海角大神

For decades, Samburu women cut down trees in the Kirisia聽Forest to make charcoal, their only source of income. Today,聽550 of them have teamed up to help safeguard the forest in聽this dense, mountainous ecosystem, which provides water to more聽than 150,000 people. With climate change, drought is driving the聽men of this lowland herding community to leave for months on end聽in search of water and pasture for their animals.

The women鈥檚 stewardship of the 226,000-acre national forest is聽part of a broader shift in thinking among governments in places like Kenya and Tanzania toward entrusting communities with local聽resource management.

At the same time, a shift is occurring in gender roles: Samburu聽women are not only conserving the forest but also working to earn聽money for their families, which face extreme poverty and hunger.聽

Elisa Lesilele has breakfast at base camp before departing for聽a morning patrol. She has been a scout volunteer of the Kirisia聽Community Forest Association since 2019. 鈥淚n our culture, women聽are usually not involved in decision makings,鈥� she explains as the聽sun rises above the mist-covered forest. 鈥淏ut now things are聽changing, and we are directly involved in protecting these trees.鈥�

As climate change disrupts pastoralists鈥� traditional way of聽life, projects like beekeeping have the potential to lift communities out of poverty. 鈥淚 am proud to know that I can make a聽difference in protecting this forest,鈥� says Zeinab Leboiyare, a聽beekeeper. 鈥淏efore, we did not know the importance of taking聽care of these trees. But now we are starting to understand that聽we have to take matters in our own hands, if we want to protect聽our environment.鈥�

Still, ending illegal charcoal burning is a challenge, one that聽Ms. Lesilele says is best resolved by raising awareness. 鈥淲hen we聽see someone cutting trees ... we try to ... explain the importance of聽protecting this forest,鈥� she says. 鈥淧eople have to understand that聽this forest has the potential to save the generations to come.鈥�

Siegfried Modola

Women herd goats toward one of the few sources of water in the drought-stricken region of northern Kenya.

Siegfried Modola

Smoke rises from illegal charcoal burning, once the only source of income.

Siegfried Modola

Scouts join a team debriefing before a joint patrol. Kirisia is a critical ecosystem for people living in the lowlands.

Siegfried Modola

Samburu women not only serve alongside Kenyan forest rangers, but also participate in community decision-making concerning the forest.

Siegfried Modola

Zeinab Leboiyare tends hives. The Kirisia project is supported by BOMA, a nongovernmental organization. Samburu women can earn money from sustainably managed products.

Siegfried Modola

A Samburu woman milks her cow at her home on the edge of the forest. Drought conditions are making it harder to keep livestock alive. Some herders have sold off their animals.

Siegfried Modola

From left: Ms. Lementilla, Naisulla Letiwa, and Ms. Lesilele inspect a fallen tree during a patrol with rangers from the Kenyan Forest Service.