Mission
Our mission is to join with local peoples and partners to support traditional and sustainable ways of living in harmony with wildlife and ecosystems
History
Friends of Conservation (FOC), founded in 1982, was one of the world’s earliest leaders in the development of Community Conservation. In the 1980’s we actively engaged Maasai communities in the Greater Maasai Mara Region of Kenya in the planning, decision making as well as the implementation of actions and policies relating to natural resources management and capacity building, and continue with this mission today.
For almost three decades FOC has assisted these communities in planning their own development and enterprise priorities, building their capacity to manage natural resources and utilize the environment as a renewable resource for their benefit, and in so doing fostering a sense of enthusiasm and ownership. In this work FOC partners with the Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR) management, community groups and other stakeholders alike.
In a country such as Kenya, where over 60% of the 36 million people live under less than a dollar a day, bio-diversity conservation must be seen by all to be contributing to the economic welfare of the local communities neighboring national parks and reserves, or it will not be successful.
FOC projects are aimed at ensuring that regions of great bio-diversity global importance are conserved for scientific, cultural, aesthetic reasons for the enjoyment of national and international visitors and most importantly for the economic benefit of local peoples. Key in our way of working is that we provide expertise and training to local populations.