Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

Home
Kenya
Malindi
Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

The Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (FoASF) is a working group that advocate for the conservation of the forest through participatory approaches.

The Arabuko-Sokoke is an indigenous 420 square kilometre forest with 500 different kinds of birds mammals reptiles and butterflies and 10 resident animals that are globally threatened or are endemic to the forest and found nowhere else on earth. The Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest was launched in 1999 to support the forest and remained active until 2007. Unfortunately the focus diminished and in

2014 the Arabuko-Sokoke came under threat. It was at this point it was decided to protect this unique and internationally renowned forest by relaunching the Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in order to:

monitor any destruction of the ecosystem in the forest by documenting and reporting illegal tree felling and the poaching of animals

Create awareness of the value of the forest amongst local and international communities

support the local farming communities, Kenya Forest Services and Kenya Wildlife Services. Arabuko-Sokoke is easily accessed from Malindi, Watamu and Kilifi is the second most important area in Africa for bird conservation after the Congo rainforest. For 1,000/- please become a Friend of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest to ensure that it remains for generations to come.

30/07/2026

In anticipation of World Rangers Day, we are proud to introduce a comprehensive campaign to support our dedicated rangers. Our scouts require enhanced welfare, salary increases, advanced equipment, and specialized training to continue their vital work. Their tireless efforts have resulted in the removal of over 22,000 snares from the threatened Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. Join us in our mission to protect endangered and endemic species by donating today, adopting a ranger, and supporting our conservation initiatives. To contribute, please visit: https://www.givengain.com/campaign/saving-arabukosokoke-forest-adopt-a-ranger or https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=4DK322DV4R6WQ. You can also visit our website at https://friendsarabukosokoke.org/donate/ to learn more.

14/07/2026

We had an exciting today on Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming, hosted by .ke and facilitated by YISA (Youth in Sustainable Aquaculture). It was awesome to see our livelihood community members from Mida, Gede, Arabuko, and Jilore coming together. We learned some incredibly practical ways to turn everyday into high-protein, low-cost feed for our and .

We hope this will be just the beginning on our work to create a economy and build a network of organic soil implements and important organic producers for our upcoming projects. The best way to is to arm them with they can use to build a more future and stregthen their understanding of how to turn everyday into . Thank you for this exciting exchange.

04/07/2026

The Heroes Nobody Sees

Sometimes conservation doesn't look like elephants.

Sometimes it looks like fresh concrete.
It looks like heavy bags of cement.
Long days in the sun.

Carefully shaping over 60 metres of water channel by hand.

No cameras.
No applause.
No headlines.

Just a small team determined that when the next drought comes...
the water will still flow.

These photos show the upgrade of our Arabuko Swamp water pipeline—a project that will quietly deliver thousands of litres of water every day to one of the most important wildlife refuges surrounding Arabuko-Sokoke Forest.

Every smooth section of concrete was built by people who may never receive the right recognition.

But the elephants will know.
The buffalo will know.

The Aders's duikers, baboons, birds and countless other species that depend on this water will know.

These are conservation heroes. We give a special thank you to Mohamed and his team who did an excellent job and of course

❤️ Please consider making a donation to our Water for Wildlife Campaign. Head to our website and click Donate.

MPESA 4061285 Acct # W4W

Many hands make light work!

Together, we keep the water flowing.

30/06/2026

We have been so busy in the field over the past few years, that we have yet to communicate all the behind the scenes work that we do to support the forest and it's important biodiversity.

With the generous support of Wildlife in the forest get to drink!

We are sharing what Mohammed and his talented team have been doing this week at the Swamp to upgrade the piping from the borehole fed cistern to the swamp. It's no small job. We are grateful for the time and energy this team has given to the project and we can't wait to see the results.

Our hope is that water will flow seamlessly from the cistern to the swamp, without clogs and blockages that waste water and money.

We need more support to get the swamp on a regenerative power system. Please click the link DONATE from our website www.friendsarabukosokoke.org. You can also donate from our paypal link or direct at givengain.com here: https://www.givengain.com/cause/friends-of-arabuko-sokoke-forest-60444

26/06/2026

Did you know we are hosting the largest known population of Sokoke Scops owl in the world, right here in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest?

Photo Credit: 1) 2)

23/06/2026

Hey there, wildlife enthusiasts!

If you've ever had a blast spotting amazing creatures especially at the Swamp, it's time to give it up for the real MVPs!

🙌 1) Sammy Safari and his family, plus Kibogo and Alfred, who generously donated land for Arabuko-Sokoke Forest conservation.

2) Andy + Eri Thomas of , who brought the water magic to the forest - the ONLY permanent year-round water source for our furry and feathered friends!

🌊 With Captain Andy's help, we're upgrading the water source to save some serious cash on maintenance costs.

💸 In 2025, those droughts were NO JOKE, with water bills through the roof (200,000 liters/day for wildlife and 20,000 liters for community). And let's not forget the fuel costs for pumping water (400 liters/month - ouch!).

So, if you've enjoyed the swamp's awesomeness, will you chip in to support the upgrade?

🤔 We need 4 million ksh for a solar and battery backup system to make it more . Remember what they say, "Many hands make light work", if we all pitch in something small we can achieve something great. Thank you again Captain Andy's for your many years of behind the scenes support to not only to Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, but to all the species that depend on us for survival.

Reach out to [email protected] to join the party or contribute via MPESA PAYBILL: 4061285 Acct #: W4W (Water for Wildlife). 💸

22/06/2026

What happens when we bring into the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest?

We build future conservationists! Meet some of our Arabuko Junior Rangers. This weekend we had so much fun with these children, building awareness for the importance of biodiversity inside and around the forest.

Want to sign your child up for activities inside the forest? Reach out and ask us how.

17/06/2026

Today, on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, we are reminded that restoring and protecting our environment starts with small actions that grow into lasting change.

Through tree planting activities around the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest with schools and communities, we are working to restore degraded areas. But restoration is only one part of the solution. Protecting existing forests from unsustainable logging and raising awareness about the consequences of it is equally important.

Every tree planted helps restore the landscape. Every tree protected helps preserve the natural systems that retain water, support wildlife, and reduce the spread of land degradation.

As Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest we remain committed to safeguarding our forests and investing in a more regenerative future with at the forefront of environmental action.

Thank you for your generous support this year for our Environmental Education Program!

🌱 Restoring what has been lost.
🌳 Protecting what remains.
🌍 Building resilience for tomorrow.

12/06/2026

It is with quiet and humble dedication that our Board Director, Andy Thomas and his entire family together with support the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and our entire team at Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest for over 20 years!

Not just financially, not just hands on, but with passion for wildlife and biodiversity present in this severly under-represented forest.

Thanks to Sammy Safari and his family for dedicating part of their land to forest conservation and allowing visitors to sit for free for wildlife watching for all these years. Sammy is a dedicated conservationist and has kept the swamp functioning so that wildlife has access to water.

This week we visited the swamp with Sammy and Andy to plan out improvements for the piping, so that is available during prolonged droughts. The goal is to ensure that the borehole fed cistern flows uninterrupted to the that so many wildlife depend on.

Did you know that the Arabuko-Swamp is the only permanent year round water source in the forest funded solely by one family?

If you have had the pleasure of viewing wildlife at the Arabuko Swamp, consider supporting this important campaign!

MPesa Paybill 4061285. Account #: Water4Wildlife

Address

PO Box 925
Malindi
80200

Website

https://www.friendsarabukosokoke.org/, https://www.givengain.com/cause/friends-of-arabuko-sokoke-forest-60444

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Friends of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Malindi?