Park Ranger family kid photo - Fred (8 yrs) takes one of his first ever pictures of Kennedy (12 yrs) taking a picture of Fred's favorite animal - Simba!
SUCCESS PROMOTES SPRING PROGRAM: The 2009 Kenyan Kids on Safari (KKOS) at Sarova Mara Game Camp for 18 kids was such a success that Sarova is already working on a Spring 2010 program for at least 21 kids in the age range of 13 to 15 years old in the 7th to 8th grade of upper primary schools. This is the critical time for children to make the commitment to continuing higher education to support a challenging career.
An informal Sarova survey has already shown positive support for sponsoring Kenyan school children at the game camp for one to three days during the April "Green Season" which coincides with the schools' Spring Break.
Above: Faith, Todd and Peter discuss plans for KKOS. Right: Joanna Cromwell, KKOS Director - Her endless enthusiasm kept things going for the kids 16 hours a day!!
To prepare for the Spring program, Joanna and Todd Cromwell, founders and directors of KKOS, met with Sarova's key headquarters staff Faith Mbaya-Kibue, and Peter Waweru. They were the guiding force in organizing the December 2009 KKOS program at the Sarova Mara Game Camp with Manager Francis Msengeti.
Wilson Lolpapit, KKOS Mara Coordinator, Kenya Wildlife Service, Silver Guide
The kids showed special appreciation for Sarova staff in their summary letters of the KKOS experience, noting the exceptional warmth, educational and organizational support given by the Sarova staff. This started with the management of Francis, James, Eli, front desk coordination of Geoffrey, catering support of Catherine and Peter, and Sarova's very talented driver/guides Moses, Edward and Anthony who enhanced the naturalist efforts of Wilson Lolpapit, KKOS Mara coordinator.
KKOS is producing some short educational films taken during the drives with Edward and Wilson holding the children in rapt attention with information about the wildlife they were seeing. Doctor Marcus and his assistant Robert made learning about hygiene seem like fun.
KKOS SAROVA MARA DEC 2009 SEKENANI PRIMARY
Teacher–David Pesi
On Monday Dec 14, 2009 10 Sekenani Primary School kids came to Sarova for orientation on viewing and understanding wildlife during a game drive, how to use binoculars to locate the game and digital telephoto cameras to capture key experiences as well as photos of friends.
It is always amazing how quickly young minds learn to use a telephoto camera to get quality pictures of wildlife. We warned them not to "see" everything through the eye of a camera. First time camera users are often so entranced with photos they miss understanding what they are seeing, rather than just letting some scenes replay in their memory. Binoculars also help divert kids from over usage of the cameras.
Sarova put on a fabulous Saturday finale for the kids at the camp conference center by the private lake.
KKOS staff gave each kid 6 of their best pictures when all got back together on Saturday after going on separate drives of 5 kids each not to overcrowd the Sarova Safari vehicle. Some of the children walked several kilometers from remote villages to meet the Sarova pick-up safari car or lorry at Sekenani school.
SEKENANI PRIMARY SCHOOL SAROVA KKOS GAME DRIVE
First Group - Monday 12-14-09
Driver/Guides: Sarova–Antonio, KKOS–Wilson
Peter Nairuko, favorite animal - elephant, age 17, grade 7, Sekenani Primary School
"Thank you my friends from the USA. I appreciate the safari because it is very helpful to us, our school and community. I chose the elephant as my favorite animal because it is a very large and wise animal."
Inseparable 17 year olds, Peter and Lenard found joy in every new thing they learned, like when KKOS founder Todd Cromwell showed how to use the telephoto lens to get close up photos of friends and animals
Lenard Musanka, favorite animal-buffalo, age 17, grade 8, Sekenani Primary School
"The visitors from a far place to our community realized that many of the local children have never gone on a safari. So they started a new project (Kenyan Kids on Safari) to help local children learn more about their own community. We went on a safari in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. We were very happy because we have never been on a safari like that. It was our first time inside the Reserve, where we saw many different kinds of wild animals."
Peter didn't get his lion but a rare photo of a black rhino. Lenard got a photo of his favorite - the buffalo!
"This is one of the greatest attractions in all of Africa where wildlife can be seen in its natural habitat in game reserves. Of greatest interest to tourists are elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos, which they call “the Big Five”. The Maasai Mara is famous for its rich and diverse wildlife, where the annual wildebeest migration is one of the Seven Wonders of the World."
"I had a very wonderful and prosperous day at Sarova Mara Camp with my fellow pupils. At first, I enjoyed traveling to the camp in a lorry, but best was going on safari in a land cruiser. We tasted a variety of foods which we ate very much and drank some beverages like tea, milk and soda until my stomach almost burst!"
After we came back from the park, we walked around the camp, ate supper and returned the cameras to get our best pictures back on Saturday. We did all this and came back home at 9:30pm."This was a day of days for me!"
Johnathan Karia, favorite animal-leopard, age 13, Grade 5, Sekenani Primary School
"We have gone to the Sarova Mara Game Camp where our friends from abroad(Kenyan Kids on Safari) were able to get some local kids into the Maasai Mara Game Park. I was lucky to join the group of 10 kids from our school.
"My friend, let me tell you that it was wonderful and enjoyable! Can you imagine that we got to see ALL of the Big Five in one game drive? We saw elephant, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, lions, monkeys, ostrich and leopard – which is my best and favorite animal. Let me explain why I particularly like leopards, simply because it is a very smart animal and very quiet. It doesn’t want noise and so on, which is why it is my favorite wild animal."
Hellen Kiok, favorite animal-rhino, age 13, grade 5, Sekenani Primary School
"I am very proud to have been selected to go to the game park and see so many wild animals. My thanks to all the helpful people with Sarova and the kids’ program (Kenyan Kids on Safari)."
Hellen took this beautiful picture of a male weaver bird showing off the "real estate" nest he built, hoping it will be good enough to attract a mate.
ALMOST ALL OF THE PICTURES SHOWN HERE, BOTH OF WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE, WERE TAKEN BY THE KIDS. MOST OF THEM HAD NEVER USED A CAMERA BEFORE AND ONLY HAD A BRIEF INSTRUCTION BEFORE GOING ON THEIR FIRST GAME CAMP SAFARI!
SEKENANI PRIMARY SCHOOL SAROVA KKOS GAME DRIVE
Second Group - Tuesday 12-15-09
Driver/Guides: Sarova–Edward, KKOS–Wilson
Sarova Mara Game Camp guide, Edward, kept the kids in rapt attention with information about the wildlife they were seeing.
Edwar Rumpe Kiu, favorite animal-zebra, age 17, Grade 6, Sekenani Primary School >
Getting into step for the Safari, Rumpe with tie (left) and Felix dance across the Sarova Mara Fish Lake bridge to the orientation in the conference room.
"I thank God for giving me this time…because I was among those who went on Safari in the Maasai Mara Game Park. For sure that day I was as happy as alack those who pass to the Sahara desert and are given a drop of water, and every dog has its day. Although I don’t forget other people who helped me at Sarova , e.g. the driver, the watchman and the guide Wilson Lolpapit from Kenyan Kids on Safari who explained the many animals I saw, like lions and zebras."
Rumpe managed a very challenging photo of birds in flight.
Jane Kiok, favorite animal-lion, age 12, Grade 5, Sekenani Primary School
"When we arrived at the Sarova Mara Game Camp, we had something to eat and then were taken to the conference center across the lake to be taught how to use the cameras. We really enjoyed taking pictures of each other. After some time, the first group were taken on a game drive with the cameras. The next day I was part of the second group taken on a game drive in the Maasai Mara Game Park which was very rewarding experience.
Jane gets a head-on shot of her favorite - Simba!
"Please continue to involve many local school children in this program (Kenyan Kids on Safari), because it is very important for the students to know the goodness of their land. On Saturday, we were very happy to receive some of our best pictures to share with our friends, family and other students."
Irene Nkuito, favorite animal-leopard, age 16, Grade 5, Sekenani Primary School "One day a guide from Sarova Mara Game Camp came to our school and took 10 pupils, five girls and five boys to see the wildlife at the Maasai Mara Game Park, and I was one of them. We enjoyed our safari because many of the community haven’t been able to take their children to the nearby Park. So many of us do not know our own country, and we thank you(Sarova and KKOS) for your good work. I was especially happy to see a leopard!"
Irene didn't get the rare chance to see her favoite,the leopard, but did get a great photo of the "clean-up crew".
James Lempoyio, favorite animal-rhino, age 16, Grade 7, Sekenani Primary School
"I am very glad to take this golden opportunity to tell you about a safari we took to the Maasai Mara Reserve. We started our game drive after lunch at the Sarova Mara Game Camp at 1:30 pm in between the tourist drive times, so we were often the only car visiting the wildlife in an area of the reserve. We saw many wild animals such as zebra, buffalo, antelope and some birds, e.g. weaver bird, ox-pecker, etc. We really enjoyed it."
James views weaver birds building nests to attract mates
Felix Sadera, favorite animal-cheetah, age 16, Grade 8, Sekenani Primary School
"We have enjoyed our safari to the Maasai Mara Game Park, simply because in our area many of the community haven’t had a chance to take their children to the park. Really, we have seen so many wild animals we have never seen before. We appreciate very much this project (Kenyan Kids on Safari). We take back to our community that we have enjoyed our safari!"
Felix took some great wildlife pictures, but we would be overlooking a big aspect of the safari if we didn’t show some of the exuberant pictures of friends, which many kids never had a chance to take before in their lives. Felix took the lively photo of James shown here as well as the portrait of James running in his account above.
GAME RANGER CHILDREN SAROVA KKOS GAME DRIVE
Wednesday 12-16-09
Driver/Guides: Sarova – Moses, KKOS – Wilson
Frederick, favorite animal-lion, age 8, Grade 4
“It was a good game drive, on which I saw zebra, lion and many more. I thank Moses, Wilson, Sarova and the project (Kenyan Kids on Safari) to see and learn about so many wild animals”.
Margaret, favorite animal-cheetah, age 14, Grade 8, Kuntai Primary School, Narok“This week on Monday we visited the Maasai Mara Game Reserve with the help of Sarova Mara Game Camp and Kenyan Kids on Safari. It was a very enjoyable game drive. On the drive we learned many things that we did not know before. We saw many wild animals and learned their behavior and how to protect themselves when in danger from the Sarova and KKOS guides.”
Kennedy, favorite animal-rhino, age 12, Grade 6, Sekenani Primary School
With his passion for the black rhino, Kennedy wrote an entire page in his beautiful architectural script on what he had learned about this highly endangered animal. He did not list the source of the information, but we felt that his studies should nevertheless be appreciated. KKOS founder Todd Cromwell previously had the opportunity to see what some local Kenyan conservationists are doing to protect and regenerate the specie, such as the Lewa Conservancy on the Liakipia Plateau.Not quite the rhino he had hoped for, but a stunning giraffe
Carolyne, favorite animal-leopard, age 16, Form 2, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Narok
“It gives me great happiness to tell you that on the 16th of December 2009 we went to Sarova Mara Game Camp and the greatest fun was that we went to the game park and saw many wild animals. I was happy because I have never seen these animals. We enjoyed being in such an environment as Sarova Lodge. It was very clean and even I admired to stay there. The staff are very kind, welcoming us warmly. I just want to thank them and urge them to continue the program (Kenyan Kids on Safari) with the same spirit. I enjoyed the lesson about how to be clean and disciplined.”
SAROVA MARA STAFF CHILDREN KKOS GAME DRIVE
Thursday 12-17-09
Driver/Guides: Sarova – Antonio, KKOS – Wilson
Nashipae Simpai, favorite animal-cheetah, age 10, Grade 3, Sekenani Primary School
"On this holiday we are taken on a trip to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. It is a wonderful first trip in the game reserve. Although I live next to it, I have never been in the reserve and don’t even know anywhere there. On the 15th December 2009 we went to Sarova Mara Camp, ate lunch and got into the car for the game park to see all kinds of animals. After returning, we explore the camp grounds, eat supper then go home in the car."Stephen James, favorite animal-rhino, age 16,
Form 2, St. Mathias High School, Kitui
Stephen really mastered the telephoto lens to get this eagle
"I am physically fit and academically studying hard to achieve my dreams. … I really felt very happy when Kenyan Kids on Safari and Sarova Mara welcomed me to join a game drive. So many holidays I have been coming to Sarova Mara, but have not gotten any chance of going on a game drive. This is the holiday which will remain an episode to linger in my mind for a long period. I felt as happy as a king while we were on the game drive because I saw so many animals for the first time -- lions, giraffes, elephants, rhinos and many others."
Peter Kasee, favorite animal-zebra, age 17, Grade 8, "When I went on the game drive, I saw lions, zebras and many other wild animals. This game drive is very good. Tony, I DID IT!"
The Topi upstages all hope of Peter getting his favorite , a zebra!
Tony James, favorite animal-lion, age 10, Grade 5, Kitui
"Surprise Game Drive – It was a very good day I have ever had before. I had come to the Mara many times before, but I didn’t get a chance to go on any game drive in the Reserve.I saw on the safari lion, giraffe, elephant, ostrich and so many other wild animals. It was a very good day that I will not forget."
Neither will anyone else in the car ever forget that this 10 year old boy on his first safari was the first to spot the lionesses down in a deep gully even before the two top guides with the kids!
1 comment:
Wow! Reading these journal entries of Kenyan Kids on Safari is like taking a vacation in my mind. This is a great blog for anyone tired of being enveloped in the gray cloud blanket of a Northwest winter or just wanting a little escapism. KKOS is such a great cause as well, helping children see wildlife for the first time. The zebra pictures drew me in, then I was so moved by the journal entries of excited children, accompanied by pictures such as that of James, literally jumping for joy on his first safari. The crisp digital photos of lions, cheetahs, rhinos and weaver birds alternating with that of the children and KKOS staff are educational and beautiful. What fun on an otherwise blah day. Lisa, Portland, Oregon.
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