A China-Kenya business group has donated almost $40,000 to a project that helps young people better understand wildlife conservation in the east African country.
The funds from the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association (KCETA) on Tuesday will help upgrade an education programme for Kenyan teenagers at the Nairobi National Park.
Speaking at an event to mark KCETA's contribution on Tuesday, the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa, said Kenya is widely known as a haven for wildlife and conservation should be a top priority in terms of social and economic development plans.
Noting that wildlife and environmental protection has been one of the key areas of China-Kenya cooperation, Liu said that in 2015 China donated equipment to the Kenya Wildlife Service to strengthen its capabilities.
Some $8,000 of the KCETA donation will be used to refurbish information material within the Nairobi safari walk. Around $5,000 will go towards developing marketing and publicity materials for the walk in online and traditional media.
Some of the funds will go towards refurbishing a children's animal museum and to bringing 500 less privileged children on an educational trip to the park.
In February, the Chinese embassy in Kenya and the East African Wildlife Society jointly published a magazine in Chinese and English which is being distributed at airports and onboard international flights to offer information on wildlife conservation.
The ambassador noted that the Chinese community in Kenya has been prioritising wildlife conservation while working on infrastructure development.
"The 480 km Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway consists of 14 overpasses, 600 culverts and 61 bridges, all designed and built as corridors for animals to pass through," Liu said.
He added that protective fences have been erected on animal routes in the national parks to protect animals from traffic peril.
Chinese volunteers had also come to Kenya to devote themselves to the cause of wildlife protection, he said.
"Last year, Chinese young volunteers from Tsinghua University visited the Maasai Mara National Reserve and tracked down the positions and routes of lions and elephants using the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System," he said.
The team worked in partnership with the local communities to conduct anti-poaching patrols and wildlife rescue.
Liu said the recently launched Sino-Africa Research Centre in Kenya aimed at tackling environmental protection challenges in Africa and the Chinese government was committed to making it a success.
Zhang Haifeng, the KCETA chairman, said the association was committed to helping relevant programs launched by civil organizations in Kenya, and to contribute to helping teach about wildlife conservation.
"Teenagers' wildlife conservation education is a priority in the social development of Kenya," he said.
Kitili Mbathi, who heads the Kenyan Wildlife Service, thanked KCETA and the Chinese government for their continued support.
He said the Kenyan government was grateful for the initiative by the Chinese government to declare it will be closing down domestic markets for ivory and rhino horns.
"This is important for Kenya because we are working hard to stop poaching and as long as there is a market, the vice will continue. This move is encouraging to us," said Mbathi.
