Porini – Kenya

Porini Trust (Porini) is an environmental conservation organization, registered in Kenya in 2002. It is also a regional node for the African Biodiversity Network. Porini means ‘natural wilderness’ in Kiswahili.

Porini focuses on ecological and cultural regeneration projects in rural communities, and the centrality of communities in territorial management. It aims to demonstrate and further catalyse community led programmes for the protection of critical areas, based on traditional ecological knowledge and cultural practices; and to promote earth-centred policies, governance, sustainable development and legislation.

Specific objectives are to:

• Identify areas that are critical to Kenya’s biodiversity, ecosystems and community livelihoods, and where indigenous and local communities are eager to revive or strengthen their traditional ecological knowledge and practices; and facilitate or carry out research such as baseline surveys, Environmental Impact Assessments, ethno-botanic studies.
  
• Assist these communities through participatory approaches to define their own culturally appropriate ways of establishing a sustainable development process that is mutually beneficial to the environment and the human community and ensures poverty reduction options for future generations.
  
• Build the capacity of local communities, through participatory processes and learning exchanges, to influence policy and advocate for environmental and community rights.
  
• Monitor, evaluate and share best practices and lessons learnt from these community ecological governance processes.

Porini currently works with indigenous and local communities in Mukogondo, Karima and Gitune forest areas. It is also exploring possibilities of working with communities in Kenya’s coastal region, due to the importance of the forest ecosystem in that area, and in the Kenyan Rift Valley with communities around Mau Complex.

Coordinator: Tetu Maingi

Contact:
P.O. Box 1408 - 00100 GPO
Nairobi - Kenya
Tel: +254 20 4450410
Email: tetu@porinike.org

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VACANCIES

Advocacy Officer for the African Biodiversity Network. Full-time, based in Africa. More detail.

Gaia Learning Centre

2008 Programme of Events.

A range of workshops and evenings, to inspire and strengthen our relationship with the natural world and influence the choices we make in our daily lives.

** BOOK NOW **
Wild Law Workshop - 26-28 September - with the Environmental Law Foundation and the UK Environmental Law Association.

Earth Ethics Series

Summaries from recent Gaia Evenings.

Zero Carbon Britain - by Peter Harper

Restoring the Mythological Paradigm - by Jules Cashford

The Colombian Amazon: An Indigenous Peoples' Journey - by Dr. Martín von Hildebrand

Changing America's Environmental Laws - by Andrew Kimbrell.

Science's Changing Myth - by Prof. Brian Goodwin.

Countdown: Life on a Hotter Planet - by Mark Lynas.

A New Relationship with the Living Earth - by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake.

Get Involved

Other events and links to inspire you:

The Age of Stupid - the unmissable new climate change documentary for the big screen. Documentary footage, drama and cutting-edge animation asks "Why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?"

Earth is Community - DVDs
For anyone who was not able to make our Earth is Community event, celebrating the vision and path of Thomas Berry. A set of DVDs with the main presentations, now available.

Earth Community Network

Schumacher College and Bija Vidyapeeth offer residential courses on Earth democracy and sustainable living. Visit the Earth Community Network for more opportunities in experiential learning - in Brazil, Kenya, India, UK.