Eleven graduates of LAMP (Leadership and Management Program), in their own words. Every quote on this page is from the 2024 survey, printed as it was spoken.

Kangisa Ledopapit. Female. Board member. Nkoteiya. Trained 2018.

> "LAMP has helped me to manage time. LAMP knowledge helped me to build 2 rooms and a stone house. My husband never wanted my daughter to go to secondary school and when I talked to him patiently to humble myself until I convinced him and my daughter is now in school doing very well and it is because of LAMP."

> "Before LAMP I just waited for my husband to decided what to do but now I don't have to wait for him. He has allowed me to make decisions he feels like I am not the same and I make sense in every decision I make."

> "I have been in front as a problem solver in the conservancy even now. The board members appoint me to lead meetings to solve any arising issue. I have done many meetings in village creating awareness and all the bad activities like charcoal burning have stopped."

> "LAMP is an eye opener and I wish LAMP to be even taken to schools churches, county leadership because it is needed everywhere."

Namusungu Leodip. Female. Board member. Sera. Trained 2021.

> "Before LAMP I did not know how much about leadership. Learning from the tree was very unique because I was able to know that for the conservancy to produce fruit it need strong roots which is board behaviors like transparency and accountability."

> "I started leading my family first before I started looking for community leadership position. I started listening to my husband and children before making critical decisions. Before LAMP I never took time to understand issues instead I jump into giving solution which most of the time I never solved but LAMP taught me to think first."

> "Community elected me 3 times to represent them in the conservancy board and as a woman I was expecting to be elected at least once."

> "I reported baby elephant which was found lost by herders and informed them which steps to take. I called the rangers and they came to help the baby elephant and re-united it with its mother."

Wote Lepina. Male. Board member. Nkoteiya. Trained 2021.

> "I have learnt so much about conservancy, I was a board member but I understand nothing about the conservancy. I am confident now about my leadership position because I am informed."

> "I have changed my lifestyle and stopped taking alcohol. I now have a vision which I never had before. I involve my family in decision making process instead of being a sole decision maker."

> "My village was leading in opposing conservancy because before I didn't know what to tell them but now I approach them with respect and clear information. I almost lost community friends after I was elected as board member but now we are all together."

> "I would ask Allan to give me another opportunity to attend LAMP training again. I feel I have added important knowledge."

Ajuk Lendire. Male. Board member. Sera. Trained 2018.

> "When I was elevated I fought so hard thinking the land has been sold to NRT by board members but LAMP helped me to know that they are at the top in the organization structure. LAMP opened my mind to know that I am leader and that is why I was elected."

> "I never took my children to the hospital but now I do. My wives used to deliver at home but now they go to hospital because I allow them. All my children were not in school but now I have taken all of them to school and I am committed to support them."

> "My village are leading in grass reseeding and we are selling seeds to other conservancies. This is because I mobilized them to plant grass which they did because they no longer doubt me."

> "I would like my children and my wives to go to LAMP training. I wish LAMP could be like a school where you take yourselves or your children and learn."

Lenantoyie. Male. Board member. Sera. Trained 2018.

> "Before LAMP I used to show up for meetings without an agenda but now I come out with my own and I had no patience in meetings but now I do. LAMP has helped me to set my family vision and understand conservancy vision which is to advocate conservation."

> "No more pressure when talking with my wives and children. My family is staying in harmony unlike before where I fight them most of the time. I involve all my family in decision making process for example when I want to sell a goat I also give my wives a chance to select which goat is to be sold. My wives are now free and also my elder boys tell me I have become a good father."

> "With the conservancy board, we started Sera Sanctuary where we have Rhinos and fenced purposely for Rhino protection. As a board we have conducted many awareness meetings to our community."

James Lekalaile. Male. Chairman. Naapu. Trained 2017.

> "After knowing my personality I realized I was not giving others time to speak in meetings. Now I appreciate how other people approach life because we are not all the same. Since I did not know what to do with my money I build 2 houses from different homes but now I am wiser."

> "Now there are no more fights at home and everyone is at peace. I stopped too much talking and I started to put things into action. My wife started to respect me more than before because I am doing great things for the family."

> "Elders never supported me much when I asked them to talk to the young people to stop killing wildlife but after LAMP I got full support because I now know how to support them with the respect they deserve."

> "I have opened a shop at the main shopping center. I am now renting 2 rooms from the house I build and every month I get 8,000/-. I bought a land cruiser to ferry people to the market and my income has increased."

James was trained in 2017. Seven years before the survey. Still going.

Hussein Leparmai. Male. Sanctuary Chairman. Sera. Trained 2018.

> "Brought back my family which was not together by then. Organised how to stay as a family in good unity and share responsibilities. I formulated budget with my family which has solved many problems especially finance usage plans. I started having more time with my children and advice them on moral behaviors."

> "I started organising community groups to help them to register groups and have certifications. I have led my community especially my village to go to county government and asked with machine to distill salty water to clean drinking water which is doing well."

> "Being a sanctuary chairman, I feel wildlife is ours and not KWS or the government and that is why I commit my time to talk to rangers and community to take care of this wildlife."

Ltepesuan Lesachore. Male. Chairman. Westgate. Trained 2022.

> "Before LAMP I did not know how to do grazing plans and from LAMP I developed the skill grazing plan up to date. Fattening of livestock to make healthy and provide good payment when selling to the market."

> "I am able to understand other people when they raise issues that need explanation from conservancy manager. Before I liked to defend the conservancy instead of explaining and providing the needed information. When the conservancy board was being elected, the zone was divided and after LAMP with the help of the board members I was able to unite the community and work together with them."

> "I have never stopped telling people the importance of conservation during my term as conservancy chairman. I was able to accept Grevy's Zebra & Ewaso Lions to stay in Westgate which many people did not want because they were not paying land rates."

Nabiki Lesuper. Female. Security Committee member. Kalama. Trained 2024.

> "Before LAMP I thought conservancy board and the manager were at the top of the organisational structure but now I understand it better. Now I know my responsibility as a board member. After LAMP I accepted criticism to our conservancy leadership instead of taking it personal."

> "I thought I could not lead before but after LAMP my mind opened up and I started believing in myself. I am now able to talk to my Morans to stop raids."

> "Before I was hot tempered but now I am able to control my temper and this has won the heart of my community members. The community elected me to represent them 3 times as a board member."

> "I am now able to contribute in meetings for grazing plans. We approached Grevy's Zebra to give us an opportunity to be part of Mama Grevy and also approached Ewaso Lions to be included in Mama Simba. The community reports to me any wildlife human conflict especially with the lions and elephants. Save the Elephants were asking people to be appointed to work as ambassadors and I was proposed for the women."

Leilimo Tiyia. Male. Board member. Sera. Trained 2018.

> "I am able to know everyone in the conservancy has his/her role. I have known that the chairman and manager have different roles and that the community is at the top in the organisational structure. After LAMP we requested for exposure tours which helped Sera to have Rhino Sanctuary which is now attracting tourist investments."

> "There is no more resistant from my wives when issues arise. I am now able to handle conflict or family internal issues not by dictating method but by having dialogue. When discussing issues in my family sometimes my wives complain and try to fight back defending themselves but I cool down and find another way to approach instead of fighting back like what I used to do."

> "Before my focus was about elders but after the training I knew that conservation needed a collective way of making decisions so you involve women, men and the Moran for you to be successful in conservation."

> "Fencing a big land which was bare and planted grass to increase grass for livestock and wildlife in our grazing zone. Sometimes, I put those grass in hay and use during drought period to reduce livestock and wildlife competition in the bush."

Gilliant Rotich. Female. Finance Officer, Isiolo Voice of Women. Leparua. Trained 2022.

> "Before LAMP I was dormant and now I run an M-Pesa business, a shop and I keep goats plus sheep for sale. I was a very quiet person and could not talk to people. Now I can empower women and help change their thinking."

> "Now I can support my family through my business and I am also paying school fees for my younger sister in University. After LAMP, I teamed up with my husband and now we have bought a piece of land. Our relationship has also become better."

> "I came to Isiolo as a visitor and could not interact with people but now I relate to everyone without fear. I was trained to become a leader, so now I can talk to anyone in the community."

> "I have planted trees in my small farm, 20 trees as a small way of helping with conservation. I am also teaching women to stop cutting down trees for charcoal. I helped a lady start chicken farming so that she can stop cutting down trees for charcoal burning."

Read the evidence →

These are eleven of the 255 graduates surveyed in 2024. The rest of the data is on the Evidence page.