The Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) on Tuesday received a significant donation of 20 upgraded Land Cruiser pickups, one truck, and 50 tents valued at $1.8 million (Ksh232,416,000).
The donations aimed at enhancing the KWS operations and improving wildlife protection efforts by the officers were made by the Chantecaille Conservation Foundation (CCF).
They were received by the Director General of KWS Erustus Kanga and presented by Ms Sylvie Chantecaille, the co-founder and chief executive officer of the CCF.
Whereas the donations are noble and instrumental for Kenya’s conservation, they beg the question of which foundation this was.
KWS Director General Erustus(left) Kanga receives goodies from Chantecaille Conservation Foundation, February 10, 2025.
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KWS
Well, in this piece, we will dig deeper into the Chantecaille Conservation Foundation, their main business, why they donated to KWS, and some other businesses they indulge in apart from environmental conservation.
So, who are the Chantecaille Conservation Foundation? Founded in 2022, the CCF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving vulnerable ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them.
Established by Sylvie and Olivier Chantecaille, the foundation focuses on protecting and advocating for keystone species and their habitats, the main reason why they donated to KWS.
According to KWS, the donations will improve mobility, enhance communication, support rangers, and collaborate for conservation.
“Each vehicle has been modified to withstand the rugged terrain in which KWS operates in, furthermore the vehicle has been fitted with VHF radios to facilitate seamless communication between field operations teams and the command centers, improving coordination, response times, and overall security in our protected areas,” Kanga explained while receiving the gifts.
This is not the first time the foundation has been involved in Kenya. Previously, the foundation protected about 1.2 million acres of land in the Amboseli. They also support 67 schools monthly near wildlife habitats in Kenya.
Apart from environmental conservation programs, unknown to many, the foundation runs a makeup and skincare company popular across the world.
They are associated with the Chantecaille luxury skincare and make-up brand, which offers a range of makeup products, including foundations, concealers, lipstick, and eyeshadows. Their products are allegedly known for being free of harmful ingredients like phthalates, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, palm oil, and GMOs.
The foundation is not only involved in Kenya but also in other countries. It purchased 137 hectares of land in Colombia’s Sierra Nevadas.
CCF found is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving vulnerable ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them, February 10, 2025.
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KWS