case studies undp: kwetu training centre for sustainable development

7/27/2019 Case Studies UNDP: KWETU TRAINING CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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Equator Initiative Case StudiesLocal sustainable development solutions or people, nature, and resilient communities

Kenya

KWETU TRAINING CENTREFOR SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT

Empowered live

Resilient nation


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UNDP EQUATOR INITIATIVE CASE STUDY SERIES

Local and indigenous communities across the world are advancing innovative sustainable development solutions that wo

or people and or nature. Few publications or case studies tell the ull story o how such initiatives evolve, the breadth

their impacts, or how they change over time. Fewer still have undertaken to tell these stories with community practition

themselves guiding the narrative.

To mark its 10-year anniversary, the Equator Initiative aims to ll this gap. The ollowing case study is one in a growing ser

that details the work o Equator Prize winners vetted and peer-reviewed best practices in community-based environmenconservation and sustainable livelihoods. These cases are intended to inspire the policy dialogue needed to take local succ

to scale, to improve the global knowledge base on local environment and development solutions, and to serve as models

replication. Case studies are best viewed and understood with reerence to The Power of Local Action: Lessons from 10 Years

the Equator Prize, a compendium o lessons learned and policy guidance that draws rom the case material.

Click on the map to visit the Equator Initiatives searchable case study database.

EditorsEditor-in-Chief: Joseph Corcoran

Managing Editor: Oliver HughesContributing Editors: Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Erin Lewis, Whitney Wilding

Contributing WritersEdayatu Abieodun Lamptey, Erin Atwell, Toni Blackman, Jonathan Clay, Joseph Corcoran, Larissa Currado, Sarah Gordon, Oliver Hughe

Wen-Juan Jiang, Sonal Kanabar, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Rachael Lader, Patrick Lee, Erin Lewis, Jona Liebl, Mengning Ma,

Mary McGraw, Gabriele Orlandi, Juliana Quaresma, Peter Schecter, Martin Sommerschuh, Whitney Wilding, Luna Wu

DesignOliver Hughes, Dearbhla Keegan, Matthew Konsa, Amy Korngiebel, Kimberly Koserowski, Erin Lewis, John Mulqueen, Lorena de la Pa

Brandon Payne, Mariajos Satizbal G.

AcknowledgementsThe Equator Initiative acknowledges with gratitude the Kwetu Training Centre or Sustainable Development, and in particular

guidance and inputs o Mercy Mbogho Songok (Executive Ocer.) All photo credits courtesy o Kwetu Training Centre or Sustaina

Development. Maps courtesy o CIA World Factbook and Wikipedia.

Suggested CitationUnited Nations Development Programme. 2012. Kwetu Training Centre for Sustainable Development, Kenya. Equator Initiative Case Stu

Series. New York, NY.
http://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdfhttp://equatorinitiative.org/index.php?option=com_winners&view=casestudysearch&Itemid=858http://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdfhttp://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/Power_of_Local_Action_Final_2013.pdf


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PROJECT SUMMARYKwetu Training Centre is based in Kenyas coastal district

o Kili where it uses a model demonstration site and

extensive youth group engagement to promote sustainable

environmental management o the coasts mangrove

orests. This has involved voluntary reorestation eforts and

development o silviculture based around the mangrove

ecosystems, such as crab arming, bee keeping and

ecotourism. To this end, the centre has recently constructed

a boardwalk through the local mangrove orests.

As local illiteracy rates are high, Kwetu uses methods such asdance, drama, and music to convey conservation messages

to local communities, and especially youth, while the group

also runs a campaign to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. Its role as

a critical support system or local initiatives has resulted in

widespread impact along the coast, including the planting

o more than 190,000 mangrove seedlings since 2007.

KEY FACTS

EQUATOR PRIZE WINNER: 2008

FOUNDED: 1997

LOCATION: Kilif District, Coastal Province

BENEFICIARIES: youth and womens groups

BIODIVERSITY: mangrove conservation

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KWETU TRAINING CENTRE FORSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTKenya

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background and Context 4

Key Activities and Innovations 5

Biodiversity Impacts 6

Socioeconomic Impacts 6

Policy Impacts 8

Sustainability 9

Replication 9

Partners 9


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Kwetu Training Centre or Sustainable Development promotes

ommunity participation in the sustainable use and conservation

mangrove orests through silviculture innovations on Kenyas

wahili coast. The organisation supports local groups o young

eople, women and artisanal shermen engaged in sh-arming,

ee-keeping and ecotourism activities in coastal communities.

Kwetu was ounded in 1996 and has been registered as a non-prot

rganisation since 1997. The centre owns a 2.5 acre plot on Mtwapa

Creek in Kili District, Coastal Province, rom which all its programs

re run. Although the surrounding area has no connection to public

water or the electrical grid, Kwetu is sel-sucient, generating

nergy through solar panels and taking its water rom a well. A small

taf oversees training and unding or their partner groups, much owhich is conducted at Kwetus own demo sites, used or sh-arming

nd bee-keeping, while the headquarters also houses a solar drier. A

33-metre boardwalk through its mangrove orest has recently been

onstructed, serving as a pilot ecotourism attraction.

A focus on disenfranchised youth

he organization was ounded by a German national living in Kenya

who saw the vast underutilized natural resources along the coast,

where people were nonetheless living in adverse poverty due to high

nemployment. Along with ve other individuals, she established

Kwetu (Kiswahili or home) in the mid-1990s, engaging ten youth

members rom the local community in the building o the centre.he vision o Kwetu has stayed true to this initial catalyst or action,

rimarily working with youth through outreach and awareness-

aising activities. Kili District has a population o approximately

al a million people, o whom more than 60% are below the age

o 25. The district is one o the poorest in Kenya, with low econ

productivity, inadequate availability o water, lack o adeq

educational acilities and environmental degradation (Kili Di

Development Programme, 2001) among other challenges.

The main sources o income in the district are agriculture and s

together engaging 80% o its labour orce. Cassava and maize

the main ood crops, with diets supplemented by sh. Kwetus

area o activity is a ormer settlement scheme or the Giriama pe

in which most amilies were given 12-acre plots. Many ow

have subdivided and sold the majority o their land, using o

small portion or cultivation, and have depleted the soil thro

monoculture and slash-and-burn practices. Agricultural producis thereore very limited, compounded by a lack o ertilizers

pest control, and natural resources such as the mangrove orest

exploited unsustainably.

Within the last decade, the town o Mtwapa has grown into a thr

destination or tourists on the Swahili coast. This has not be

rich source o direct employment, however. Kwetu has there

identied great potential or accessing this industry through s

eco-enterprises, producing goods such as honey, sh and she

processed ruit chutneys, and medicinal products, or establis

ecotourism attractions centred on the mangrove orests. With t

challenges in mind, Kwetus specic objectives are: to promote

establish silviculture technologies in Kili and Kwale Districtdiversiy the livelihood options o local communities depen

on mangrove wetlands or their subsistence; and to advocat

the conservation and sustainable use o mangroves in co

communities.

Background and Context

Local communities must be empowered and involved in decision making, as they are the dire

users of the mangrove forests. Unless they are involved our mangroves will be depleted.

Mercy Mbogho, Executive Officer, Kwetu Training Centre for Sustainable Development


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Key Activities and Innovations

he main ocus areas o Kwetus work are raising awareness on

onservation and health through outreach activities, and identiying

nd developing alternative livelihood activities in partnership with

ocal groups.

Combining reforestation and education

ince 2007, Kwetu has enabled the planting o over 190,000

mangrove seedlings along the Kenyan coast in conjunction with local

ommunity-based organisations (CBOs). Much o this replanting has

been undertaken in conjunction with outreach activities aimed at

aising awareness o environmental issues. Kwetu has used local,

ational and international occasions rom school celebrations toWorld Environment Days (June 5th) to either hold events at their

own headquarters, or conduct trainings and workshops on site with

other groups. Many o these activities have involved environmental

ducation with local primary and secondary schools, or reaching

out to remote communities along the coastline. Due to high levels

o illiteracy, Kwetu has used innovative methods o conveying their

entral messages, such as dance, theatre or music, oten in Swahili,

or other indigenous languages typical o the Giriama people. They

ave also used their relationship with government agencies, such

s the Kenya Marine Fisheries and Research Institute (KMFRI) or the

Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI), to take schoolchildren on

ducational eld trips.

Kwetu has used its partnerships with youth and womens groups

o raise awareness o vital health issues, in addition to messages

on conservation. HIV/AIDS, among other diseases, has a high

prevalence rate (one in seven o Kilis population is HIV positive.)

o date, Kwetu has established mobile Voluntary Counseling and

esting services in surrounding communities, and has also used

Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health campaigns to educate

oung people on diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Peer education has

been an important means o conveying these messages, oten

hrough drama and dance. In 2010, KWETU received support rom

UNDP Kenyas Civil Society Democratic Governance Facility, thro

its Amkeni Wakenya program, to promote youth participatio

local governance. A Kikambala Youth Divisional Council has b

ormed, representing eleven sub-locations.

Alleviating local pressures on mangrove forests

The second component o Kwetus work has been develo

viable alternative livelihood activities that reduce pressuremangrove orests. This is done in partnership with local commu

based youth and womens groups. Kwetus contributions inv

identiying market opportunities, such as the demand or she

rom local hotels and restaurants serving tourists to the area,

developing innovative techniques or meeting this demand thro

research conducted at their demo site. They then help the indiv

CBOs to nd initial unding, and provide training and equipmen

their livelihood ventures. In this way, Kwetu plays an important

in linking diferent stakeholders to acilitate the sustainable u

natural resources.


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Impacts

BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS

ince 2007, Kwetu has coordinated the planting o over 190,000

mangrove seedlings, helping to repopulate areas o coastline

orests that have been over-exploited by local communities. This

has included species such as Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal,

Avicennia Marina, Sonneratia alba, and Bruguiera gymnoriza, and

has involved six diferent groups rom local communities. Thesehave included youth groups at Matzangoni, Mtepeni, Majaoni, and

Dabaso, where approximately 16,000 seedlings have been planted,

nd womens groups at Nkonazini and Makongeni, who have planted

0,000 seedlings. Kwetus own demo site has an extensive mangrove

nursery, and has also been substantially reorested. In addition to

mangrove seedlings, casuarina nurseries have been established

t 14 primary schools. Over 4,200 casuarina seedlings have been

planted by primary schools, while 1,200 were planted on Kadaina

sland to mark World Environment Day 2010.

Monitoring has been undertaken by Kwetu along with paorganisations such as Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KE

Kenya Forest Service, the Coastal Development Authority (CDA)

Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), who

also given management training or Kwetu staf. Research has

undertaken at Kwetus demo site by academics rom Moi Unive

with the nal results being shared with Kwetu. Individuals

KMFRI have also trained community groups on mangrove plan

with support rom the Regional Coastal Management Programm

the Indian Ocean Countries (ReCoMaP), while other research bo

have conducted research at Kwetus demo site.

SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTSKwetu works with the community-based youth and womens gr

mentioned above to develop eco-enterprises that directly be

local livelihoods and incomes. Other socioeconomic ben

are elt through Kwetus youth work, and indirectly through

improvements in local inrastructure.

Majaoni: Majaoni Youth Group began working with Kwet

2003, initially ocused on mangrove conservation. The group

ormed o eighty young men who had come together to ad

the devastation caused by the presence o a Somalian re

camp on two kilometres o Mtwapa Creek rom 1991 to 1

Mangroves had been harvested unsustainably to make tents oas timber and or rewood. Since 2004 the group has engage

income-generating activities based on the mangrove ecosys

ater two representatives visited Kwetu or training in apicu

and mariculture. They were given bee hives and equipmen

constructing two sh ponds. In 2005, they harvested 5kgs o mi

rom the two ponds; by 2008/9 their harvest had increased to

30kgs rom a total o eight ponds, having constructed six u

ponds with external donor unding. They also arm prawns

crabs, all o which are sold in local markets. Currently they cons

two kilometres o mangrove orests in Mtwapa Creek.


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The group itsel now consists o just 13 members, but has been

able to nd signicant sources o unding and is looking to increase

ts income through higher sh yields and a proposed ecotourism

project. With initial unding rom the Toyota Foundation and

ReCoMaP, and support rom the Anglican Church o Kenya/Pwani

Christian Community Services (ACK/PCCS), Majaoni Youth Group has

been able to construct a 100m boardwalk through their mangrove

orest leading to the creek; they plan to increase this to 500m . This

has been used or crab and mangrove monitoring, and will also

erve as the basis or a planned ecotourism attraction. Members o

he group are now being paid to construct a similar boardwalk atKwetu demo site.

Dabaso: Dabaso Youth Group, located north o Kwetu in the town o

Gede, has been in existence since 2000, and is currently engaged in

mangrove conservation, crab arming in cages, and ecotourism. The

ecotourism project eatures a 500m boardwalk through its mangrove

orest to a banda platorm where tourists can view Mida Creek. The

nitiative has so ar generated KSh200,000 (approximately USD

2,500) or the group members. The youth group was the inspiration

or Dabaso Mangrove Conservation Group, which is composed o

30 shermen rom Dabaso and works within the 32km2 o the

Creek region, part o the Watamu Marine National Park and Res

It is also a member o the Mida Creek Conservation Committ

CBO that represents and oversees all 11 creek community gr

with an interest in nature conservation. An associated wom

group is engaged in bee-keeping.

A support centre for local initiative

Kwetus role in both Dabaso and Majaoni has been to write pr

proposals on their behal or unding, as well as supplying the iequipment, training, and extension services necessary to begin

work. Training can be both on-site and on-station, at Kwetus d

site. The initiative has also been involved in monitoring the suc

o the sheries up until harvesting, and holds regular plan

meetings with the community stakeholders to discuss their bud

and identiy key challenges. In this way, Kwetu lls the roles o

an extension service or rural communities and an incubator or

innovation, supporting community-based action to maturatio

acilitating linkages with external unding and assistance.

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Developing sustainable income generation

Mariculture is not well established in the coastal area, and no site has

enerated signicant income so ar. Kwetu have explored techniques

o boost production so that the demand or locally-armed sh can be

met. To this end, they have obtained long-term unding rom ReCoMaP

o develop community-based silvosheries. This efort has ocused

n the sh arms at Dabaso and Majaoni, as well as at Makongeni

nd Kwetus own demo site. In January 2011, Kwetu harvested 91kgs milk sh, increased rom 67kgs in November 2010. ReCoMaPs

upport has included bringing consultants rom Tanzania to advise

hose involved in sh-arming, while they also sponsored a peer-to-

eer learning exchange or several community representatives at

anga, on the northern Tanzanian coast. One o the problems aced

y sh armers is the seasonality o wild sh hatchlings, so research

as ocused on the potential or creating hatcheries, to replenish

ond stocks throughout the year. Even ater this project phased

ut in November 2010, ReCoMaP continued to support Kwetu in

onstructing backyard nurseries or ngerling collection during

he high season to mitigate scarcity, with investments targeted at

mproving pond management or monitoring water quality and

maintaining the necessary requirements to reduce high mortalityates in ngerlings.

Value-added secondary processing o natural resources is another

rea in which Kwetu has been able to provide technical advice and

raining to local groups. Solar-drying technology has been used to

roduce medicinal goods rom Neem plants, as well as dried ruit

roducts. Kwetu currently produces candles, soaps, creams, and

etergents rom Neem oil, as well as a medicinal tea made rom

rushed dried Neem leaves. The plants pungent aroma repels

mosquitoes, making it an important local anti-malarial remedy. Over

hree hundred local people have been trained in Neem production.

wo production centres have been established in Chumani (Kili

District) and Msabaha (urther up the coast, in Malindi District) to

rocess the plant, with support rom OXFAM. These are currently

managed by local armers.

rior to 2008, Kwetu had used unds rom the European Unions

Micro-Enterprise Support Programme to process ruit. Kwetu used a

olar drier to dry mangoes, pickles and tomatoes or use in organic

hutneys, jams and preserves. These were marketed and sold on a

mall scale. However, production was halted due to a lack o trained

ersonnel and locally-available equipment.

Mainstreaming health messages in youth outreach

Much o Kwetus work has been with youth groups. With Global Fund

nancial support, Kwetu has established ten Youth Resource Centres

n the area, with one based at Kwetu Training Centre and others

t local health centres and schools. These house computers with

nternet capability and promote mobile counselling and testing or

HIV/AIDS, increasing the accessibility o VCT services. Kwetu marked

World AIDS day 2010 with an awareness-raising event in Kikambala

Division. In partnership with Care International Kenya, at least 18,447

male and emale clients rom Kili and Kaloleni districts have been

ested and received their results through the Hamasa Ya Aya Kwa

amii testing campaign.

Outreach to local schools has taken the orm o training

educators and organising competitions on conservation. Kwet

encouraged the ormation o schools Environmental Clubs and

nurseries, and have awarded water tanks to schools as compet

prizes.

POLICY IMPACTS

Kwetu has been given support by Kenyas Community DevelopmTrust Fund (CDTF) to implement an advocacy project or comm

participation in conservation o mangrove orests. In order to re

existing legislation on this issue, Kwetu convened a group to s

the relevant policies governing marine ecosystems and mang

orests. The outcome was shared with representatives rom dife

community groups. A proposed action plan was developed, and

gaps in existing policies were brought to the attention o po

makers at a workshop, held in Kili during April 2010. Prior to

capacity building exercises were conducted with local village el

chies, and community group leaders working within mang

ecosystems to help them mobilise to advocate or policy chan

Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has also granted licenses to some gr

to encourage the orming o a Community Forestry Associa(CFA) composed o the Mtwapa Creek communities. This pro

is ongoing, and would give the communities a mandate o

management o the creeks mangroves.

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Sustainability and Replication

SUSTAINABILITYCurrently, Kwetu is not nancially sel-sustaining it relies on donor

unding, while pursuing various strategies or achieving a higher

evel o sustainability. The urther development o ecotourism based

n its boardwalk and mangrove orest represents a prime potential

ource o revenue. The Coastal Development Authority (CDA) has

onducted an assessment or the easibility o this project. The

ttraction would serve as a stop or tourist boat-trips along Mtwapa

Creek.

Ofering paid training workshops to larger NGOs is another income-

enerating activity or the organisation. Similarly, developingrocessing methods or natural products using Neem and dried

ruit would represent a viable source o revenue, based on previous

xperiences. These products would need to be marketed and

roduced on a larger scale to meet demand or them. Funding and

rained personnel are crucial or this scaling up; another important

tep is to attain the Kenyan Bureau o Standards (KEBS) Diamond

Mark o Quality or Kwetus products.

inally, the ongoing attempt to establish sh-arming as a livelihood

ctivity would also provide Kwetu with a means or generating

unds rom their demo site. With ReCoMaPs support, Kwetu and

ts communities hope to increase harvests o sh rom sh arms

o meet the demand rom hotels and restaurants involved in theoastal tourist industry.

REPLICATION

Kwetu has been able to replicate its model on a smaller scale with

many o the groups it works with, while also scaling up its own work.

hree community groups Kidongo, Maya, and Kili have recently

mplemented successul mangrove conservation and sh arming

rojects along the lines o the Kwetu model. Replication eforts

ave been acilitated through community outreach events which

have raised awareness o the success o Kwetus own work, w

their demo site has allowed other groups to attend training sess

or a variety o activities. This work has been assisted by NGOs

as Coastal and Marine Resources Development (COMRED)

PACT Kenya, while government institutes have also played a ro

disseminating Kwetus model.

PARTNERS

Government authorities have played a key role in Kwetus w

The initiative maintains a close relationship with Kenya F

Service (KFS), the Fisheries Department, Kenya Marine Fish

and Research Institute (KMFRI), Agricultural Training InstCoast Development Authority (CDA), Ministry o Public He

and Sanitation, Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI), Nat

Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Ecotourism So

o Kenya, Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF), and K

AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO).

External donors have also been critical to Kwetus suc

ReCoMaPs long-term commitment to developing commercia

mariculture initiatives is undamental to the organisations l

term sustainability. A GEF-Small Grants Programme (SGP) g

was also received or 2008-10. Other donors include Kindernot

the German Foundation For World Population (DSW), Oxam, S

National Aids Control Council, Toyota Environmental Activthe Global Fund through CARE Kenya, UNDPs Amkeni Wake

programme, the European Unions Micro Enterprise Sup

Programme, GIZ, and Alma Tetra Pak.

Finally, universities including Kenyas Moi University have

research teams to Kwetu and its partner CBOs mariculture proj

American University, Pwani University, and Kenyatta University

also sent students to complete study tours at Kwetu on maricu

contributing to the initiatives knowledge base on best practic

small-scale mariculture.


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Equator Initiative

Environment and Energy GroupUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

304 East 45th Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Tel: +1 646 781-4023

www.equatorinitiative.org

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UNs global development network, advocating or change

onnecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better lie.

The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizati

o recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions or people, nature and resilient communities.

2012 by Equator Initiative

All rights reserved

FURTHER REFERENCE

Kwetu website: kwetukenya.org/

Kwetu PhotoStory (Vimeo) vimeo.com/15780594 (English) vimeo.com/15780685 (Swahili)

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