Conservation & Social Responsibility

• Prior to constructing Joy's Camp, an Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted, ensuring that Shaba Nationa Reserve's delicate environment was incorporated into the camp design before the first stone was laid.
• Joy's camp supports local communities by employing more than 70% of its staff from local villages, as well as fundraising for various community projects (see below)
• The vast majority of wood used in the camp is obtained from renewable sources, with a little additional deadwood, ensuring absolute minimum impact on the reserve.
• Joy's Camp uses solar energy for both heating water and lighting in all the rooms.
• Minimal water wastage is ensured through water efficiency and management systems
• All waste is recycled or disposed of responsibly. Glass is sold to the 'Central Glass' recycling plant in Nairobi and the payments received are donated to a family planning program run by the East African Women's League.
• Striving for a successful future for Shaba National Park, Joy's Camp works closely with the park warden and rangers whilst ensuring it operates with as little effect on the ecosystem as possible.
• Eco Tourism Kenya has awarded Joy's Camp with "Silver Rating", reflecting our efforts to operate in the most environmentally responsible manner possible

The Nakuprat-Gotu Conservancy

Focusing efforts on holistic conservation of the Greater Samburu Ecosystem, Joy's Camp is with working with the community-owned Nakuprat-Gotu Conservancy (See map: yellow area), which almost entirely encircles Shaba National Reserve (See map: Green area on the right hand side).

Nakuprat-Gotu is a new community-driven initiative designed to conserve the wildlife corridor between Shaba and Samburu National Reserves whist providing support for the bordering communities . The Northern Rangelands Trust, a specialist organization which helps communities set up their own conservation areas, facilitated the establishment of Nakuprat-Gotu and thereafter provided training for the elected board and rangers.

While you stay at Joy's, you may decide to go for a walk in the Nakuprat-Gotu Conservancy and the $10 fee charged is used by the conservancy board to fund local clinics and schools.

Protecting Shaba's Wildlife - Chaffa Gate

We strongly believe that tourism is essential to the protection of Kenyan wildlife and its habitats, as well as playing a vital role in allieving poverty and facilitating sustainable development in local communities. With an aim to safeguard Shaba's wildlife, we have raised nearly $10,000 to reconstruct the Chaffa Gate rangers' facility on the Eastern border of the Reserve.

The Chaffa Gate and ranger post, which had progressively deteriorated, was completely abandoned during the 2009, third consecutive severe drought. Our goal is to reconstruct the facility, providing the rangers a base and resources with which they can once again conduct anti-poaching patrols and wildlife conservation services effectively.

Shaba and the Greater Samburu Ecosystem are home to numerous endangered, vulnerable and threatened wildlife species, including the Grevy's zebra, which has declined 80% in global numbers in the last 3 decades, and the African elephant, which is under increasing threat of poaching.

We are raising a further $20,000 to reconstruct the ranger accommodation block, office, showers, toilets, a kitchen, radio mast and solar panel unit for charging torch, radio and mobile phone batteries.

Please Contact Us if you are interested in helping us realize this vision, which is likely to have a significant impact on the future of wildlife in Shaba and the Greater Samburu ecosystem.

Kachuru Primary School

At Joy's Camp, we are encouragin support of the Kachuru Nursery & Primary School not far from the Shaba's border. Kachuru Primary serves 150 children from ages 3 to 14. A previous donor built two wooden classrooms which have now been divided into four, but they are in need of a kitchen, water facilities, staff quarters and a staff room.

Kachuru Primary School Head Teacher recently sent Joy's Camp the wish list below, which we sincerely hope you will be willing to donate towards:

Furniture: 8 tables at KES 6,000; 20 desks at KES 3,000; 3 blackboards at KES 9,000; 8 chairs at KES 4,000

Water tank:10,000 litre tank at KES 70,000

Feeding Programme: Beans: 2200Kg;  Maize: 4400Kg; Cooking oil: 3 x 20 litres for 1 year.

Salaries: Nursery School Teacher KES 4,000 per month; Cook KES 3,000 per month; Watchman KES 3,000 per month.

Would you like to Donate?

If you would like to contribute to safeguarding the future of Shaba's wildlife or providing the children of Kachuru Primary School with a better opportunity, please Contact Us.

Pack for a Purpose

Are you interested in bringing school and medical supplies to Kenya? To find out what is most needed by the community near Joy's Camp, please click on the link below.