Female community rangers in Kenya have a new reason to celebrate as WWF-Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) have launched an ambitious program aimed at empowering them. The initiative, known as Pochi Kipepeo, was unveiled during the World Day for Safety and Health at Work event on April 28, 2025. Pochi Kipepeo is a hygiene pack designed to cater to the specific needs of female rangers, ensuring their health, comfort, and overall well-being.
The launch of Pochi Kipepeo comes in response to the challenges identified in the Kenya Community Ranger Perception Survey 2024, which highlighted the struggles faced by 271 female community rangers. Among the key issues identified were a lack of access to professional training, inadequate equipment, and inconsistent working conditions.
Mohamed Awer, the CEO of WWF-Kenya, emphasized the importance of increasing the representation of women in the ranger workforce, calling for at least a third of community rangers to be female in alignment with constitutional requirements. Awer stressed the need for stakeholders to support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and working conditions of female rangers.
Linet Misiko, the COO of KWCA, underscored the critical need for investing in the training and upskilling of community wildlife rangers. She highlighted the financial constraints that many conservancies face in providing proper training, leading to rangers being ill-equipped to handle the complex challenges they encounter in the field.
WWF-Kenya, a long-standing conservation organization in Kenya, has been collaborating with various stakeholders to create a conducive environment for sustainable development and wildlife conservation in the country since 1962. KWCA, on the other hand, serves as the national representative body for conservancies in Kenya, advocating for policies and incentives to support the conservancy network.
The joint effort between WWF-Kenya and KWCA aims to promote gender inclusivity in conservation, recognizing the valuable skills and perspectives that women bring to the ranger workforce. By providing female rangers with the necessary support and resources, the initiative seeks to enable them to carry out their conservation duties confidently and effectively.
Through initiatives like Pochi Kipepeo, stakeholders are working towards creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for female community rangers in Kenya. By addressing the specific challenges faced by these women, the program is not only empowering them but also contributing to the overall success of conservation efforts in the region.