KENYA, Wasini Island - June 2008
Rehabilitation and construction of water collection and storage tanks in exchange for the protection of 1,236 acres of mangrove forests for a minimum of 10 years
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Wasini Island is located approximately 53 miles south of Mombasa City and has approximately 2,500 inhabitants. The island has extensive mangrove forests covering an area of 1,236 acres. The mangroves provide some form of protection to the nearby Kisite Marine Park as well as the surrounding Mpunguti Marine Reserve, both of which harbor extensive coral reefs with a myriad of ecologically significant fish, as well as seven species of dolphins, humpback whales, whale sharks, water birds and turtles. The island faces various challenges such as continued exploitation and degradation of the mangrove forests, and increased demands for land for construction, cultivation etc. The island has no known natural source of freshwater and the residents have to subsist on brackish water or water transported in containers from the mainland, which makes it very expensive. Seacology will fund the rehabilitation of three concrete water collection and storage tanks, and construction of two new concrete water collection and storage tanks with supporting infrastructure. In return, the local communities will demarcate, protect and manage a 1,236-acre mangrove forest in partnership with the Kenya Forest Authority. *
UPDATE January 2009 - The project began in September 2008. As of November 2008, the community had formed a Project Implementation Committee, identified the site for a new water tank, replaced asbestos roofing with safer roofing materials at the existing water collection and storage tank area, and hired a contractor to begin work on the new water tank construction and existing tank rehabilitation.
UPDATE June 2009 - As of April 2009, the rehabilitation of existing tanks is 100% complete, including the construction of a catchment area, security wall and gutters; construction of the new tank is 75% complete and the rehabilitation of the Wasini Womens Eco-Tourism Boardwalk is 40% complete. The mangrove forest remains protected and various meetings have been held in the village by the Assistant Chief to inform villagers that no harvesting or cutting of the mangroves is allowed. In addition the initial commitment by Seacology to protect the fragile coastal resources of Wasini Island has enabled leverage for additional funding from the government on a larger scale to protect both coastal and marine resources for islands in the south coast. Development Director Susan Racanelli will visit this project in June 2009.
UPDATE December 2009 - As of December 2009 the rehabilitation and construction of the water tanks funded by Seacology was successfully completed. The tanks were inspected by officers from the Ministry of Water and a certificate of completion was issued. Currently the surrounding mangrove forest covering 5 km2 remains protected and various meetings have been held in the village in September, October and November to define the process of forming a Wasini Community Forest Association to manage the forest.
*Support for asterisked projects is provided fully or in part by: 
