Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy, (also known as Lewa Downs) is located in northern Kenya. It was formed in 1995. It is a wildlife sanctuary incorporating the Ngare Ndare Forest and covering over 62,000 acres (250 km2). The Conservancy is home to a wide variety of wildlife including the rare and endangered black rhinos, Grevy's zebras and sitatungas. It also includes the big five (lion, leopards, elephants, rhinos and Cape buffaloes). Lewa holds over 12% of Kenya's eastern black rhinoceros population and the largest single population of Grevy's zebras in the world (approximately 350 individuals). The Conservancy is also home to the Northern Rangelands Trust, an innovative partnership with a number of communities to the north who have given land for the preservation of wildlife. Lewa has its own education program that helps develop schools and students. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is located in Meru County, south of Isiolo town but north of Mount Kenya.

The Kimana Community Sanctuary, is one of such projects. It became for Kenya in 1996, the country's first park beyond parks'. This was followed by the Il Ngwesi Group Ranch tourism project in Laikipia, situated in Kenya's semi-arid north. The community there is often severely affected by the migration of elephant and smaller plain animals. In recognition of the success of Kimana, Care for the Wild International is supporting a pioneering new project called Porini. This will fund a project manager to work with Maasai communities to help them establish conservation areas on communally owned land in the hope that small scale sustainable tourism will generate income for the community. Authorities hope that wild animals that spend most of their time outside the protected areas will have a future and that Kenya's unparalleled national wildlife heritage will be secure if such the projects do work.Amboseli, a period when 95% of the Amboseli rhino fell to poachers.

Eventually the Kimana Maasai approached the KWS to suggest the sanctuary and ask for assistance in setting it up. Whilst the Maasai were autonomous in their decision making the KWS provided consultancy, a road network and trained Game Scouts. The sanctuary charges considerably less than the Amboseli and each group ranch member receives an annual dividend whilst some money is retained for joint community projects. The Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, in Kenya's coastal region, set up to protect some 6,000 acres of a traditional elephant migration route is another example of these projects. Several local Duruma small-scale farmers had to move elsewhere to permit development, and money from a luxury-tented camp replaces lost income.In recognition of the success of Kimana, Care for the Wild International is supporting a pioneering new project called Porini. This will fund a project manager to work with Maasai communities to help them establish conservation areas on communally owned land in the hope that small scale sustainable tourism will generate income for the community..

The Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary,, in Kenya's coastal region, set up to protect some 6,000 acres of a traditional elephant migration route is another example of these projects. Several local Duruma small-scale farmers had to move elsewhere to permit development, and money from a luxury-tented camp replaces lost income.Authorities hope that wild animals that spend most of their time outside the protected areas will have a future and that Kenya's unparalleled national wildlife heritage will be secure if such the projects do work.Amboseli, a period when 95% of the Amboseli rhino fell to poachers. Eventually the Kimana Maasai approached the KWS to suggest the sanctuary and ask for assistance in setting it up. Whilst the Maasai were autonomous in their decision making the KWS provided consultancy, a road network and trained Game Scouts. The sanctuary charges considerably less than the Amboseli and each group ranch member receives an annual dividend whilst some money is retained for joint community projects. This sanctuary has been set up to create a corridor for the movement of elephants fromShimba Hills National Reserveto a nearby forest area. The sanctuary protects 6,000 acres of the traditional migration route and ranges from sea level stands of boabab trees to moist deciduous forests on the hills and vestigial rain forest along the watercourses. A fee is payable to the local community for every visitor to the reserve. A fence has been erected to protect man from elephant and vice versa and after initial scepticism from the community the benefits of the sanctuary are now being appreciated by all.

The Il Ngwesi Group Ranch,, in Laikipia in Kenya's semi-arid north, started following an approach by Ian Craig from neighbouring Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in the mid 1990s. Il Ngwesi became the first Maasai Group Ranch in Laikipia to join Lewa on a conservation and community development journey with a vision far beyond its borders. Community elders agreed to set aside 8,675 ha of their grazing land for conservation, and in 1996 with funding from USAID through the Kenya Wildlife Service, the superb Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge was built. From the 80 men that worked for 10 months to build the lodge, 10 were selected to be trained to run the lodge and host tourists. A team of rangers (now totalling 16) was also trained at Lewa to oversee security, and monitor and protect people and wildlife.. The community has constructed bandas and an airstrip to generate income from local and overseas tourism and hopefully the revenue will offset the seasonal disadvantages caused by the seasonal passages of large numbers of animals.

Set in acacia forest on the banks of Lake Naivasha, Elsamere Conservation Centre, is a haven for nature lovers. The former home of Joy Adamson, Elsamere is now a conservation centre offering the chance to visit local conservation projects and runs research programmes to monitor lake ecology. 2010 marked the centenary of the birth of Joy Adamson – a pioneer in the field of conservation. With her husband George, Senior Game Warden for Kenya’s untamed Northern Province, she established one of the world’s first wild animal appeals which in 1963 became the Elsa Conservation Trust. Today the Elsa Conservation Trust continues its life long commitment to wildlife conservation operating a wildlife retreat and an education centre at the Adamson’s former home at Elsamere on the shores of Lake Naivasha in Kenya’s Rift Valley.

Strict Environmental Policy

As a travel services provider, the AfriChoice Group's primary aim is to meet the Africa travel needs of its clients. In doing so, AfriChoice recognizes that it has an impact on the environment, both directly through the running of its offices and indirectly through meeting the travel and tourism needs of its clients. Our environmental objectives includes but not limited to; ensure compliance at local, national and international levels; minimise the consumption of energy, water and materials across operations; minimise solid waste generation by waste re-use and recycling wherever possible; avoid the use of materials that may cause harm to the environment; promote internal awareness of environmental issues with staff and to support environmental initiatives by employees and relevant external groups.

AfriChoice recognizes that it has an impact on the environment, both directly through the consumption of energy and other resources used throughout its daily business activities, and indirectly through its supply chain. The company's environmental strategy is to strive to reduce the environmental impacts of its operations. Environmental considerations will form an integral part of daily business, including management planning, capital expenditure and operating procedures.

Strict Code of Conduct

The AfriChoice! Group has adopted and aims to abide by a Code of Business Conduct / Ethics that we observe strictly. This Professional Code of Ethics includes information on relations with customers, suppliers, intermediaries, shareholders and investors, employees, government and the local community, competitors and compliance issues. This is achieved through improved relations with customers, suppliers and intermediaries, transparent communication with shareholders and other investors, better relations with employees, government, the local community and with with competitors as well as improving issues relating to international business through compliance and verification.

In addition, AfriChoice Group is fully committed to good corporate governance. Our principles and rules on corportate governance are laid down in the Articles of Incorporation, the company bylaws and the regulations of the Board of Directors Committees. The Audit Committee reviews these principles and rules regularly in the light of prevailing best practices and forwards suggestions for improvement to the full Board for approval.

Remember: "We can only achieve our ambitions through partnering with people and communities. Through transparent dialogue and collaboration, we can make a positive impact – building trust by promoting social change". Prof. Wangari Maathai, Environmentalist...