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The Tsavo Project
The Tsavo Peoples Project is a service learning project initiated by Professor A’isha Ajayi. During the summer of 2007, Professor Ajayi (Kent State University) visited the Mt. Kasigua/Tsavo region as part of her doctoral studies. The goal of this visit was to assess current educational needs for children K-12 in the five villages (Kitege, Rukanga, Bungule, Makwasinyi and Jora) in this remote area. Previously these schools were recipients of funds from Kent State University’s Gerald Reed Foundation. At the end of 2007 these funds were no longer available to support the crucial ongoing need for education and the improvement of the quality of life of these proud and vibrant people. The residents of Kasigau are subsistence farmers whose food security is frequently hampered by periodic droughts and frequent wildlife incursions. The inability to rely entirely on their farms has forced these people to resort to other modes of survival charcoal burning, sand harvesting, gemstone prospecting and hunting, all of which threaten their habitat. Ironically, the surrounding Tsavo National Park and other privately owned ranches have been making good businesses from eco-tourism activities. Moving Forward
It is the hope of both Professor Ajayi and her students that the procurement and donation of basic supplies (educational, food, water, and recreational equipment) and monetary support will provide another small step to toward improving the quality of life for the wonderful people of this region. To date she has invested much of herself into this project and has recently involved her Integrated Business, Policy, and Strategy students in the effort. |
The project is currently moving toward the establishment of a sustainable eCommerce effort with the goal of creating an online fair trade co-op that will allow the people of the five villages in the Tsavo region of Kenya, Africa to sell their goods. The 75% of the profit of these sales will go directly to the artisans and villagers; the remaining 25% will be used by Small Planet Imports, LLP to administer and maintain the site and staff and to cover shipping costs for items ordered.