Kenya self catering beach accommodation
How Kenya self catering beach accommodation makes a difference
Environment
We use energy saving light bulbs; we use solar heaters for hot water; in the cooler months we heat guests' bathing water with boosters into which we feed waste coconut husks from our own farm grown coconuts.
We fell dying or dead and non indigenous trees on the estate for charcoal, our community make the charcoal and keep half the spoils for themselves to use or sell. We grow casuarina trees, a sustainable and fast growing timber with a nitrogen fixing leaf fall, for charcoal and for building ourselves and within the local community. With an Italian wind energy company we have erected a wind tower on site and are monitoring the flow in the hope of one day being able to generate our own wind power.
We are working hard with the local fishing community trying to strike the sensitive balance between recognising their need to fish and sell a catch and the reef's need to survive. We believe it's all about education and we are relentless in our bid to educate. We encourage guests to take trips out onto the reef with local fishermen so that the fishermen have a different option to generate revenue whilst simultaneously benefitting from the opportunity to understand the reef can yield in different ways.
Community
We have launched a reading scheme. We have relocated our personal library to a public space on the property, we encourage guests to borrow a book and we ask for a small deposit on that book. On returning it, we'll pay part of the deposit back and keep a part of it to purchase books for two local schools within and representative of the local community: one Christian, one Muslim.
We support all our employees in their bid to educate their children, sponsoring school fees, extending loans for uniforms and books. We believe in training on the job and we have introduced a self reflecting bonus scheme so that our team understand where and how they can improve on their skills and have the initiative in place to do so.
We believe in the empowerment of African women especially, and to that end support several local women in small endeavours - one lady makes and sells doughnuts and samosas daily to guests, from another group we purchase their locally grown cashewnuts and stock in our farm shop for guests.
Kenya self catering beach accommodation
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