BEYOND TOURISM:

Kenyan Industry Leaders Unite For Sustainable Tomorrow At Eco Warrior Awards

By Peter Kinuthia Murimi

In a dazzling display of commitment to sustainability, the Kenyan tourism and hospitality industry set the stage ablaze at the prestigious 2023 Eco Warrior Awards. Held on the 26th of October at the exquisite Trademark Hotel, the event marked the 16th edition of these influential awards, radiating the theme “Sustainable Tourism: A Brighter Future for People, Planet, and Profit.” This extraordinary gala, hosted by Ecotourism Kenya, brought together luminaries from the realms of Kenyan tourism, hospitality, and conservation.

The glittering ceremony was not just a celebration of winners; it was a resounding proclamation that sustainable tourism is the linchpin for preserving Kenya's natural and socio-cultural treasures. As industry leaders, conservationists, government officials, and eco-conscious travelers converged, the event underscored a collective commitment to ensuring a prosperous future for all. The Chief Guest for this momentous occasion, Hon. John Ololtuaa, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife, lent his esteemed presence, highlighting the significant stakeholder engagement and support for responsible tourism.

The Eco Warrior Awards not only celebrated past achievements but set the tone for a future where sustainability is not just a choice but a shared responsibility, echoing the belief that a brighter future for people, the planet, and profit is possible through the unwavering commitment to sustainable tourism. Under the glittering spotlight of the 2023 Eco Warrior Awards, a constellation of sustainable tourism stars emerged as below, each deserving their moment in the limelight. The list of awardees is listed below:

Accommodation Facilities

Addressing Climate Change Through Adaptation & Mitigation Sub-Category sponsored by Tourism Fund.

• Emboo River Camp - WINNER

• Mara Serena Safari Lodge - WINNER

• Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge – 1st RUNNERS UP

• Asilia Kenya Limited - 2nd RUNNERS UP

Promoting Biodiversity Conservation Sub-Category sponsored by the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers & Caterers.

• Serena Beach Resort and Spa -WINNER

• Governors’ Camp Collection –1st RUNNERS UP

• Saruni Rhino -2nd RUNNERS UP

Promoting Heritage & Cultural Integration Sub-Category sponsored by Tourism Fund.

• Serena Beach Resort and Spa -WINNER

• Basecamp Maasai Mara –1st RUNNERS UP

• Sarova Lionhill Game Lodge 2nd RUNNERS UP

Promoting Local Economies Sub-Category sponsored by Tourism Fund.

• Basecamp Maasai Mara -WINNER

• Leopard Hill –1st RUNNERS UP

• Elewana Elephant Pepper Camp Maasai Mara -2nd RUNNERS UP

Tour Operators

Promoting Biodiversity Conservation Sub-Category sponsored by the Kenya Association of Tour Operators.

• Let’s Go Travel -WINNER

• Kampur Travel Diaries –1st RUNNERS UP

• Intrepid DMC East Africa –2nd RUNNERS UP

Promoting Local Economies Sub-Category sponsored by Tourism Fund.

• Let’s Go Travel -AWARD RECOGNITION

Promoting Responsible Tourism Practices in Operations Sub-Category sponsored by Tourism Fund.

• Let’s Go Travel -WINNER

• Intrepid DMC East Africa –1st RUNNERS UP

Air Operators

Promoting Best Practices in Operations Sub-Category sponsored by Kenya Tourism Board.

• Air Kenya -AWARD RECOGNITION

Conservancies

Promoting Community Development Sub-Category sponsored by Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association.

• Mugie Conservancy - WINNER

• Ngare Ndare Forest Trust - 1st RUNNERS UP

• Mara Naboisho Conservancy - 2nd RUNNERS UP

Promoting Human-Wildlife Coexistence Sub-Category sponsored by the African Wildlife Foundation.

• Mugie Conservancy -AWARD RECOGNITION

COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM ORGANIZATION

Promoting Heritage & Cultural Preservation SubCategory sponsored by GO4SDGS.

• Beulah Hills – Beulah Gardens Mbulia – AWARD RECOGNITION

YOUTH-LED INITIATIVES

Advocating for Conservation in Tourism Sub-Category supportedd by Ecotourism Kenya.

• Tembea Make an Impact – AWARD RECOGNITION

Training Institutions

Integrating Sustainability into Tourism Curricular SubCategory sponsored by GO4SDGS.

• Kenya Utalii College -WINNER

• Amboseli Institute of Hospitality and Technology1st RUNNERS UP

Individual

Best Digital Content Creator in Advocating for Conservation in Tourism Sub-Category supported by Ecotourism Kenya.

• Anthony Ochieng -WINNER

• Dibblex Soiyantet -1st RUNNERS UP

• Belinda Smetana -2nd RUNNERS UP

Best Safari Guide in Promoting Responsible Tourism Practices Sub-Category supported by Ecotourism Kenya.

• Isaac Mwangi -WINNER

• Newton Kongo -1st RUNNERS UP

• John Lesinko -2nd RUNNERS UP

Best Student in Addressing Climate Change Through Adaptation & Mitigation Sub-Category supported by Ecotourism Kenya.

• Shirley Akinyi -WINNER

• Mark Miano -1st RUNNERS UP

• Mallayka Lanna -2nd RUNNERS UP

The 2023 Eco Warrior Awards shone a spotlight on those tourism industry trailblazers who have etched their names in sustainability. These champions, recognized in various award sub-categories, highlighted remarkable dedication to safeguarding Kenya’s breathtaking natural landscapes, fostering community engagement, and driving local economic growth.

PIONEERING UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WITH THE SOCIETY FOR FAMILY HEALTH (SFH) IN NIGERIA

By Bem Abubaker

Within the dynamic borders of Nigeria, a nation brimming with vitality, profound health challenges have been met with relentless innovation and collaboration. At the core of this transformative journey is the Society for Family Health (SFH), an indomitable force and a true testament to the boundless power of human determination. The SFH narrative encapsulates audacious dreams, unwavering partnerships, and tireless endeavors to bridge the gap between health needs and accessibility.

The Society for Family Health (SFH)

Nigeria, originally founded as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Nigeria, has grown and expanded over the years. Today, SFH operates not only in Nigeria but also in Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, aiming to improve healthcare access and promote social justice for all individuals in these countries. SFH adopts a comprehensive approach to addressing healthcare challenges, utilizing health system strengthening and total market approaches. By working in collaboration with communities, government agencies, donors, and the private sector, SFH strives to create a unified health system that provides universal coverage and ensures the delivery of a comprehensive Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) to all Nigerians.

SFH's commitment to quality healthcare is evident in their efforts to bridge the gap between the private and public health sectors. Through their total market approach, SFH aims to ensure that quality healthcare services are accessible and affordable for all Nigerians. By leveraging partnerships and mobilizing resources, SFH works towards strengthening the capacity of both sectors, ultimately improving the overall health outcomes for individuals and communities across Nigeria.

SFH is dedicated to addressing key issues that significantly impact family health. Through its six thematic areas, SFH focuses on tackling challenges such as access to safe water, family planning and reproductive health, maternal and child healthcare, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, malaria prevention and treatment, and health and social systems strengthening. These thematic areas have been carefully selected based on their relevance and impact on the health of families.

One of the key focus areas of SFH is Safe Water Systems in Nigeria (SWS). The organization recognizes the importance of clean and safe water in promoting good health and preventing waterborne diseases. SFH implements various projects across Nigeria and other countries to ensure that communities have access to safe water sources. By providing support and promoting the use of water purification systems and sanitation practices, SFH aims to improve the overall health and well-being of people.

In addition to SWS, SFH also prioritizes Family Planning and Reproductive Health (FP/RH). The organization believes that empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their reproductive health is crucial for their overall well-being. SFH implements projects and initiatives that promote family planning methods, educate communities about reproductive health, and provide access to quality reproductive healthcare services. By expanding access to family planning and reproductive health services, SFH strives to empower individuals, promote healthy family planning practices, and contribute to the overall improvement of family health.

SFH's commitment to addressing these various thematic areas is further strengthened by its extensive experience and expertise gained over three decades of community-level interventions and policy engagements. By leveraging this thought leadership, SFH aims to scale up its impact, reaching a larger population and connecting all Nigerians through an innovative social business model. This approach not only expands access to essential health commodities but also contributes to the overall improvement of national health financing, ensuring that more individuals and families in Nigeria can receive the quality healthcare they deserve.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT DRIVE PROGRESS

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, SFH contributes to the commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The UHC is geared to progressively reach individuals and communities with safe, effective, and essential medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and health technologies, to support all people with leading healthy, productive lives. The UHC aims to enable universal access to a strong and resilient people-centered health system with primary health care as its foundation. This implies that all people will be able to obtain the nationally determined health services they need. Thus, in the countries of its implementation, SFH is committed to reversing the rise in and trend of catastrophic out-of-pocket health expenditure. This is done by improving access to good healthcare services and providing risk protection measures with emphasis on the poor and vulnerable as well as those in vulnerable situations. SFH’s expertise is summed into three broad categories—health systems strengthening, total market approach, and essential health services.

Health System Strengthening (HSS): As articulated in its Strategic Directions, SFH is committed to the six building blocks of the World Health Organization’s (SFH) Health System Strengthening (HSS) approaches. SFH perceives HSS as actions that establish sustained improvements in the provision, utilization, quality, and efficiency of health services, including preventive and curative care, as well as the resilience of the health system. In addition to improving services and producing equitable health and development outcomes, these actions may influence key performance drivers such as policies, governance, financing, management, implementation capacity, behaviors, and social norms in the host countries where SFH has a presence.

The Total Market Approach (TMA) is a comprehensive strategy employed by SFH to enhance the availability and accessibility of essential health products and services. This approach ensures that individuals from all segments of the population can obtain the healthcare they need, regardless of their financial status. By adopting sustainable and equitable methods, SFH utilizes a combination of free, subsidized, and commercial channels to deliver priority health products.

One of the key ways in which SFH implements the TMA is by creating access to a range of essential health products. This includes items such as condoms, contraceptives, oral rehydration salts, zinc supplements, insecticide-treated bed nets, and water guards. These products are crucial for preventing the spread of diseases, promoting family planning, and improving overall health outcomes. SFH recognizes the importance of engaging both the public and private sectors in driving this process forward. By supporting and empowering local leaders and organizations, SFH ensures that the TMA reaches its full potential in delivering accessible healthcare solutions to all individuals.

Essential health services (EHS): The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) prioritize good quality essential health services to achieve UHC goals. SFH’s commitment to EHS aligns with Universal Health Coverage to deliver a guaranteed minimum package of public health interventions to communities. The package of interventions includes sexual, reproductive, and maternal health; newborn and child health; infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS; and non-communicable diseases.

Since its inception in 1983, and through the direction of visionary leadership, the organization has grown to be reckoned as one of the most respected NGOs supporting the scaling up of universal health coverage (UHC) in Nigeria. With offices across the country, a warehousing/planning system, and a network of hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and owner-operated retail drug outlets. It has also built a strong population base across every community, reaching an estimated sixty million Nigerians with services, information, or products. Its keystone for catalytic development and for achieving its vision lies in the organization’s commitment to robust programs backed by a well-articulated strategic direction; hence, this communication strategy is designed as one of the needed catalysts to support the overall mission.