Project Summary
The Rabai Cultural Village was registered as a Community Based Organization in February 2013, and has a membership of about 1,500 people majority (80%) of whom are women. The main objective of establishing the cultural group was to preserve the cultural heritage of the Rabai community and conserve the adjacent sacred Kaya Mudzi Muvya forest. The group established a cultural village located adjacent to Kaya Mudzi Muvya which showcases the Rabai cultural way of life and practices, it hosts traditional ceremonies, songs, dances of the Rabai community and tourists both domestic and international who pay a fee to enjoy the package of an authentic culture and the Rabai cousin. The cultural village is coordinated by a committee appointed by members of the group, while kaya elders provide guidance and enforce rules and regulations governing the village and access and utilization of the adjacent Kaya Mudzi Muvya forest. The cultural village hosts a variety of cultural activities and dances throughout the year as a way of promoting and preserving the Rabai cultural heritage. Since its inception, Rabai cultural Group has partnered with several organizations including Kenya Forestry Research Institute, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya Forest Service, Nature kenya UNDP, UNESCO and the County government of Kilifi in implementing various conservation and livelihood projects such as forest restoration and establishment of indigenous tree nurseries.
Recently the cultural village caught fire and burnt down leading to a loos of approximately 3.5m properties, there is an urgent need to restore the cultural village as it is an asset to the community around who benefit indirectly through the group efforts of safeguarding and regular rehabilitation of the Kaya forests, which are peculiar multi-functional socio-ecological production landscapes that provide direct and indirect benefits for human wellbeing.
This project will restore the ecotourism enterprise which generate income to the members of the group and indirectly also benefit their families back at home. Finally by refurbishing the village will also help them retain their customer base that they have created over time from learning institutions both primary, secondary and universities domestic and international tourists, plus the hotels, tour firms and beach operators who bring visitors on daily, weekly and monthly bases.

1.2. Summary of past project and relevant linkages.
UNDP SGP Kaya landscape program funded 16 projects between 2018 and 2021. Rabbai Cultural Village was one of the grantees in this program. The project established an ecotourism enterprise within Rabai cultural village situated adjacent to Kaya Mudzi Muvya and included sensitization to farmers on the importance of high value traditional crops for food security and adaptation to climate change. The project operationalized an existing community seed bank constructed through support of Kenya forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) for preservation of traditional crops and built the capacity of local field extension officers, farmers? groups and Kaya elders to sustainably grow traditional food crops for household use and income generation. The project activities were linked to on-going interventions by KEFRI in restoration of degraded sites in Kaya Mudzi Muvya.
The Rabai Cultural Village is linked to different organization such as IIED (International Research Company), Christensen (International Organization) and Sky Travelling Company from USA that deliver tourists to the site every month.
This project will be additional supports to rehabilitate structures damaged by the unfortunate fire accident that affected the cultural village. Most of the structures were razed to the ground and cultural artefacts and office equipment worth more than 1.5 million was destroyed. Most of the destroyed infrastructure had been developed through the recently completed project titled ?Promoting ecotourism and agrobiodiversity conservation for livelihood improvement and enhanced food and nutrition security in Kaya Mudzi Muvya in Kilifi County?
1.3. Project Objectives and Expected Results
a) Create awareness in the Kaya adjacent community about the value of the Kaya Forest for Culture, Livelihoods, biodiversity and climate functions
b) Restoring some of the property damaged by fire
c) Restore the practice and flow of tourism both domestic and international particularly from learning institutions