This campaign has now closed
SOS Sahel UK would like to understand what pastoralists think about the future and help them communicate their ideas more effectively to those in power. Pastoralists are livestock-keepers who manage their animals over open rangeland, often in the most marginal, drought-prone and neglected parts of the world. We believe that pastoralists have the same right to self-determination as any other group in society, but that decades of discrimination have denied them the chance to exercise that right. Our first conversations with pastoralist elders from the dedha association in Isiolo, Kenya, have generated concrete plans which those elders believe will reduce the long-term threats they face. Two of their immediate priorities are to protect their rights over land and to represent their people’s interests more effectively. Our aim in this project is not just to support specific pastoral groups such as those in Isiolo, but to develop a simple approach which other NGOs can use elsewhere and thus scale up the potential benefits. We are not interested in abstract debate; we are interested in helping pastoralists bring about the kind of future they want rather than settle for the future others decide for them. Our role is to enable them to engage more effectively with a modern, fast-changing world.
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Situation
Africa’s pastoralists are among the most neglected groups on the continent. Colonial administrations either abandoned or oppressed them; contemporary governments for the most part still regard them with suspicion and misunderstanding. Low levels of education, infrastructure and population density make it difficult for pastoralists to organise and engage with the external forces that increasingly affect their lives. We believe that this project is important now because:  Some major global trends, in climate, education, technology, and urbanisation, are coming together, suggesting that the future for pastoralists may be very different than the past, for which they need to be better equipped.  Most development projects take a relatively short term perspective (2-3 years at most), and yet these trends will have implications over generations.  For some reason pastoralism generates lively debate about its relevance and viability in a way that other, equally rational, livelihood systems do not. Rarely, however, do pastoralists themselves have the opportunity to influence or even contribute to the debate about their future. £10,000 would make possible the following:  Professional legal advice for the dedha association in Kenya concerning the options for registering their land in ways that protect their long-term interests.  Consultations between the male elders and other social groups to consider how the dedha could better represent their interests. Expected outcomes Short-term:  Greater awareness among the dedha of their legal rights over land and the options open to them.  Practical actions which help the dedha represent the interests of their members more effectively. Long-term:  Pastoralists’ rights to land protected.  Stronger and more effective local institutions in some of the most neglected parts of Africa.