From a herd’s boy to the world’s top safari guide, James’ story is not different from any other Maasai boy growing in the vast great plains of Maasai Mara but on how he managed to scoop one of the most prestigious and sought after award is a story that you would want to hear.

Before joining Koyiaki Guiding school, James worked as a room steward, of course, untrained at that time but because of his passion and how much he was willing to learn and serve at the same time, James was given that opportunity by kicheche camp.
His passion to work in the tourism industry grew and that’s when James applied to join koyiaki Guiding school. Through a competitive process of both written and oral interviews, he got admission at Koyiaki in 2006 and completed his one year course in 2007.
He was awarded with a Bronze which is the first qualification of tour guiding in Kenya according to the Kenya Professional Guides Association. For the first 3 years in kicheche, James worked as a mechanic despite the fact that he was a qualified safari guide and in late 2010, he was given a role of becoming a full guide. Soon after, he received an eco-training from South Africa.

James developed a lot of interest in Photography in the year 2012 and in the year 2016, he took part in Maasai Mara wildlife competition in Photography where he became the 2nd runners up. ‘I grew a lot interest in photography and to me, passion, determination and luck best describe me’ says James. In 2019, he won the wanderlust world guide, top safari guide in the world which is one of the most prestigious awards in the world.

To James, the sky has never been the limit, He is now a silver guide driver and still working with kicheche Mara.

MMWCA is honored to receive the news that one of our member conservancy NASHULAI MAASAI CONSERVANCY is among the 10 winners of the prestigious Equator Prize 2020 Award. The award received 600 nominations from 120 countries across the world indicating the level of competition for this award. The award is presented by UNDP in partnership with Equator Initiative.

Nashulai Maasai Conservancy was one of the winners as an outstanding example of a local nature-based solution to climate change and sustainable development.

Once again congratulations to Nashuali Maasai Conservancy for this great achievement.

src: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/news-centre/news/2020/11th-equator-prize-.html

Meet Raen ene Karbolo, from olderkesi community conservancy, is a landowner, a leader, a mother and a powerful women rights advocate across the Mara conservancies.
She wears many hats: Raen is the current Board chairlady at ositeti Primary school, a Committee member in Olderkesi land adjudication and a landowners’ committee member (LOC).
Ositeti Primary school
This is a government school which has been in existence for the last 10 years. Raen Karbolo makes history by becoming the first-ever woman Board chair of the school, a position that has been held by men for the last 10 years. Through conservancies women forums funded by USAID and implemented by MMWCA, women have become more empowered and aware of their rights even in community leadership. Such a bold step taken by Olderkesi women in support of their husbands has seen people like Raen raising to some of the most critical and powerful leadership positions in Olderkesi.

Olderkesi land adjudication committee
This a very powerful committee which is envisioned in the Kenyan constitution; Land adjudication act 2010, cap 284.
Adjudication committee makes decisions on issues concerning land in a given adjudication section in regards to boundaries, land allocation during subdivision as well as settling disputes (Arbitration).
Across the greater Mara ecosystem, Raen Karbolo is the first lady to be appointed to this committee in Olderkesi community as a result of women empowerment while enhancing sustainable conservation in the Mara.
She has held that position for 3 years now and she is able to air out views on women rights in regards to land ownership as well as an inheritance which has been an issue since land subdivision started in Maasai land; ow women can own land and they can inherit as well.
Raen has made great contributions to make this a success in Olderkesi and through her effort, 2 more women were brought in the Olderkesi Land adjudication committee.

Land owners’ committee
LOC is a committee that comes between the tourism operators (Investors) and the landowners. They are key decision-makers in the community in conservation matters, community social responsibility matters, as well a tourism matters olderkesi Community conservancy.
They sensitize the community by holding public barazas on the importance of conserving their land as well as the benefits that the community gets through tourism.
Raen gives us her story that during the inception of Olderkesi community conservation area which sits on a 7000 acres of land with 7000 landowners, her husband Ole Karbolo was against the idea of conservation for he believed that it might have been a way of ‘people’ grabbing their land and that they may lose grazing areas, water catchment areas as well as the beautiful hilly wetland (Osupuko) as they call it.
Through continuous talks and discussions, Raen was able to convince her husband to change his mind and to support the formation of Olderkesi community conservancy.
Her story is one of the great success we have had in the Mara through community engagement, creation of awareness while enhancing sustainable conservation across the greater Mara ecosystem.