Daily Archives: 25 April 2023

Introduction

Last weekend, our science team together with a few volunteers went for the monthly Sabaki bird count. To make the activity even more interesting and fruitful, they went there the night before and camped on site. Faith, a volunteer in the communications department was happy to join them, and this is what she had to say…

“During my time at A Rocha Kenya, I have heard many interesting stories about the Sabaki bird counts, or the muddy counts, as it is often called. That is why when the opportunity to not only join the count but get to camp as well presented itself, I couldn’t say no. We arrived at Sabaki at around 4pm, where we met members of the Sabaki River Conservation and Development Organization ( SARICODO). They were our hosts, but also would later join us for the counts. We then headed to our camping site where we pitched our tents and spend the rest of the evening.

Early the next day…

Our morning started quite early. We started with a bird walk around the area. In the process, we also got to identify some interesting species and learnt about some of the tree species around. Some of the bird species in our bird watching included the Red –cheeked Cordon-bleu, African palm swift and Namaqua dove. We also saw the Speckled mousebird ,Scaly-throated honeyguide ,Africa pied wagtail, Village weaver and the Fork-tailed drongo.

One for the road

At about quarter past seven, we went back to our camping site and made breakfast. We really had a scarcity of water in the area so the little we could get was only used for cooking and drinking.
The Sabaki water counts started half past nine. We used a different route because of the rains, the usual route was flooded and thus very hard to access. Because of the floods, we had a lot of dirty water in the ocean from the river.

Most of the water birds had migrated and so we did not count a lot of birds as usual. The count did live up to its legend. The fun part was walking through the mud on the banks, and also watching out for the hippos in the river.

Bird of the day

The highlight of the day was the White-winged Black Tern, the species was in the molting period and as a result looked very pretty. Other species that were counted included the African sacred ibis, Common greenshank, Caspian tern, Lesser flamingos, Terek Sandpiper, Swift tern, Lesser crested tern, Grey plover, Little stint and White-fronted plover.

We were done by our counts at around noon, where we all gathered at our camping site, broke camp and cleared, ready to go back to Mwamba. I really had a very interesting day and a unique experience. What I thought the Sabaki counts would be like was great, but what I experienced was even greater. And even though there wasn’t the usual mud, maybe because we used a different route, the muddy count did live up to its legend!”

Introduction

Reduced dependence on the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (ASF) means reduced destruction which leads to a healthy and protected forest. Over the years, providing eco-bursaries for children living around this globally important forest has proofed to work. But in addition to it, we still need to engage families living around ASF, teaching them about alternative way of life that isn’t harmful to the forest. It is only when every aspect of their lives is transformed that the forest will be conserved.

The environmental education team went out to teach the Arabuko-Sokoke Schools and Eco-Tourism Scheme (ASSETS) beneficiaries parents at Mijomboni on ways of molding a foundation of the energy saving stove. The liners used are able to sustain heat for a long time, and use less firewood thus saving or reducing cutting of trees. It was an interactive session as we build the foundation of one of the liners, to complete the energy saving stove.

Interested in making this at home?

In case you would want to have your own energy saving jiko, this is a step by step process of making it. Here is what you need;

•  Soil-(5 wheelbarrows)
•  Ash/chalk
• Small stones
• Water

What is even better, is that these materials are locally available and won’t cost a thing!

Making the stove

Below is the simplified process just for you;

• Measure 1*1 meter, on the ground where you want the jiko. It should be somewhere with wind access.
• Soak the liner for around 30 minutes.
• Mix the soil and ash.
• Add a layer of stones then the layer of the mixed ash is added until the needed height of the foundation.

• Set the liner on top of the foundation, the V shaped space should directly face the door.
• Do a test to ensure that the liner is well balanced. This is by placing a sufuria with water on top of the foundation. If it is not balanced, add pebbles until it is balanced.

• After balancing the liner, add layer of stones and then lastly you mud the foundation, starting from the liner going outwards.
• Small pebbles of stone are then placed in the liner.
• Finally, one can smoothen the surface, so as the foundation can have a great look.
  The energy saving stove after being molded, should not be used for the first 5 days. It should be left to dry before one can start using it. After the 5 days, start with light cooking such as preparing tea, nothing that takes more than an hour to prepare. Thereafter, it can be used to cook all the other meals.

Conclusion

As we mentioned, reducing the pressure exerted on the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest by the neighboring community is our number one priority as ASSETS. And even though providing eco-bursaries for kids from this community has reduced this pressure by a significant margin, we still need such additional steps of engaging the community. For instance, if this jiko is built well, it can be used up to five years. In addition, it consumes less firewood, produces less smoke and has minimal risks to children.

Willing to support?

ASSETS is only as strong as those people supporting it. To make this work and keep this going, we need your support. If you are willing to support the work of ASSETS, please click this link or gift us here. It only takes Ksh. 6000 to get a child through school and do such works for a whole month! Thank you so much for your support.