Ol Lentille
The Ol Lentille Conservancy is a pioneering example of community-based conservation, which aims to align the interests of tourism and conservation with those of the communities who own the land. The Ol Lentille lodge was donated to and is owned by the local community.
The 40,000 acres of the Ol Lentille Conservancy, uniquely, are jointly owned by two Maasai and two Samburu communities. The Ol Lentille safari lodge, which operates exclusively on the Conservancy, is owned by a local Maasai community too. Guests at Ol Lentille are treated as a guest of the local community, and given extensive, deep and authentic access to their culture and key events in their life. These human and cultural connections are what truly sets Ol Lentille apart from other safari lodges.
The Ol Lentille Foundation is dedicated to supporting Ol Lentille community empowerment, education, health, and to helping conservation of the unique ecosystem.
An Equal Share and Ol Lentille
Ol Lentille is the first collaborative initiative, we hope, of many. It was borne from discussions with the Ol Lentille project investors, and community representatives.
All individuals whose photographs are presented on this website have consented to the photographs being published and sold under the condition that 50% of the net income generated will be donated to community projects, to support access to education and other projects determined with the communities of Ol Lentille Conservancy, according to their own, self-defined needs.
Individuals are photographed in their traditional wear which they still commonly use, and performing dances as they do frequently to celebrate coming of age, the coming of rain, or to impress the opposite sex. These are living traditions to which communities in the area are strongly attached.
An Equal Share funds will initially go to education, including school bursaries and school feeding programs, which are priorities identified by the Ol Lentille communities. School feeding programmes are critical in vulnerable communities to improve nutrition, increase school enrolment and attendance, especially for girls.
In January 2024 the Ol Lentille foundation provided meals for over 2000 pupils and covered school fees for 49 children (including 33 girls) from vulnerable households. As an indication, 120 GBP provides 1000 school meals (March 2024), and 240 GBP covers a year’s school fees for a secondary school student. Our initial target for 2024 and 2025 is to help the Ol Lentille foundation significantly increase these numbers.
If we are successful and as funds increase, a wider diversity of projects will be proposed by the communities and supported by An Equal Share.
