Less than a month ago 10,000 Birds launched a fund-raising project aimed at providing funding - in the form of the “Small African Fellowship for Conservation” (SAFC) - to a young Kenyan called Dominic Kamau Kimani who comes from the Kinangop Plateau near Nairobi. The Kinangop Plateau is the core area of the Endangered and beautiful Sharpe’s Longclaw Macronyx sharpeii, a grassland dependent pipit-like species that is endemic to the Kenyan highlands and is under severe threat from habitat change.

Sharpe’s Longclaw, Kenya, July 2008

Dominic is a leading figure in the conservation work currently being done on Sharpe’s Longclaw, working both in the field and on local community awareness-raising and education under the auspices of the National Museums of Kenya, and his story inspired us to attempt to raise 2,000 USDollars for him by the end of September (2008).

Dominic’s story obviously also inspired the readers of this blog, because we are immensely proud and pleased to be able to announce that last night a large donation was made that took us to our 2000 USD target: the “Small African Fellowship for Conservation” is now fully-funded and can be formally initiated. And once again can we assure everyone that 100% of the funds will be going straight to Dominic!

We are absolutely elated and hugely grateful to every single donor who has placed their trust in 10,000 Birds to co-ordinate and manage this project - but that’s nothing compared with the gratitude that’s going to be coming from Dominic when he comes back from the latest survey area and finds out!

UPDATE: 7th September.
How do I know?

Because I had an email from Dominic just after we reached our target that spoke eloquently of his commitment and the positive feeling that he can continue working to save the bird - Sharpe’s Longclaw - that he is so passionate about -

“Dear Charlie, I must say that i am already celebrating the Good News, this is really fantastic, thank you for spearheading this…i had strong hope that things would would work. this is encouraging to see the good direction of things. Charlie, the job well done deserve praise. on our side we are set to make it a reality on the ground. Also a big thank you To My Friend Luka who has worked tirelessly to make this dream possible. Certainly i am arranging some activities in Kinangop, schools Children and Community members, for sure it will be fun for all. as per your request, anything [you bring out] for the kids will be fine, about the pictures and anything you want from Luka or Myself we are more than willing to assist. Welcome back to Kenya the home of Hospitality. The day is well prepared for you. Karibu Kinangop. Dominic ” Dominic Kimani, Sept 7th 2008

The next stage of the project as far as I’m concerned is to do with the fact that - as Dominic referred to in his mail - I am flying out to Nairobi on October 10th to meet Dominic, survey co-ordinator Luca Borghesio, and Dr Muchai Muchane of the National Museums of Kenya! [And before anyone asks, when I'm not blogging and birding I work for an airline and the flight to Kenya is specially-requested but still part of my normal work - it's not funded in any way whatsoever by the "Small African Fellowship for Conservation" (10,000 Birds doesn't work like that and never will)].

While I’m in Kenya I’ll be handing Dominic a new pair of binoculars (courtesy of the wonderful Eagle Optics) to replace the battered old ones he uses now, and a visit to a local school is being arranged so that I can witness at frst hand the education work that - along with critical survey work - OUR donations are helping to fund. To say I’m excited that I’m getting this opportunity is THE understatement of 2008 so far!

Will I be taking piles of photographs and blogging about it when I get back? Do I really need to answer that…

Now that we’ve reached our 2000 USD target Mike, Corey, and I have had to take a decision whether to close the project or keep it open until the end of this month as planned.

Personally I’m convinced that we should keep it open for several reasons, but in particular:

• I’m sure that there are visitors to this blog who have thought about donating but haven’t yet - perhaps unsure whether a few dollars really will make a difference (they will, they really will) or whether if the full amount isn’t raised the “Fellowship” will actually go live (I think we’ve answered that).

• There are of course still many birders and potential donors etc who haven’t yet heard about the project, and closing it now would be counter-productive.

• I’m extremely proud that 10,000 Birds has shown that a birding blog can organise and promote a project like this, that we can set deliverable targets, and that we - and our wonderful readers - can really make a difference to the conservation of threatened bird species. It’s one heck of an achievement frankly, and I’m not ready to stop shouting from the rooftops about it anytime yet!

So the Chip In widget stays in the sidebar to the right, and if you’d like to donate PLEASE do so.

Will more money make a difference though? Of course. We’ve acknowledged many times that 2000 USD is not a huge amount to raise in western conservation terms (most campaigns started by eg the RSPB here in the UK aim to raise 250,000 GBP and up) - but for a small community-based project like this EVERY dollar makes a difference, and especially to someone like Dominic who is totally committed to what he does but is not regularly funded from other sources.

Sharpe’s Longclaw, Kenya, July 2008

So that’s where we’re at right now. I’ve been told that data and recent photographs of the survey will be sent to me soon which I’ll be posting on the blog, but in the meantime - on behalf of everyone involved - can I just thank again every single person who’s donated and/or helped us to promote the “Small African Fellowship for Conservation”.

Now, roll on October 10th!