The government is pledging KSh200 million to the recently established Rhino Ark Endowment Fund, reinforcing its support to environmental conservation and sustainable natural resource management.
During a prize-giving ceremony for winners of this year’s Rhino Charge at Ngilai Community Conservancy in Wamba, Samburu County, President William Ruto declared the government’s contribution and he described the fund as a vital move that will greatly enhance the effectiveness of conservation initiatives in Kenya.
The President expressed that the endowment fund will be a source of steady financial support for conservation programmes that include forest protection, water projects and wildlife habitat restoration besides community-led environmental efforts.
“To ensure long-term sustainability of these vital interventions, I launched the Rhino Ark Endowment Fund.The Government commits KSh200 million, anchoring our shared vision for a greener, more resilient Kenya. On their part, Rhino Ark has raised KSh100 million.” he declared
The president further praised Rhino Ark for its role in the initiative and said that the conservation organization had already raised KSh100 million for the fund.
The Rhino Charge is a fund, raising off, road motorsport competition held annually, the proceeds of which go towards the carrying out of environmental conservation projects by Rhino Ark.
This event has consistently raised enormous amounts of money aimed at protecting Kenya’s critical ecosystems like the Aberdare and Mau forests and other major water catchment areas.
The head of state thanked all participants, sponsors and conservation partners for their unrelenting support of environmental protection efforts and emphasized that working together is the only way to safeguard Kenya’s natural heritage, government communities the private sector and conservation organizations.
The President made the point that conserving landscapes not only ensures the preservation of biodiversity but also improves climate resilience, provides livelihoods, and secure water resources for the generation to come.
This symposium is a testimony to the government’s and other stakeholders’ commitment to conservation, recognizing the immense social and economic value of wildlife in Kenya.
The initiative also seeks to encourage the engagement of local communities and leveraging of private sector resources for sustainable environmental management.
