We have supported Save the Elephants’ (STE) since 2021, initiating a community health programme based out of their research station in the remote Sagalla community in Tsavo, southeastern Kenya. Save the Elephants began the Project to improve the wellbeing of Lower Sagalla's people, amplify the benefits of living alongside elephants, and support biodiversity.
The project trained Community Health Workers, ran several health outreach clinics and carried out a number of community dialogues on both human health and conservation issues.
In this, and many other areas of rural Kenya, people and wildlife often face similar challenges, with drought, degradation of land and limited access to healthcare all key issues. Integrating health outreach clinics with conservation efforts has equipped the people in the Sagalla community to protect their crops, embrace sustainable livelihoods, and enhance resilience in this most fragile ecosystem.
Youth dialogue as part of a health outreach
We recently spoke to Nurse Nelly, a healthcare provider at Kirumbi Dispensary in Sagalla village.
Nurse Nelly shared:
"In Kirumbi, accessing healthcare services has always been difficult for many, especially when it comes to SRHR. Initially, people were hesitant to even talk about subjects like pregnancy, STIs or breast health, let alone perform self-examinations. They simply didn’t know how to do it or why it was important. We had to break the silence for the benefit of the people, elephants and environment."
This project demonstrates how the One Health firstly recognises the connection between people, wildlife and the environment and how improving the health of people, improves the wellbeing of the whole ecosystem.