The movement to spread CASA Latina’s “Sanctuaries of Life and Peace” is going global! Gaians and Global Earth Guardians are coming together to create a food forest sanctuary at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, bringing hope and sustainability to one of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
This inspiring project, led by GEN Europe/Damanhur Elder Macaco Tamerice, connects students from Gaia Education’s EDE program with a shared mission to create a positive impact within the GEN Africa region. The project’s economy dimension was spearheaded by GEN-I Ambassador Patty Rangel, who raised the funds to build this food forest sanctuary in collaboration with Kadjosi Matabishi of the Development and Empowerment Society of Kenya.
But the magic didn’t stop there! Patty Rangel then invited Mrinalini Nigde of GENOA to support the ecology dimension of the project by connecting Kakuma with India’s renowned planet conservation specialist, Mr. Raghunath Dhole of the Devrai Foundation. Mr. Dhole, an award-winning conservationist, has helped establish 17 sacred groves across India, each teeming with rich biodiversity and serving as vital gene banks for local flora and fauna. This expertise is now being shared with Kakuma to weave in the wisdom of sacred groves and foster a thriving ecosystem.
✨ And it gets even more exciting! Patty Rangel teamed up with permaculture experts Michelle Wong (Ecovillage Los Angeles) and Ray Cirino (Jackrabbit Homestead Ecovillage) from GENNA. Fresh off a weekend of rapid prototyping a Biochar Effigy Burn with Burners Without Borders at Fly Ranch, Nevada, they realized the power of biochar and soil remediation in helping plants grow with less water—a vital skill for the refugees facing desertification and scarce rainfall.
Why is this so important? The Kakuma Refugee Camp, located in the poorest region of Kenya, shelters nearly 200,000 people who have fled war, persecution, and violence from across Africa. Amidst malnutrition, disease, and a severe lack of resources, this food forest sanctuary is a beacon of hope—a chance for residents to cultivate food, restore the land, and reconnect with nature in a region where survival has been an uphill battle.
Join us in spreading the word about this transformative initiative! Let’s bring awareness and support to a movement that unites us all in caring for our planet and each other.
If you want to share this story, please tag @ecovillage and #SanctuariesOfLifeAndPeace #FoodForestRevolution #KakumaRefugeeCamp #RegenerativeCommunities #GlobalEarthGuardians #GENMovement
Images provided by Patty Rangel:
Kakuma Refugee Camp
I am happy to inform you that, by the grace of GEN, I have arrived in Muranga and have seen some really beautiful trees that have greatly pleased me. I spoke with an expert about our project, and he explained to me how to can sucees and what is needed. If we require his assistance, he is ready to come and guide us where we may face challenges…I decided to take various types of trees; I collected three trees from each type to experiment. This is because, if one fails, there will be others that thrive. In total, I collected seventy trees.
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A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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