Pride of Kenya really is going to be the biggest thing in Kenyan conservation this year. Launched just over 5 days ago, the lions are really coming to town. For Kshs 200,000 ($2,500), we’re asking organisations to sponsor a life-size fibre glass lion and we’ll be getting artists to decorate them in July and August. From September the lions will be prowling the streets of Nairobi and residents and visitors alike will be able to enjoy viewing them, before they’re auctioned off at a gala event in November.
Last Friday we attended the launch of the new Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) logo. Thanks to their dynamic chairman Vimul Shah (also the CEO of Bidco Oil Refineries) my colleagues and I were given 5 minutes to pitch about Pride of Kenya. Armed with the very first fibre glass lion fresh from the sculptor’s studio, we told them why the lion is so vital for Kenya and has become almost a symbol of what we stand for (it’s the logo for country and it’s one of the Big Five and it is the first animal that comes to mind when you think of Kenya). In an era where our manufacturing industry is being hit had by Chinese counterfeits and local textile industries have closed down because of sub-standard or second-hand imports (Mutumba), it was easy for the owners of local industries to see that the lion is truly “Made in Kenya”. Once the real ones are gone, they’re gone for ever.
In less than a minute, orders were taken from Bamburi Cement, Mabati Rolling Mills, House of Manji, Rift Valley Railways, Chandaria Industries and Athi River Mining, to name a few. In total 18 lions were sponsored! So I’m very excited to report that the leading manufacturers of all things Made in Kenya are now firmly behind the conservation of lions. To me, Vimul Shah and KAM are our real Pride this week!
(In this image, Vimul Shah is second on the left. Also first on the the left is the CEO of the Kenya Tourism Federation sponsoring 2 lions, Kaigwa the sculptor, Charlie Langhorne and Will Travers. Followed by Ali Kaka Regional Director of IUCN, Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa the Minister of Forestry, Mr. Wamwachai the PS of Forestry and Wildlife, Julius Kipng’etich the Director of KWS, Wildlife, Dr. Githinji the Marketing Director of Nation Media Group sponsoring 2 lions and Betty Maina CEO of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers.)
If you would like to get involved, visit www.prideofkenya.co.ke or contact prideofkenya@bornfree.or.ke
Many thanks and check back soon for more information!
Alice Owen
East African Representative, Born Free
Donations made here are
Dec 26th Patty K USD 69.00
2 Comments
Alice, this is great news of the sponsors so far. Have any of the big hotel chains (Serena, Fairmont) and tourist groups (CCA, now And Beyond) been contacted about this to show their support. These groups have alot to lose if Kenya is void of lions. That is one of the reasons I return to Kenya year after year to see the lions.
I saw your 24 June reply to me and about seeing the lions in September during my stay in Nairobi in September. Unfortunately we don’t have much time there as we are overnighting one night (Holiday Inn-Parklands Road) and leave the next morning at 10:30am for the Mara. We’ll just have to get up early and get in a quick tour before we head out to Wilson airport. Should I just contact you via this blog? Or, since you can see my email here, can you send me your email addy via that and we can be in contact that way?
Terrific news!
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[...] “For Kshs 200,000 ($2,500), we’re asking organizations to advocator a life-size material render cat and we’ll be effort artists to embellish them in July and August”, says the Pride of Kenya blog. [...]
[...] “For Kshs 200,000 ($2,500), we’re asking organizations to sponsor a life-size fibre glass lion and we’ll be getting artists to decorate them in July and August”, says the Pride of Kenya blog. [...]