PORINI Welfare Association (PORINI) was founded in Kenya in 2005 by a team of like-minded individuals who have a strong sense of environmental conservation and strengthening of local community governance. PORINI's work is steered by the understanding that effective environmental conservation is a function of cultural wisdom and commitment from local communities. This work has been catalysed in many ways by the fact that, despite Kenya having some good laws on environmental protection, degradation continues unabated. However, where cultural norms on conservation are upheld, local environments continue to thrive and their integrity is sustained.

PORINI has been working with various stakeholders including environment, development and human rights organisations, local communities (especially those living adjacent to forests of cultural significance) and government agencies in developing community-led natural resources governance structures. PORINI has also implemented the community ecological governance strategy with communities living near Karima hill in Othaya (Central province); Giitune in Meru (Eastern province); Mtito Ndooa in Kitui (Eastern province), Marafa in Malindi (Coast province), Nkunga Sacred Lake (Mount Kenya region) and Mbututia sacred Lake (Mount Kenya region); and currently rolling out to Kisima Sacred Lake (Samburu- North Rift) and Mfangano Island (Nyanza province). The implementation strategy is also anchored on national and international policy and legal provisions that are progressively recognising the importance of traditional knowledge in environmental conservation and sustained livelihoods of indigenous and local peoples

You can view a photo gallery of Porini's work with the elders of the Karima Forest in Kenya by clicking here. 

Specific objectives are to:
• Identify areas that are critical to Kenya’s biodiversity, ecosystems and community livelihoods, and where indigenous and local communities are eager to revive or strengthen their traditional ecological knowledge and practices; and facilitate or carry out research such as baseline surveys, Environmental Impact Assessments, ethno-botanic studies.
• Assist these communities through participatory approaches to define their own culturally appropriate ways of establishing a sustainable development process that is mutually beneficial to the environment and the human community and ensures poverty reduction options for future generations.
• Build the capacity of local communities, through participatory processes and learning exchanges, to influence policy and advocate for environmental and community rights.
• Monitor, evaluate and share best practices and lessons learnt from these community ecological governance processes.

Porini currently works with indigenous and local communities in Mukogondo, Karima and Gitune forest areas. It is also exploring possibilities of working with communities in Kenya’s coastal region, due to the importance of the forest ecosystem in that area, and in the Kenyan Rift Valley with communities around Mau Complex.

Contact details:

Contact: Tetu Maingi

Address: PO Box 8064-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 20 44 53 777

Fax: +254 20 44 53 777

Mobile: +254 (0)723 58 03 73

Email: porini@porinike.org or info@porini.org

Website: www.porini.or.ke