There is a great opportunity for AWRCK to strengthen its collaboration with GRAA, IRF, and Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA) to benefit from global ranger well-being programs. We can collaborate with these networks for participation in international rangers' conferences and awards, capacity building of our association and rangers, fundraising, networking, sharing knowledge, and promoting best practices among the world's rangers.
We are already collaborating with the KWS, although it is not structured and is on a smaller scale. There are potential opportunities for us to establish structured partnerships with the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Maritime Authority, the Kenya Police Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, and various country governments in crucial wildlife and biodiversity landscapes.
We are at the nascent stage of organizational development. We have limited capacity to exploit the existing conducive policy and legal framework for the work of the rangers in the country. We need to continue partnerships and collaborations with KWCA, regional ranger associations, and civil society organizations at the national and county level to realize the benefits envisaged in the current policy and legal frameworks.
Several international agencies are engaged in biodiversity conservation in Kenya, including Nature Kenya, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Birdlife International, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), and Practical Action, among others. There are opportunities for us to partner with these and other agencies in the conservation sector for resource mobilization and the design of programs that benefit rangers.