This project aims to address increasing poverty levels amongst members of the local community, particularly youth and women, by providing alternative income generating options and reducing the community overdependence on natural resources. The project being proposed will address alternative livelihood sources through promotion of ecotourism, integration of tourism products within shimoni caves and the lowland coastal forests as well as the diversification of ecotourism activities within the historical caves and adjoining forest vegetation. This project will promote the conservation of historical heritage at shimoni slave caves, cultural sites, shrines and sacred sites within the Shimoni lowland forest for diversification of ecotourism. This project will further enhance waste management, improve environmental quality, and reduce land based solid waste pollutants to the marine environment through targeted community education and awareness as well as regular clean-ups within the project are and other coastal clean-up events.
The beneficiaries targeted by this project are the approximately 5,000 residents of the Shimoni sea side village in south coast Kenya and surrounding areas. Amongst these residents are the over 800 fishers who are registered members of area BMUs within the seascape and their family members. Women and youth will also benefit greatly due to their engagement in the fisheries products, forest restoration, and ecotourism, farming and trading activities. Among marginalised and minority groups are notably the Chwaka who are basically fishers and the Makonde migrant community from Mozambique, whose main livelihood is farming. The capacities of vulnerable groups to realise the sustainable management of marine resources and of alternative livelihood options shall be enhanced through the development and implementation of mechanisms as well as strategies for community mitigation, adaptation and resilience to natural and anthropogenic factors, and the impacts of climate change. Other project beneficiaries include local schools and learning institutions through environmental education and awareness outreach activities, and the school bursaries offered by Shimoni Slave Caves. Other resident project beneficiaries include local tour operators, hoteliers and farmers.
The project will be implemented by Shimoni Slave Caves (SSC) CBO in close collaboration with other stakeholders, including government agencies such as the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS), Kwale County government, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and Coast Development Authority (CDA) among others. These are the key organisations within Shimoni-Vanga seascape with mandate and interest in conservation and management of coastal and marine resources, conservation of maritime cultural heritage and community ecotourism, as well as the promotion of socio-economic activities within diverse sectors of the blue economy.