A few years back, it was not unusual for a newly married woman in Nyatoto, a community in Homa Bay, to quietly make her way back to her parents’ house without notice.

This, Jennifer Odwara Nyakinda remembers, mainly happened if the woman had been married during the dry season, when the river nearby was dry and a round trip to get water would start at 4 am and end at 1 pm.

Nyatoto is next to Ruma National Park, home to the rare Roan Antelope.  The water crisis in the community began to change in 2022, when the Kenya Wildlife Service, Northern Rangelands Trust, Wildlife Research and Training Institute, and M-Pesa Foundation started a project to provide water to the animals at Ruma National Park.

One of the steps taken was the provision of a constant supply of water, which led to the digging of a borehole, which locals naturally gravitated to.

“We extended the supply of water to the community as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This also enabled us to win community support in our conservation efforts for the endangered Roan Antelope,” said Vasco Nyaga, Research Scientist, Wildlife Research and Training Institute.

The water has not only improved the well-being of the elusive Roan Antelope and contributed to the population increase from 16 to 25, but it has also benefited over 300 households in the surrounding communities.

Jennifer, also fondly known as Mama Park, found herself playing a dual role: minding the water point and the area close to the park to curb conflict between the people and the wildlife.

Watch the video to learn more about Mama Park and how the extension of water from the park ushered in a new era of hope, demonstrating that when communities flourish, conservation thrives.