By Faith Esika
On the 9th of July, the Eldoret-Iten Water Fund (EIWF) was honoured to host Elizabeth Wathuti, founder of the Green Generation Initiative (GGI), fierce youth climate advocate and a passionate champion for source water protection under Source Water Protection Partnerships (SWAPP). As a close ally of The Nature Conservancy’s Water Funds Initiative, Elizabeth eagerly set out to explore how community-driven conservation is transforming landscapes and lives.
Accompanied by her team, they visited various project sites across the Moiben catchment to witness firsthand the impact of nature-based solutions being implemented through the Eldoret-Iten Water Fund.
Among the stops was at the Chogoo Tree Nursery, a women-led initiative supported by EIWF that plays a key role in landscape restoration through indigenous tree propagation. The nursery is managed by 14 women actively involved in propagation, nursery bed preparation, watering, and spot weeding. Additionally, 10 young men work as casual labourers, handling heavier tasks such as digging to prepare new nursery sections, loading seedlings for distribution, and occasionally collecting wildings from nearby forests.
The nursery not only contributes to environmental restoration but also serves as a vital livelihood opportunity for the community members involved.
Elizabeth also engaged with local women who have adopted Improved Cookstoves (ICS), a clean energy technology borrowed from the indigenous knowledge of the Ogiek community and supported by the EIWF. The EIWF conducted training on ICS in the Chogoo area, and to date, over 30 households have incorporated these energy-efficient stoves into their kitchens. These stoves have significantly reduced the demand for firewood, alleviating pressure on surrounding forests, and improved the health of women and children while promoting sustainable energy use at the household level.
Deeply moved by the engagement, Elizabeth commended EIWF’s deliberate focus on empowering women and youth as conservation champions. She noted that EIWF’s integrated approach to clean energy, community resilience, and ecosystem restoration for source water protection not only aligns with the values upheld by GGI but also serves as a powerful grassroots model. Reflecting on the visit, she emphasized the potential of the Water Fund approach to inspire similar nature-based solutions in other regions.
