An elephant in a skirt? No, a puppet created through a No Strings International / Born Free collaboration working with Kenyan communities affected by human-elephant conflict.

It’s easy to make judgements about the shrinking territory of elephants in the wild. But how would you like them for neighbours? Neighbours which can destroy all your crops – your one source of income – in a single night?

On the other side of the Meru National Park fence – the one the elephants climb through at night to get to crops, or to water when farmers’ irrigation channels have depleted their own sources, or to follow the migration routes of their ancestors – the wild elephants are being photographed by wealthy Western tourists.

The majority of Kenyan villagers, equally in awe of these giant beings, are unable to afford the park entry fees and experience only their destructive side.

Aimed largely at adults, our approach recognises that effective programming needs to afford community members the dignity of being heard, and a space to enjoy the process of being present.

The programme is currently being evaluated to measure impact and effectiveness.