NAIROBI, Kenya – Female community rangers have a reason to smile after WWF-Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) launched an ambitious initiative to empower them.
On Monday, April 28, 2025, WWF-Kenya, alongside KWCA, celebrated World Day for Safety and Health at Work, calling on all stakeholders to support an inclusive ranger workforce.
WWF-Kenya and KWCA launched the Pochi Kipepeo, a hygiene pack for female community rangers in Kenya during the event.
Pochi Kipepeo is a dignity-focused hygiene pack initiative that includes essential personal care items tailored to support female rangers’ health, comfort, and well-being.
These packs are designed to ensure that all women on the front frontlines of conservation can participate confidently and fully in their vital work.
For #WorldHealthandSafetyDay today, we’re reminding every professional: Your work environment should empower, not endanger you. Here is a quick self-check to see how your workplace is faring. ✅ How many of these can you relate to? Comment below how many points you have! ➕💯
This initiative is in response to the findings of the latest Kenya Community Ranger Perception Survey 2024 that revealed challenges that 271 female community rangers face in Kenya.
What are the main challenges facing Kenyan community rangers
The top three challenges were identified as lack of access to professional training, lack of suitable equipment, and inconsistent working conditions.
Mohamed Awer, Chief Executive Officer, WWF–Kenya, called for the increased representation of women in the ranger workforce from 6% to at least a third of the community rangers in line with the 2010 constitutional requirements.
“May I also take this opportunity to call upon stakeholders to support initiatives to improve their welfare and working conditions?” said Awer during an event held at the WWF-Kenya headquarters at Panda House in Karen, Nairobi.
Female community rangers supported by @WWF_Kenya, @KWCAKenya and @UKinKenya IWT Challenge Fund take the lead in wildlife conservation and human-wildlife co-existence. #PochiKipepeo female hygiene products will help them do their job with dignity and pride #WorldHealthandSafetyDay
Awer also observed that women bring valuable and diverse skills, perspectives, and approaches that enrich the ranger workforce, leading to more successful outcomes for people and wildlife.
WWF-Kenya and KWCA aim to catalyse meaningful dialogue around gender inclusivity in conservation and foster an environment where all rangers can contribute to protecting nature, supporting community well-being, and advancing local economies.
Why there is a need to empower Kenyan female community rangers
Linet Misiko, Chief Operating Officer, KWCA, said:
“There is a critical need to invest in the upskilling and training of community wildlife rangers. The cost of proper training is costly for many emerging conservancies. Therefore, many rangers are deployed with limited professional training, leaving them underprepared to effectively handle the complex challenges they face on the ground.”
World Wide Fund for Nature Kenya (WWF-Kenya) is a locally registered non-governmental conservation organisation and an affiliate of WWF International.
WWF has been working in Kenya since 1962 alongside the government, civil society, private sector organisations, and local communities to contribute towards providing an enabling environment for the achievement of a healthy natural environment supporting people and sustainable development in Kenya.
Happening Now!!!We are live at @WWF_Kenya‘s Panda House in Nairobi for the launch of Pochi Kipepeo, hygiene packs designed to support the dignity, health, and well-being of female community rangers across Kenya. Together with the @KWCAKenya, we’re celebrating the courage of
On the other hand, KWCA is a national representative and independent body for conservancies in the country. KWCA’s members and primary beneficiaries are community and private conservancies that make up our membership.
It is their voice and interests we listen to and serve. KWCA is mandated to advocate for favourable policies and incentives at national and landscape levels to advance the conservancy network.
KWCA is a membership-based organisation driven by the grassroots and uniquely positioned to collectively represent the conservancy network’s issues.
