Program Description
Event Details
Why Investing in Youth Matters for Kenya's Rangelands
The arid landscapes of Samburu County, Kenya have supported pastoral populations for hundreds of years, with herders co-existing alongside wildlife and cyclically moving around communal lands according to seasonality of rainfall and the guidance of elders. Today, with investments in infrastructure, shifting social norms around school enrollment, and policies that support human rights for women, in addition to more frequent and prolonged droughts and pressures on ecosystems, managing rangelands for both livestock and wildlife goals poses new challenges.
In this presentation, we look at the effects of formal education on the aspirations of young people, with a focus on where they place pastoralism — the core livelihood in this region for hundreds of years — in their future, and the importance of investing in education to insure Samburu has the home-grown capacity to manage an increasingly complex landscape.
About the Presenters:
Brett Bruyere, PhD is a professor in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University, a social science department focused on the social aspects of conservation and environmental science. He has worked in partnership with elders, youth and women's groups in Samburu, Kenya to help understand the social and ecological changes in Samburu, and what these changes mean for people, livestock and wildlife. In partnership with local leaders, he co-founded the Samburu Youth Education Fund in 2010, an organization that has supported hundreds of youth with 100% of the cost of secondary school.
Isaya Lemerketo is a graduate student in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University, working toward a Masters in Conservation Leadership. He grew up in a Samburu village, completed high school and a bachelor's degree in law, and worked for several years in a legal advocate role before enrolling graduate school.
About this Lecture Series:
Get ready to explore the vibrant continent of Africa through the work and research of Colorado State University faculty in this brand-new lecture series. Faculty and researchers from CSU's Africa Center will share about their work and hands-on research in fields ranging from Political Science to Conservation Biology, and explore topics around cultural experience, Africa's amazing wildlife, and more!
Please join us on the final Thursday of the month from February-April for an amazing presentation and discussion that will highlight fascinating features of a diverse and dynamic continent.
*No registration required.