Kasim has been a gardener at the Wildlife Works Rukinga Sanctuary Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project for only a few months, but already his work speaks volumes.
Kasim is a true artist, blessed with an innate sense of beauty that allows him to create imaginative landscaping including fun, natural signage that create a warm welcome for staff members and visitors to the sanctuary.
The 47-year-old father of seven never got to finish his studies, due to lack of funds to pay school fees. He managed to get by, working security jobs at various institutions until he began working for Wildlife Works.
Kasim doesn’t let his lack of formal schooling interfere with his creativity. When he decided to spell out the word “carbon” in stones, he asked a friend to write the word on a piece of paper. Kasim them discreetly tucked away the paper and used it to copy the word into the ground.
Working at the Wildlife Sanctuary has taught Kasim the importance of trees to his country’s ecosystem and the need for sustainable jobs and better education for the people of Kenya.
Kasim feels moved to see the children in Rukinga progress with their studies. He said, “The youth are the leaders of tomorrow and if we let them waste away, our country will lack enough manpower for new innovations.”
