Big Life Foundation

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Big Life Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Africa´s wildlife and ecosystems. Using innovative conservation strategies and collaborating closely with local communities, partner NGOs, national parks and government agencies, Big Life Foundation seeks to protect and sustain East Africa´s wild lands and wildlife, including one of the greatest populations of elephants left in East Africa.
The first organization in East Africa that has coordinated anti-poaching teams operating on both sides of the Kenya-Tanzania border, Big Life recognizes that sustainable conservation can only be achieved through a community-based collaborative approach, which is at the heart of Big Life´s philosophy : Conservation supports the people and people support conservation.

Big Life´s vision is to establish a successful holistic conservation model in Amboseli-Tsavo that can be replicated across the African continent.

Wildlife protection projects:
• Anti-Poaching
• Rhino-Project: Big Life community rangers, together with the Kenya Wildlife Service, provide 24-hour security for the small but extremely important population of elusive black rhino.
• Predator Compensation: One of many key aspects of the Predator Compensation Fund (PCF) is that it acts as an umbrella of protection – not only preventing lion extinction but also providing coverage for other persecuted species, such as hyena, cheetah, leopard, wild dog and jackal.
• Dogs save Elephants: One of the most effective tools to an anti-poaching strategy is to deter poachers from even coming into an area. In this regard, there is no tool more effective than tracker dogs. Even if the poachers are not ambushed or stopped before the crime, they will almost definitely be caught with dogs after the crime. They cannot get away.

Helping the community projects:
• Education: The education program which has changed many lives amongst the youth of this ecosystem. Through this program there are teachers, nurses, engineers, professional conservationists, guides and accountants employed and working whom would never have realized their dream if it were not for the sponsorships we have created for them. Big Life´s Education and Wildlife Scholarship Program has to date sponsored in excess of two-hundred students in primary, secondary, and tertiary education through contributions from individuals.
• Employment: Employment -- jobs and cash wages -- derived from wildlife-related activities is therefore essential to wildlife´s survival in any wilderness region inhabited by people.
• Schools: MPT (now merged with Big Life) employs government certified teacher at some schools and funded the construction of latrines and kitchens at some schools
• Sponsor a student program
• Maasai Olympics: Instead of lion killing to compete for recognition, express bravery, attract girlfriends, and identify leaders, the menye layiok have created a history-changing alternative to lion killing: an organized Maasai sports competition based upon traditional warrior skills. The sports program will include five events: (1) 200m sprint; (2) 5K run; (3) spear throwing; (4) rungu throwing; and (5) high jumping. Three levels of competition (local, regional, and ecosystem-wide) will climax in The Maasai Olympics,

Michaela Tompkins is the Development & Outreach Coordinator at Big Life Foundation.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.