by Asena Filková (from People in Need Slovakia)
In early March 2017, as part of my volunteer stay with NECOFA, I had a chance to visit Lake Baringo area and its islands, Kokwa being the largest of them. For the first time, I had the opportunity to admire beautiful Kenyan nature; its magnificent flora and fauna. Crocodiles, hippos, colorful birds (over 400 species), monkeys, warthogs, giraffes… I felt like in a Lion King movie. If only life was a fairytale…
However, the purpose of the visit was different. We were there to assess the situation and needs of the Kokwa community which is facing many challenges with complicated background. This is what I have learned about some of them so far:
Ethnic conflicts
The Baringo Lake area is inhabited by three indigenous tribes; the Tugen (Samor), the Ilchamus (Njemps), the only pastoral tribe who fishes and eats fish and Pokot, mostly pastoralists but also cultivators. The measure of wealth among the Pokot and Ilchamus is determined by the number of cows one owns and like the Masai, blood with milk is main part of their diet.
Due to the value given to cattle, historically there always were resource based conflicts between the Ilchamus and Pokots, mostly over livestock and access to water and pastures especially during drought periods. The Pokots have been stereotyped as raiders. In 2007 due to these conflicts, the Ilchamus from Rugus Location lost their homes and livestock (so basically all their ‘fortune’) and had to move to Kokwa Island and Kiserian area for refuge. These people have been internally displaced persons (‘IDPs’) until today.
These conflicts often highlighted in press only add to the general decline in tourism in Kenya due to the security situation and Lake Baringo is losing its so needed tourists both local and international.
The government tried to solve this situation by creating a ‘buffer zone’ in form of Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy between the two tribes on 19,000 acres of the eastern shore of Lake Baringo. The idea was to promote ethnic reconciliation through equal participation which will allow both communities to benefit from the region and bring peace and prosperity via increased tourism. Therefore, Ruko Conservancy is unique as the foundation for wildlife conservation is peace keeping. The effort is symbolized in the name ‘Ruko’ uniting the first two letters of Rugus (Ilchamus area) and Komolion (Pokot area). The rangers employed from both the Pokots and the Ilchamus contribute not only to wildlife conservation but also to decrease the ethnic tensions in the area. The Conservancy is known for its 8 Baringo giraffe (also known as Rothchild’s Giraffe) that were returned home after many years. Depending on the source, this is the most or the second most endangered giraffe subspecies in the world. These 8 brave giraffes even got to sail on a boat to return home to the designated island.
Although according to locals the idea that Ruko will act as a catalyst for peace is somewhat working, even the recent news reveal that the ultimate goal is still not reached. The press indicate, that the raids are not drought but politically driven and that army was called to the area to ease the situation. No matter what the driver of current riads is, the hatred between the two tribes is ingrained in community members since childhood. It will take many years of interventions, education and exchanges about cultural customs, positive examples and more inter-marriages between the tribes to step by step build understanding and erode the stereotypes between the communities to secure peace.
Water
As the Lake Baringo is a fresh water lake, you would think this would be a place in Africa where there is at least no ‘water problem’. Unfortunately, this is not the case. There are two major issues with the water; it is contaminated and abnormally fluoride-rich. Due to limited number of toilets and other unhygienic practices, the water in inhabited areas has high bacterial contamination. Sample analysis of water from uninhabited areas such as around the hot springs doesn’t show the same contamination. Poor hygienic practices contribute significantly to the illnesses (according to local dispensary records – 25% for children under 5 years old and 10% by adults).
By sufficiently boiling the water, you can get rid of the bacteria but not the fluoride. Visiting the schools on Kokwa Island, I was astonished by girls drinking the water directly from the lake and their unbelievably brown teeth, which now I know is one of the many consequences of abnormally fluoride-rich water. Upon my return, I have immediately researched all the other adverse health effects of excess fluoride consumption and the list is long… As the two schools’ bone char filters for removing fluoride were destroyed by the floods some years ago. During our visit, NECOFA/Manitese team was installing two new filtering machines. Hopefully, they will provide the kids at school with safe water for long time but a lot more needs to be done to alleviate the water problem of Kokwa community (and all the communities living around lake Baringo).
Poverty
Traditionally the communities living around the lake are more pastoralists than cultivators. On Kokwa Island, the cattle often destroy the few attempts of gardening but due to the cultural inheritance, anytime Ilchamus save little bit of money, they immediately buy a cow or a goat. More interventions promoting and implementing efficient, profitable & ecologically sustainable agriculture practices such as growing of traditional high value crops, fruit trees, bee keeping, kitchen gardening and small livestock keeping are needed.
Ilchamus who had to move to Kokwa Island lost their cattle. Fishing is their only source of income. Every morning they leave the island on unique canoes called ‘kadish’ made from the ambatch tree and fish mainly for catfish and tilapia. The pollution of the water has its effect also here. Currently, it is banned to fish tilapia but would you respect the ban if you caught one and knew it is the only source of your family’s income? Ilchamus used to smoke the fish on the island and then sell it on mainland. Nowadays, due to lack of firewood they sell it directly with reduced profit. I was pleasantly surprised to see some signs of women empowerment in this traditionalist area. The custom of fishing being traditionally ‘man’s industry’ and women being mostly ‘only’ housewives is changing as today some women directly participate in fishing and even driving boats.
Energy is another issue on Kokwa Island. The island is not connected to electric grid, it has little tree vegetation and although there is plenty of sunshine, I have seen solar panels only on the two schools and temporary dispensary (the old one was flooded few years ago and a new one is being built but still not finished).
There was no sign of any tourist in the luxury island camp located on south of the island during my visit. I was told that in addition to the employment opportunities, the eco-tourist resort also gives 10% of rental charges to the community, mostly for secondary school and college bursaries. But due to the decline in tourism because of security issues, I assume nowadays it is not much…
During our primary school visit I asked why it is boarding only for girls. I was explained that girls’ education is not valued, early marriages and female genital mutilation (FGM) is practiced among Ilchamus community as part of the traditional rites of passage. Boarding facility allows many girls to have quality education and escape FGM and early marriages. The people on Kokwa Island are isolated and an interaction with outside world is minimal. Literacy level is low and poverty level is high. The isolation was visible during our school visit. In Molo where I stay and where NECOFA’s main office is, I got used to the short conversations, handshakes and high fives that prolong but also make my daily walk to and from work more pleasant. Therefore, I was surprised how extremely shy were the children at school on Kokwa. When we asked the kids in one classroom what they want to become (it took us some time to break their silence), the answers were a doctor (twice!), policeman, teacher and ‘catchman’ (whatever that is). I could not help myself wondering, what chance these kids have to become what they dream of. That’s why I have a big respect for NECOFA and its foreign partner Friends of Kenya Schools and Wildlife (FKSW) who are for years working with local community to fight Kokwa’s challenges and step by step improve the livelihood on the island.
kokwa Island 