FOC funds, trains, and facilitates a team of scouts that tirelessly patrols and protects the people, wildlife, and ecosystem of the Mara region. FOC scouts are recruited from the Maasai community and play an active role in raising local awareness and cooperation for conservation and sustainability practices.
FOC Scouts patrol in pairs, on foot, outside the Masai Mara National Reserve, and work together with the Kenya Wildlife Service to apprehend poachers of any kind. They keep records and report to the KWS on wildlife sightings, and they also take a frontline role in the prevention of a new form of poaching from which no wildlife is safe – the rapidly growing illegal bush meat trade. Scouts also patrol for illegal use of natural resources, such as the cutting of trees for timber, firewood and charcoal sales, and the harvesting of sandalwood.
In addition, FOC Scouts conduct seminars for locals on such diverse and valuable topics as HIV prevention, trash collection and disposal, human/wildlife conflict, as well as conservation issues and resource management.