KQ, Born Free Foundation strategise to raise funds for wildlife conservation

By STANDARD REPORTER

Kenya Airways has embarked on a new initiative that targets raising over Sh60 million (£540,000) annually for wildlife conservation in Kenya, in partnership with the Born Free Foundation, a conservation and animal rescue organisation.

Under the campaign dubbed ‘Change Brings Change’, bags will be circulated in all Kenya Airways’ flights for passengers to donate to wildlife conservation causes throughout the world.  The raised funds will then be deployed to national parks and conservancies.

The initiative projects that up to Sh5.6 million (£45,000) could be raised every month, based on current passenger traffic handled by the airline, which translate into over Sh60 million. Global foreign exchange specialist, Travelex, will be involved in handling the collections, according to a statement issued by the airline yesterday.

Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer, Titus Naikuni said the initiative underlined the airline’s commitment to promoting sustainable development in Africa by conserving wildlife.

He said wildlife is not only part of Kenya’s heritage but also a key driver of the tourism industry, which is a major foreign exchange earner and creator of job opportunities.

“For this reason, we all have a responsibility to support the conservation of wildlife. I would like to challenge guests on all our flights to give generously to this noble cause,” Naikuni added in the statement.

The new initiative comes in the wake of growing concern over escalating cases of wildlife poaching, especially of rhinos and elephants, largely driven by demand for ivory and rhino horn in the Far East.

According to official statistics from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, the country has lost 214 elephants and 36 rhinos to poaching since the beginning of the year. In addition to poaching, other challenges facing wildlife conservation include climate change, human wildlife conflict and pressure from the burgeoning human population.

The founder of the Born Free Foundation, Ms Virginia McKenna, said that the initiative would help plug gaps in financing wildlife conservation, which currently relies mainly on government allocations.