The Proceeds of Naivafest 2016

Proceeds from the cultural festival will be channeled towards the construction of a cultural conservation centre. The conservation center will be multifaceted and will include among other activities establish a model tree nursery that will liaise with other women and youth groups in Nakuru County in massive tree planting initiatives. Several stalls and gift shops would be in place at the centre where youth and women group artisans would exhibit and market their wares as income generating initiatives.

Exhibitor Opportunities at Naivafest 2016

1.    Tents of Hire

At the main Naivafest grounds exhibitors shall have tents which shall be availed by the Naivafest organizers for hire to interested parties. Interested parties include exhibitors, participants who have ongoing business concerns, and local and international business people who are important to keeping the economic strength of Naivasha running smoothly. To get the exhibitor fees structure as well as book a tent as an exhibitor at Naivafest, go here

2.    Traditional Huts

To promote the cultural conservation message, there shall be traditional huts to showcase the rich cultural background of the indigenous communities of Naivasha such as the Maasai and the Turkana. 

The Proposed Activities for the Week-Long Naivafest 2016

The two proposed venues for the main activities of Naivafest 2016 are CrayFish Camp and the Sher Stadium. The set up of Naivafest is to have a field filled with tents for exhibitors all giving attention to the main dais where speeches, entertainment, and fashion shows will be on display on different days of the festival. The summary of the different activities in the two venues throughout the week is:

1.    Music Concert

The music concert shall invite local as well as international musicians who have an interest in environmental conservation issues. BDP, alongside other members of the planning committee, are currently in the process of identifying local musicians or music groups who will participate and enhance the entertainment. We are seeking music that will offer the cultural flavor of local genres such as “ohangla”, “isikuti”, and “mugithi” among others. 

Themes of Naivafest 2016

In tandem with the objectives of the event, the week-long activities of NaivaFest2016 have one major theme: Environmental Conservation. 

This year, Naivafest will have several sub-themes to bring the running  dialogues around Naivasha and the environment into one orchestrated initiative. The themes intertwined in all the planned activities are:

1. Environmental Conservation.
2. Peace Initiatives in light of the divergent and cosmopolitan nature of the residents of Naivasha.
3. Exhibit the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Kenyan communities represented in Naivasha and some also represented in other parts of Kenya. 
4. Showcase Naivasha as a rich tourist destination.

Tree Planting in Schools within Naivasha

BDP’s pilot project worked with government-owned secondary schools enabling the project to benefit learner populations in technology transfer of best practices in environmental conservation, re-forestation, and agri-business. Many participants in the school population are children from vulnerable economic backgrounds.

BDP also works with households adjacent to the schools especially girls many of whom drop out of school on account of early pregnancy, women especially widows and single mothers who are the main beneficiaries of small non-productive farms in the community, those with physical impairments, and orphans especially those orphaned by HIV/AIDS and the post election violence of 2007/2008. 

Planting Trees and the Kenyan Economy

The Bokobora Development Project (BDP) Tree Planting initiatives focus mainly in Naivasha, a sub-county of the greater Nakuru County of the Rift Valley in Kenya. Naivasha is home to both indigenous peoples and settlers. Amongst the settler communities are Kenyans of British extraction and Kenyans who have migrated from other parts of the nation and settled in Naivasha. The indigenous communities are mainly the Maasai, the Turkana, and the Borana. 
 

Trees and Tree Planting in the Community

BDP has a unique approach to agroforestry and agri-business where the Project seeks to improve community livelihoods within schools and in households by introducing drought resistant trees as well as herb and spice shrubs which do better in the semi-arid environment in Naivasha. This helps the community to move away from traditional crops such as maize which fail often due to poor rainfall in the region, a trend that aggravates poverty in the area.