Vision

A culturally, socio-economically and politically, empowered community, striving to secure our natural resources and sustain a green environment

Mission

To engage communities and stakeholders so as to ensure participatory decision-making, achieve sustainable and responsible development. and preserve the environmental, social and cultural integrity of the Lamu community

Objectives

• Raise awareness on the environmental, social, & political challenges facing the peoples and environs of Lamu
• Document and raise awareness on community knowledge, practices and rights over natural resources
• Foster sustainable and responsible development and use of natural resources
• Preserve the cultural and social identity of the marginalised indigenous communities in Lamu
• Advocate and lobby for the recognition of the communities natural resource rights
• Build capacity for the local community in natural resource rights advocacy
• Enhance partnerships between local, national and multinational groups to carry out any of the above objectives

Save Lamu is partnering with several national and international partners including, but not limited to:  Katiba Institute, Natural Justice, MUHURI, Friends of Lake Turkana, Accountability Counsel, AJWS, Heinrich Böll Foundation and many more. The organisation is also partnering with other civil society organisations in Northern Kenya to collaborate in advocacy activities on LAPSSET and other related infrastructure.

History

In 2009, Lamu Environmental Protection and Conservation (LEPAC) spearheaded an initiative to unite groups and individuals in a campaign to save the Lamu Archipelago. Out of this initiative, a coalition of groups came together under the banner Save Lamu.

From increasing support from partners and friends, the coalition grew from only 12 local members to now over 40 forty members consisting of local civil society organisations in Lamu including, but not limited to: environmental groups, development organisations, youth groups, women organisations, welfare groups, and more.

This was made possible through support from Natural Justice, an international NGO based in South Africa, INUKA Kenya Trust, a grassroots movement promoting respect, diversity and self-belief and Development Policy Management Forum (DPMF), a think-tank examining land and resources in Coast Province.

Some of the founding members of Save Lamu during a press conference over the Lamu Port