial work by the men.
The Paran Women Group’s efforts have gained international recognition, earning awards such as the 2018 Rural Survival Award from the World Women Foundation Summit and the 2020 International Leadership Award from the International Indigenous Women’s Forum. They are preparing to receive another award in October 2024.
This story is based on an article written by Joyce Chimbi for Interpress News Service titled “Rural Survival: Guardians of Mother Earth Saving Mau, Revitalizing Native Lands.” To read the full story, go to: https://www.ipsnews.net/2024/09/rural-survival-guardians-of-mother-earth-saving-mau-revitalizing-native-lands/