Mara COVID crisis response: Lease Relief Fund & Conservancy Operating Fund
COVID pandemic crisis response that developed into two financial mechanisms, designed to provide grant funding to support core operating costs of the conservancies until tourism revenues could recover, and a vehicle established with support by MMWCA by Conservation International to provide loans in order to sustain landowner lease payments and keep conservancies functioning.
This helped in averting wildlife coming under increased pressure from poaching and human/wildlife conflict, as well as protecting Maasai landowners from unmanageable economic pressure that would put one of the most promising and innovative conservation strategies in Africa at risk. Key stakeholder management and fundraising.