Hampton's School Visit - Kenya's Future Leaders thrive in Karisia Wilderness

For five days in mid March we were lucky to be able to host a great safari of over 30 super students from a groundbreaking school in Nanyuki called Hampton School. We set up a large camp on Tumaren by the river where they were able to explore the area by foot and camel. The kids, most of whom had never camped before, were thrown into the deep end, sleeping in dorm tents for the boys and the girls with only canvas between them and the wild animals outside. There was apprehension and some fear but our Karisia team reassured them that wilderness and wild places are actually quite benign and that we think cities are the scary places. On their walks with Gabriel and Ntiemu the kids learned about tracking and competed in teams to see which could spot the most wildlife. The students also visited the bomas of our Laikipia Masai neighbors and learned about their livestock and their daily routines, helping to fetch water, herd the goats or collect some firewood.

One of the most valuable impressions of the trip was the feeling of solitude and peace that some of the kids commented to their School Head, Stephanie Mwite. This untaught lesson of the value of wilderness is one that we are most proud of. Conservation is too often only quantified by its financial impact or its biological importance but our Hampton group reminded us that conservation should also be quantified by the happiness it can evoke.

Below is some proof in pictures as well as some quotes from a trip report written by Farstalia Mwite Makena.

“The stars at night were dumfounding. They covered the night sky as if it was painted on. They were so many! They were small one, big ones, ones that sparkled and the best ones yet; The shooting stars. We saw over a 50 shooting stars. There was nothing to overthrow the light that was coming from the stars, so we could see them all. There was a particular, let’s say strand, in the sky that had more stars than usual. And once we saw strands of stars that were so many and small they looked like milk!”

“When the game ended and people where resting Gabriel called us and told as to keep quiet. He pointed towards the trees, and there in between two trees was an elephant! As we looked we saw more and more. It was a whole herd! We followed them down to the river as quietly as we could.”

“Leaving the camp was the saddest part. We were leaving our friends, the hyenas who we heard every night and the wonderful wilderness. For anyone who wants to go, it should be on the top of your list.”