David Ngala

Category: General | Date: Jan 21 2008 | By: admin

Hamjambo!! (”Howsit?!” in Kiswahili - “wote” means ”all”)… My name is Colin and I’m the Chairman for Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and as such work closely with David in giving him what support and backup I can on the ground in his work. We’re still trying to get our ‘bush heads’ around this concept of blogging as it’s not quite the way most people communicate around where we live in Watamu / Gede on the northern Kenya coast, but it seems like a great idea to get the message out to all and anyone about the work we are doing and to allow others join in by supporting and taking an interest!

David is only just back from several days camping in the forest having gone in on the new FoASF piki-piki (motorbike in Kiswahili) which he received last week (see pic below). This was donated very generously by a FoASF supporter last year and it has taken all this time for us to clamber through the beaurocratic loops of registering it. But we HAVE now and it is already being put to good use (despite the odometer measuring 2km for every 1 travelled…!).

David was camping in the forest to save funds on mileage and fuel and was doing surveys for illegal snares and cut trees - the main problems we are facing in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. I’m sure he’ll have some stories to tell from his time in the forest - and he’s a great story teller, particularly about traditional Giriama legends (which are often firmly believed to be true!!).

I’m sure this will be of real interest as we get going on reporting on David’s and other FoASF activities and look forward to receiving feedback.