We were recently thrilled to hear that one of pioneers of the Grevy’s Zebra Scout program, Ngeeti Lempate, was the recipient of the Disney Conservation Hero Award!
Ngeeti joined the Grevy’s Zebra Scout Program in 2003 when the initiative was first started. She is soft-spoken and gentle, but her passion and commitment to her work is obvious to all who interact with her, earning her the name of ‘Mama Grevy’. Ngeeti was Grevy’s Zebra Trust’s first female scout – a pioneer, for other women in her community, as she gave them a voice amongst the elders and warriors. And she uses that voice wisely, calling meetings of her own accord to rally support for conservation, not only for Grevy’s zebra but other wildlife that shares the land with the local community. She speaks to schoolchildren about the importance of protecting their natural environment, telling stories of how the landscape used to look when she was a girl and making them realise this is possible again with proper grazing planning.
In the field, Ngeeti’s actions as a Scout show her dedication to her job. She worked tirelessly under difficult conditions during the droughts of 2005 and 2009, and the current drought of 2017, to make sure the Grevy’s zebra had enough water by digging shallow wells in the riverbed for them. And critically, the data she and other scouts collected on Grevy’s zebra demographics and distribution, was the basis for starting Westgate Community Conservancy, which has become a model of community-based conservation in Kenya today.
Ngeeti says she has gained wildlife and environmental conservation knowledge since she joined the Grevy’s Zebra Scout Program, and being non-literate when she started the program, she has taught herself how to write numbers and letters. In addition, from her Grevy’s Zebra Scout salary she is currently supporting three of her children through school, as well as five other households of her extended family.
Today, after 14 years as a Scout, she reflects back on her work with GZT. “This job has changed my life completely. It has given me confidence within my community and a voice as a woman. My community giving me a listening ear is the greatest motivation I ever had in my life.”
Ngeeti is a true champion for Grevy’s zebra conservation and a worthy recipient of the Disney Conservation Hero award.
