Supporting Communities Through Ecotourism
At Porini Camps and Gamewatchers Safaris, we believe sustainable tourism can transform lives. Through partnerships with local communities, we create jobs, protect wildlife habitats, and invest in health, education, and infrastructure.
The Maarifa Education for Conservation Program focuses on three core principles: Share, Experience, Action. Its objective is to cultivate conservation-aware citizens and sustainable communities for the future. Planned activities include:
- Mazingira (Environment) Clubs offering expert-led sessions for student engagement.
- A school twinning program connecting students with peers in Australia to exchange stories and experiences.
- Educational trips to Amboseli National Park for Illoirero students and Maasai Mara National Reserve for Kishermoruak students.
- The construction of a library enriched with materials on the environment, wildlife, and conservation for all age groups.
- The establishment of a sustainable kitchen garden and energy-efficient stove, teaching students about sustainability, nutrition, and resource management, while providing healthy daily meals.
Our Impact Beyond the Safari
Explore the Projects You Can Support
Donations go a long way in assisting the communities surrounding the conservancies and can make a positive difference in their lives.
Every initiative listed below is proudly run by our Wildlife Habitat Trust, with 100% of your donation going directly to the cause — no admin fees, no overheads, just real impact.
Your support matters.
Each contribution helps protect endangered wildlife, empower local communities, and preserve the wild spaces we all care about. Your generosity goes a long way and we post updates on our social media pages (Facebook & Instagram) and our Blog to show how your donations have been utilised in the community.
The Maarifa Education for Conservation Program focuses on three core principles: Share, Experience, Action. Its objective is to cultivate conservation-aware citizens and sustainable communities for the future. Planned activities include:
- Mazingira (Environment) Clubs offering expert-led sessions for student engagement.
- A school twinning program connecting students with peers in Australia to exchange stories and experiences.
- Educational trips to Amboseli National Park for Illoirero students and Maasai Mara National Reserve for Kishermoruak students.
- The construction of a library enriched with materials on the environment, wildlife, and conservation for all age groups.
- The establishment of a sustainable kitchen garden and energy-efficient stove, teaching students about sustainability, nutrition, and resource management, while providing healthy daily meals.
Our Impact Beyond the Safari
At Porini Camps and Gamewatchers Safaris, we believe sustainable tourism can transform lives. Through partnerships with local communities, we create jobs, protect wildlife habitats, and invest in health, education, and infrastructure.
Donations go a long way in assisting the communities surrounding the conservancies and can make a positive difference in their lives.
See below for more details of our current projects. All initiatives detailed here are managed by our Wildlife Habitat Trust, ensuring 100% of collected funds directly benefit the projects without any administrative fees. We can arrange for your contribution to be collected by credit / debit card (Visa or Mastercard) via our secure online payment system. Thank you.
Supporting Communities Through Ecotourism
Adopt-an-Acre
Population Growth and Habitat Loss in Kenya: Kenya’s population has increased fivefold in 50 years, leading to the rapid disappearance of wildlife habitats. This is causing a change in migration patterns and increasing human-wildlife conflicts.
The “Adopt-an-Acre” initiative allows supporters to adopt a piece of land in our conservancies by contributing to the Wildlife Habitat Trust. These funds are crucial for maintaining staff salaries and land leases, especially during tourism downturns. This program aims to sustain the conservancies and protect the biodiversity they contain by providing alternative income sources to local communities, reducing the need for harmful land practices.
Read more
Adopt an Acre Options:
- 1 Acre: US $35 (US$15 for Maasai land lease, US$20 for staff wages)
- 5 Acres: US $175 (US$100 for land lease, US$75 for wages)
- 30 Acres: US $1050 (US$600 for land lease, US$450 for wages)
Donors of 30 acres or more receive a matching credit from Gamewatchers Safaris, applicable to any stay in our Porini Safari Camps in 2025. ie a donation of US $1050 results in a US $1050 travel credit!
Find Out More: Adopt an Acre
The Koiyaki Guiding School Scholarship Fund
The Koiyaki Guiding School was established in 2005 in order to provide a tourism training institution for the Maasai. The school is located in the Naboisho Conservancy and takes in 26 students per year.
The aim of the Scholarship Fund is to create opportunities for promising youth who show a passion for wildlife and conservation, but who may not be able to afford the school fees.
Read more
Staff at Porini Camps come almost entirely from the local community. As the company continues to expand it creates more opportunities for community members to be hired by us.
Your donation will allow for a student to be enrolled in a certificate course in Tour Guiding and Operations by the Kenya National Examination Council. Your donation will assist with payments for tuition, meals, school trips, excursions and accommodation.
Participation in the course improves employment opportunities for local community members, as well as encouraging long-term conservation efforts for the Maasai Mara and other Kenyan ecosystems.
How You Can Help:
- US $100 for partial support
- US $2,300 for full course sponsorship
Porini Boma-Strengthening Programme
We enhance traditional Maasai bomas (enclosures) with chain-link fencing, treated posts, and secure gates to protect livestock from predators, reducing human-wildlife conflicts. This minimizes the likelihood of retaliatory killings and poaching, as predators remain within conservancy areas.
Read more
The reinforced bomas ensure that predators that target their natural prey are no longer threats to the community. This means that the predators located within our conservancies are not going to become victims of revenge killings.
The predators are also less likely to fall prey themselves to poachers as they will seldom stray outside of the conservancies in search of easy meals.
How You Can Help:
- US $150 towards the project
- US $1,500 for building one Predator-Proof Boma
School Sanitation Project
Addressing the critical need for proper toilet facilities in Kenyan rural schools, we help maintain health and education standards. Our efforts, including the construction of toilet blocks in several schools, contribute to better Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) conditions.
Read more
Current Goal:
- US $14,000 for Ilmonchin Primary School to provide adequate, separate sanitation facilities for students and teachers.
Provision of Water to Selenkay Villages
In response to increasing droughts and water scarcity, we have facilitated better water access for communities near the Selenkay Conservancy, including providing water tanks and organizing bi-weekly water deliveries.
Read more
Ol Kinyei & Selenkay School Bursary Fund
We are supporting the families of the Ol Kinyei & Selenkay Communities with our Bursary Fund, alleviating some of the financial burden of the childrens’ education. As well as paying termly fees, parents incur the additional costs for uniforms, books, school activities and in many cases, school rehabilitation projects – despite the fact that primary education in Kenya is free. These hardships often result in under-educated youth with little hope for healthy careers.
Read more
The Bursary Fund assists students in covering essential education-related costs and ensures that they are able to complete important stages in their education, which is a crucial step in guaranteeing a solid career path. Through the growth of the Bursary Fund, it is our hope that in the future we will be able to support students in secondary and tertiary education.
The overall aim of the Bursary Fund is to:
• Increase and improve access to educational institutions;
• Improve gender equality and disparities by promoting both boys and girls in the community;
• Assist students in their transition between primary, secondary, college and university;
• Improve retention and completion rates of both secondary and tertiary education; and
• Reduce the impacts of poverty.
Our continued support of these communities assists in maintaining the important balance between ensuring the preservation of wildlife lands and sustaining improved livelihoods of the landowners.
Parents must make the following contributions every year per child. Please sponsor one child or more by assisting with the following primary school payments:
- Uniform: US $35
- Books: US $30
- Activities: US $20
- Term Fees: US $45 – 150
Beekeeping Micro Enterprise for Youth & Women
This project empowers youth and women by fostering conservation awareness and sustainable income through beekeeping. We support the purchase of beehives and beekeeping equipment.
Read more
Contribution Options:
- Beehive: US $75
- Beekeeping kit: US $85
- Training: US $100
- Complete project (10 hives, stands, training): US $950
Advancing Digital Education: Digital Smart Learning Project
Committed to empowering youth with digital skills for better job opportunities and effective living, we aim to sponsor schools with digital learning kits, including a server with the Kenya Primary School syllabus, a projector, tablets, and necessary training.
Read more
The Smart Learning project seeks to empower students and local community on use of ICT learning that will empower the community and provide equal opportunity to learning for the Selenkay community. The main training objectives are to:
• Introduce digital learning
• Train teachers and some community members on basic skills to operate the server, projector and tablets
• Access the offline digital library materials on the server
• Learn how to use and connect the equipment to Bluetooth
• Upload and download lessons, photos and videos on the server and projector for student access
The Smart Learning Project is important because it will enable the Selenkay community and students to access offline education which was not available to them previously. The equipment has a portable solar pack that will provide energy to ensure easy access to the education material.
Our goal for each Complete Kit:
- US $7,500 per school
Menstrual Health & Education: PadMad
We are supporting women and girls with our partnership with PadMad. In rural Kenyan schools, it’s common for girls to miss 3-7 days of schooling each month due to their menstrual cycle, leading to educational disparities and stigma. To combat this, we have partnered with Madhvi Dalal of PadMad, an initiative focused on keeping girls in school and promoting dignity, health, and environmental responsibility through sustainable menstrual solutions.
Read more
Donations will be used to purchase comprehensive menstrual kits, each containing 5 liners, 1 liner holder, 2 small daytime pads, and 2 large nighttime pads. These kits are reusable, biodegradable, and have a lifespan of five years. Produced locally in Kenya, these kits are a step towards menstrual equity and environmental stewardship.
Contribution for Deluxe Menstrual Kit:
US $7 per kit
Education in Conservation: MAARIFA Collaboration
In partnership with The Maarifa Foundation, an Australian non-profit dedicated to conservation education founded by Kristy Thomson of the Gamewatchers team in Australia, Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps are supporting young learners in Kenyan community conservancies. The foundation’s goal is to foster a deep-rooted interest in conservation and wildlife among the youth, who are the future leaders of their communities.
Read more
The Maarifa Foundation collaborates closely with Gamewatchers and Community Advisory Committees at each school to address the specific needs of the communities effectively. In response to the challenges posed by Covid-19, the Foundation prioritized getting children back to school. Initiatives included funding for school fees, uniforms, shoes, and solar lights for after-dark studying. This support was first extended to Illoirero Primary School in the Selenkay Conservancy and later to Kishermoruak Primary School in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy. These projects are managed locally, with Daniel Mamai overseeing Selenkay and Ben Tongoyo, a long-time company member, managing Ol Kinyei.
The Maarifa Education for Conservation Program focuses on three core principles: Share, Experience, Action. Its objective is to cultivate conservation-aware citizens and sustainable communities for the future. Planned activities include:
- Mazingira (Environment) Clubs offering expert-led sessions for student engagement.
- A school twinning program connecting students with peers in Australia to exchange stories and experiences.
- Educational trips to Amboseli National Park for Illoirero students and Maasai Mara National Reserve for Kishermoruak students.
- The construction of a library enriched with materials on the environment, wildlife, and conservation for all age groups.
- The establishment of a sustainable kitchen garden and energy-efficient stove, teaching students about sustainability, nutrition, and resource management, while providing healthy daily meals.
Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflict
With our Porini Boma Strengthening Programm, we enhance traditional Maasai bomas (enclosures) with chain-link fencing, treated posts, and secure
gates to protect livestock from predators, reducing human-wildlife conflicts. This minimizes the
likelihood of retaliatory killings and poaching, as predators remain within conservancy areas.
For
implementation we work with our partners at Born Free Foundation.
How You Can Help:
You can either make a contribution toward this valuable programme (minimum donation of US $ 150) or sponsor one or more full fencing units.
● The total cost of building one Predator-Proof Boma – US $1,500
Get Involved
You can either make a contribution toward this valuable programme (minimum donation of US $ 150) or sponsor one or more full fencing units.
● The total cost of building one Predator-Proof Boma – US $1,500
The Wildlife Tourism College Scholarship Fund
Established in 2005, the Koiyaki Guiding School, situated in the Naboisho Conservancy, trains 26 students annually in tourism. The Scholarship Fund helps passionate but financially disadvantaged youth afford these courses. Our staff, primarily from local communities, benefits from our growth, as it creates more employment opportunities. Donations support enrollment in a certified Tour Guiding and Operations course, covering tuition, meals, excursions, and accommodation. This enhances employment prospects and fosters long-term conservation in the Maasai Mara and other ecosystems.
How You Can Help:
● US $2,300 for full course sponsorshipp
● US$500 for partial sponsorship
Get Involved
● US $2,300 for full course sponsorshipp
● US$500 for partial sponsorship
Ol Kinyei & Selenkay Conservancy Education Support
This program focuses on funding school fees and associated educational costs, easing financial burdens on families. The Bursary Fund supports students through various educational stages, promoting gender equality, educational access, and poverty reduction.
How You Can Help:
Donate towards the Bursary Fund which has a target of US$15,000 per conservancy
● US $50
US $100
● US $250
● US $500 ● US $1000
Get Involved
Donate towards the Bursary Fund which has a target of US$15,000 per conservancy
● US $50
US $100
● US $250
● US $500 ● US $1000
Additional Classroom at Ol Kinyei Secondary School Project
Addressing the critical need for an additional classroom at Ol Kinyei secondary school which is the only secondary school on the Ol Kinyei group ranch. Currently there are 570 students enrolled in the school and there are only a total of 7 classrooms. This translates to a ratio of approximately 81 students to each classroom. The school is currently at capacity and students are crammed into the current classrooms, the additional classroom will greatly improve the learning conditions of the students of the school.
How You Can Help:
Donate towards the reaching the gola of:
● US $11,000 for construction of an additional classroom at Ol Kinyei Secondary School.
Get Involved
Donate towards the reaching the gola of:
● US $11,000 for construction of an additional classroom at Ol Kinyei Secondary School.
Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods for Youth & Women
Our Beekeeping Micro Enterprise project empowers youth and women by fostering conservation awareness and sustainable income through beekeeping. We support the purchase of beehives, beekeeping equipment, provide training, ongoing support and market for all the honey produced as we purchase them for us by guests in our camps.
How You Can Help:
Contribution Options:
● Beehive: US $75
● Beekeeping kit: US $85
● Training: US $100
● Complete project (10 hives, stands, training): US $950
Get Involved
Contribution Options:
● Beehive: US $75
● Beekeeping kit: US $85
● Training: US $100
● Complete project (10 hives, stands, training): US $950
Advancing Digital Education Digital Smart Learning Project
Committed to empowering youth with digital skills for better job opportunities and effective living, we aim to sponsor schools with digital learning kits, including a server with the Kenya Primary School syllabus, a projector, tablets, and necessary training.
How You Can Help:
Contribution for Complete Kit:
● US US $7,500 per school
Get Involved
Contribution for Complete Kit:
● US US $7,500 per school
Adopt An Acre
The “Adopt-an-Acre” initiative allows supporters to adopt a piece of land in our conservancies by contributing to the Wildlife Habitat Trust. These funds are crucial for maintaining staff salaries and land leases, especially during tourism downturns. This program aims to sustain the conservancies and protect the biodiversity they contain by providing alternative income sources to local communities, reducing the need for harmful land practices.
How You Can Help:
Adopt an Acre Options:
● 1 Acre: US $35 (US$15 for Maasai land lease, US$20 for staff wages)
● 5 Acres: US $175 (US$100 for land lease, US$75 for wages)
● 30 Acres: US $1050 (US$600 for land lease, US$450 for wages)
Donors of 30 acres or more receive a matching credit from Gamewatchers Safaris, applicable to any stay in our Porini Safari Camps in 2025/2026. ie a donation of US $1050 results in a US $1050 travel credit!
Get Involved
Adopt an Acre Options:
● 1 Acre: US $35 (US$15 for Maasai land lease, US$20 for staff wages)
● 5 Acres: US $175 (US$100 for land lease, US$75 for wages)
● 30 Acres: US $1050 (US$600 for land lease, US$450 for wages)
Donors of 30 acres or more receive a matching credit from Gamewatchers Safaris, applicable to any stay in our Porini Safari Camps in 2025/2026. ie a donation of US $1050 results in a US $1050 travel credit!
Empowering Girls in Education
In rural Kenyan schools, it’s common for girls to miss 3-7 days of schooling each month due to their
menstrual cycle, leading to educational disparities and stigma.
To combat this, we have partnered with
Madhvi Dalal of PadMad, an initiative focused on keeping girls in school and promoting dignity, health,
and environmental responsibility through sustainable menstrual solutions.
PadMad's products are eco-
friendly, durable, and affordably priced, with production based in rural Kenyan communities, providing
employment for marginalized women.
Our involvement includes several schools in Ol Kinyei and
Selenkay, where we also conduct educational sessions for all students to address stigma and foster
better understanding.
PadMad's goal is to improve women's health and end period poverty through education, empowerment,
and sustainable practices.
How You Can Help:
● Contribution for Deluxe Menstrual Pad Kit (each kit costs US $7):
● US $35 ● US $70 ● US $210 ● US $420
Get Involved
● Contribution for Deluxe Menstrual Pad Kit (each kit costs US $7):
● US $35 ● US $70 ● US $210 ● US $420
Education in Conservation: MAARIFA Collaboration
In partnership with The Maarifa Foundation, an Australian non-profit dedicated to conservation education founded by Kristy Thomson of the Gamewatchers team in Australia, Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps are supporting young learners in Kenyan community conservancies. The foundation’s goal is to foster a deep-rooted interest in conservation and wildlife among the youth, who are the future leaders of their communities. Its objective is to cultivate conservation-aware citizens and sustainable communities for the future.
The Maarifa Education for Conservation Program focuses on three core
principles:
Share - - Experience - - Action
View Website
Share - - Experience - - Action
Porini Conservancies Rangers
As the conservancies have grown, so has the need for more rangers, who are the backbone in ensuring
wildlife, habitat, and community security.
More importantly they are spokes people for the
conservancies and play a vital role in limiting human-wildlife conflict.
The company continues to
increase the number of rangers as required and as such these rangers need equipment such as;
uniforms, two way transceivers, GPS devices, binoculars, smartphones and tablets for wildlife data
gathering, motorbikes, and vehicles in order to perform their duties.
The expansion of this program requires your assistance; sufficient well equipped rangers per unit
translates into better protection for; wildlife, habitat, and people.
In our conservancies, an expansion of
this program means that the community sees a direct rise in their employment opportunities as 100% of
rangers are hired from within our partner communities.
How You Can Help:
Your donation/s towards the ranger program will assist us with payments for equipment, wages, uniforms, rations, vehicles, and training. This enables the rangers to be more effective and efficient with their day to day activities.
● Wages: US $115 per month
● 2 x Uniform – US $110
Donations for the equipment below are also greatly appreciated:
● 1 x Two-way radio – US $ 80-290 ● 1 x Motorbike – US $ 3,250 for a K160R (160 cc) Kibo motorbike and annual maintenance ● 1 x 4X4 patrol vehicle US $ 30,000 – US $ 45,000 Land cruiser pick up ● 1 x Handheld GPS Unit – US $ 170 ● 1 x Binoculars – US $ 150 ● 1 x Smartphone – US $ 85 ● 1 x Tablet – US $ 320 ● 1 x Comprehensive Rangers Kit for the year US $ 2,000
Get Involved
Your donation/s towards the ranger program will assist us with payments for equipment, wages, uniforms, rations, vehicles, and training. This enables the rangers to be more effective and efficient with their day to day activities.
● Wages: US $115 per month
● 2 x Uniform – US $110
Donations for the equipment below are also greatly appreciated:
● 1 x Two-way radio – US $ 80-290 ● 1 x Motorbike – US $ 3,250 for a K160R (160 cc) Kibo motorbike and annual maintenance ● 1 x 4X4 patrol vehicle US $ 30,000 – US $ 45,000 Land cruiser pick up ● 1 x Handheld GPS Unit – US $ 170 ● 1 x Binoculars – US $ 150 ● 1 x Smartphone – US $ 85 ● 1 x Tablet – US $ 320 ● 1 x Comprehensive Rangers Kit for the year US $ 2,000
Porini Conservancies Female Rangers
Currently in the conservancies we don’t hire any female rangers due to the lack of facilities. This is something that we would like to change and therefore we are raising funds to build dedicated female ranger posts as well as raising funds in order for training.
How You Can Help:
Donations for a dedicated all women’s Ranger Post and Trainings can be seen below:
● 1 x Ranger Post for 6 women Rangers - US $ 25,000
● 1 x Ranger Training at the Kenya Wildlife Service’s academy (3 month course) - US $ 3,600 per person so for 6 rangers US $ 21,600
● 1 x In House Ranger Training Either at Ol Kinyei or Selenkay - US $ 5,000 (20 pax for 2 weeks) therefor US $ 250 per Ranger
Get Involved
Donations for a dedicated all women’s Ranger Post and Trainings can be seen below:
● 1 x Ranger Post for 6 women Rangers - US $ 25,000
● 1 x Ranger Training at the Kenya Wildlife Service’s academy (3 month course) - US $ 3,600 per person so for 6 rangers US $ 21,600
● 1 x In House Ranger Training Either at Ol Kinyei or Selenkay - US $ 5,000 (20 pax for 2 weeks) therefor US $ 250 per Ranger
Your safari with us directly contributes to conservation and community development.
Join us in making a difference.
