Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project (CIPDP)

The Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project (CIPDP) is a small organisation rooted in the Ogiek community of Kenya working to secure recognition of the Ogiek’s rights and the role they play in protecting and sustainably managing Mt. Elgon forest.

CIPDP is focussed on securing the ancestral land and natural resource rights of the Ogiek, fostering good relationships between the Ogiek and their neighbours, and promoting initiatives that will see the long-term sustainability of Mt. Elgon forest.

The Ogiek have seen their land progressively converted to ‘protected areas’ which have deemed them illegal squatters on their land. Meanwhile, the forests have been severely degraded, especially in areas where the Ogiek have been evicted to create forest reserves or national parks.

Synchronicity Earth’s Biocultural Diversity Programme is supporting CIPDP’s Community Radio to reach out to the Ogiek and neighbouring communities with conversations about the sustainable use of Mt. Elgon forest. This radio grants the Ogiek a platform to engage with their community and neighbours and share traditional knowledge about how to protect and use their forest sustainably.

CIPDP is connected nationally and internationally. It coordinates the Forest Indigenous Peoples Network of Kenya (FIPN) and cooperates with the Sengwer Indigenous Peoples Program (SIPP), the Katiba Institute and the Ogiek People’s Development Program. It works closely with the Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) and is a member of the International Land Coalition (ILC) and the ICCA Consortium.