Transformational Leadership & Management Training

“We have been told that we’re blind because we’ve never been to school, but after the Leadership and Management Programme (LAMP) training, I now know that it’s a lie,” says Amina Mohamed, an Octopus Fisher in Pate Marine Community Conservancy.

Just like Amina, Catherine Ekiru wanted to quit shortly after assuming her Finance chairperson role for Kirimon Conservancy. She thought her contribution to the board was ‘insignificant’, but after the training, this glumness was buried and she was able to make the changes she had joined to make.

Stephen Hoko, Shurr Conservancy chairperson, fundraised Ksh. 47 million (USD 47,000) to build schools for two pastoralists communities in Marsabit, shortly after completing the second module of the training.

These are testimonials of indigenous leaders who thought their fates was sealed for not having received formal education but are now front-runners and have occupied leadership positions within their communities.

These transformational customised LAMP trainings have led to improved governance and more effective leadership in conservancies, supporting community institutions on their journey to self-reliance. However, with just two LAMP trainers, the opportunity to scale and continue this programme is limited. That is why NRT, with support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and USAID, have identified and trained 15 NRT staff and conservancy managers to deliver LAMP training to conservancy leaders and indigenous communities across the 39 NRT-member conservancies - Training of trainers.

At the end of these trainings, NRT hopes to strengthen conservancies’ capacity for sustainability, governance, independence, and good management.

LAMP lead consultant Alan Ward has begun rolling out a three-module training with an aim of imparting the same knowledge to all member conservancies. They trainers were handpicked due to their passion for LAMP and an aptitude to become trainers.

So far, more than 450 indigenous leaders have taken part in NRT’s bespoke Leadership and Management Programme- a four module syllabus  that mainly focuses on leadership and management, problem solving, innovation, communication skills, time management, stakeholder and investor management, motivation, staff, asset, and financial management

Although the training is dubbed ‘Leadership and Management Programme’, the whole underlying message is these communities are able and capable of leading since they are already leaders in their respective communities’, and they have gained massive experience over time. 

“LAMP training simply comes along to put some frameworks and give these indigenous communities formal tools to help them offer leadership and management in a better way,” says Alan.

Although reading and writing is difficult for these wazee’s (men), young warriors and women, LAMP has taken a practical and more visual approach to educate and empower communities.

“These kind of trainings have fundamentally changed communities, they now have better negotiation skills with investors which has seen a number of conservancies tourism deals hence improving their livelihoods,” adds Alan. 

The model is unique, practical, relevant, engaging and its lessons are applicable in real life. 

LAMP trainings have been ongoing since 2014 with several groups ranging from NRT’s Senior Management Team (SMT), Heads of Departments (HoDs), Conservancy managers, Conservancy board members and committee members being trained.

“LAMP trainings have improved the capacity of communities to manage their resources and provide an opportunity where community representatives provide right leadership as a foundation for good governance,” says Daniel Letoiye, NRT’s Conservancies Sustainability Director, also one of the trainers.