NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – In a well-deserved recognition at the Mashujaa Day Celebrations, Harrison Pemba Taga, commonly known as Prince Harris, has been honored with the prestigious National Heroes Award.
As the visionary founder of Mara Napa Camp, a social impact luxury camp, and the dedicated president of both the Mara Napa Foundation and Friends of Maasai Mara, Taga’s tireless efforts go beyond wildlife conservation.
His transformative initiatives encompass sustainability, community empowerment, and holistic support for the entire Maasai Mara region.
“Guarding the Maasai Mara isn’t just a duty; it’s an expression of our deep affection for this natural haven and the life it sustains,” said Taga.
Since 2017,Taga together with his friend Mitchelle Nirestein commenced a plan to help the local people of the Maasai Mara, their pristine land, and the endangered wildlife that roam there.
They started the Mara Napa Foundation at the 15 acre Mara Napa Center and the surrounding communities.
Human/ wildlife conflict is an ongoing challenge in the Mara but slowly they have tried to mitigate it through education, land leases that ensure wildlife have enough free range.
In reverence for wildlife they have facilitated drone surveillance to provide radio contact with the locals to warn of wildlife encroachments, or to turn wildlife away from human interactions, and providing alternatives to cattle grazing in the conservancies.
Apart from conservation,the MNF projects have provided opportunity for women.In the Maasai culture, women do most of the work.
To honor and empower them, they have built a special gathering place – the first of its kind in the Mara – where women of the community can gather, sheltered from the harsh sun.
Here they enjoy companionship, sharing ideas, attending lectures, and learning new skills. Entrepreneurship, design, and product development are cultivated, and self-reliance grows.
The basic lessons include small business administration, health education, environmental safety, spa and medicinal products development.
Here, women feel valued and empowered to lift themselves out of poverty.
