Year of creation: 2003
Domain(s):

- oral traditions and expressions
- performing arts
- social practices, rituals and festive events
- knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
- other
- development - updating African culture and making it relevant for the modern world and globalisation, linking it with devepment issues.

Safeguarding measures:

- identification, documentation, research (including inventory-making)
- preservation, protection
- promotion, enhancement
- transmission, (non-)formal education
- revitalization
- editing - identifying negatives aspects and recommening appropriate action

Main countries where active:

Kenya

Objectives:
African Cultural Regeneration Institute (ACRI), aims at promoting African culture by way of identifying relevant indigenous cultural values that Africa can use for her own development today as well as for lending to the emerging global family, by way of Basic Education
The observed reality of the world today appears to vindicate the following assumptions:
 The values ruling the international communities presently are dominated by the philosophy of materialism, which is essentially a western cultural element. This materialism does not seem adequate as a value for guiding the global international family.
 Some values based on the African heritage could be very useful in helping Africa find it's own way inside out and shape the emerging global family with inputs that are not necessarily materialistic.
 It is possible to study the various aspects of the African culture, extract relevant elements that may be useful in guiding Africa and the world. Then these values would be packaged by way of writing, filming, videotaping and other methods, including performance and cultural centres, then present them to the world for global enrichment.
 Africa's emerging generation will have what to fall back to when they realise the damage that may have been done on them by cultural alienation. This imperative is equally pertinent to the Africans lost in the Diaspora.

The efforts of ACRI are geared to highlighting the existence of the different facets of African culture and to go further on and recommend the retention and/or rejection of certain aspects of the negative culture.

The approach of ACRI envisions results that will benefit not only Africa, par excellence, but the world at large. We may say also that African cultures are automatically being integrated into the global civilisation through varied human interaction. A deliberate scientific extraction, to highlight and refine certain important values, philosophies, viewpoints, and visions, which characterised the soul of the traditional African societies, has not been done. This is what makes ACRI unique; it will establish African cultural mines for extracting cultural gems from traditional spiritual values
Activities:
#1Today a suitable location and piece of land (about 8 acres) is identified by ACRI to the North-East of Mount Kenya, adjacent to the traditional convention centre of the Meru people, a place rich with Meru African cultural history, since 1842 A.D., NCHIRU- Kunene, when the first Meru constitutional conference was made. The Ameru Cultural Centre (ACCAW) is planned to coordinate all cultural activities of the Ameru people, recognise them and promote them, making effort to marry the past and the present cultural history, manufacture traditional cultural instruments and create employment industries; building technologies in games, dances, foods, drinks, plants and traditional medicines; and promoting modern technology transfer in order to add value to traditional culture by way of printed materials, audio and video recordings, and film making.
#2NJURINCEKE (traditional council of elders) has been resurrected and uplifted as a cultural entity, outreaching all parts of Meru land; model for good governance and African democracy. NjuriNceke recently advised youths of Meru against misbehaviour during post election violence in Kenya at the beginning of 2008.
#3Local language Radio service, Muga-FM, was established 2005, transmitting cultural values to every corner of Meru. The communities appreciate KiMeru service because every member of community is thereby informed and entertained.
#4Cultural Festivals have been started: Songs, foods, Drinks and Traditional medicines promoted. Research into Ameru cultural traditional instruments is in progress.
#5Writing of books has been made on the Ameru culture, e.g., Miturire ya Ameru (Meru traditional lifestyles) by Gitobu Rinyiru, and translation of the work into English is in progress, by Prof F.X. Gichuru, making it accessible to global community; and Doctoral Thesis by Gaita Baikiao entitled “Towards Africanization of Christianity“.
#6Local language paper, BATWI AMERU, is now in circulation since December 2008, and will reach every corner of Meru land. Issue 2 is under preparation in March 2009. Paper treats actualities, Meru traditional lifestyles, language, and other aspects of Meru culture, including environment.
#7MERU UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (MUST) is being promoted by Njuri-Nceke, which spans 10 Districts; University was conceived in 1960 after Mau Mau War of Independence, and now it is materialising due to efforts of ACRI.
#8African Traditional Medicine is being promoted by ATDAM (Ameru Traditional Doctors of African Medicine).
#9Ka’Meru International Foundation programme is established to dig up cultural history, dynasties and relationships in Meru. There is an effort to rehabilitate orphaned and destitute children, including the disabled.
#10Nkirote cia Kiao Women Group in the spirit of African culture is organised to promote development perspectives and employment in food production, dairy animals, chicken, honey, in order to fight against HIV/AIDS, and to promote marketing.
#11Locating and studying of traditional resource materials as in Nkacii, Kunati, & Kaongo (for cooking pots & related earthenware) is underway.
#12Educating all on traditional foods, i.e. vegetables, bananas, cassava, millets and yams with 13 varieties, actively being promoted.
#13AMKA GROOVE AFRICA (2006) –Attempt to assist the youth and street children create jobs for themselves through organised dances based on globalised African culture .
The personel and executive members of ACRI include:
1. Prof. F.X. Gichuru, Ph.D. (1982) – Founder Chairman of ACRI. Has been professor of Education and Senior Research Fellow at Kenyatta University. Wrote "Etapes de l'education en Afrique traditionnelle" in Cahier de pedagogie africaine, 1977, Bordeaux II; Has worked relentlessly to see that ACRI comes to fruition.
2. Dr. Gaita Baikiao, Ph.D. – An ardent promoter of African culture. His Ph.D. thesis was entitled Towards Africanisation of Christianity (1977). Has been instrumental in revival of Njuri-Nceke, the traditional Council of Elders of Meru, which today acts as the moral authority of the Ameru; in the past it was the government. Baikiao has promoted activities in Meru aiming at making Africans proud of themselves. He taught Anthropology, History and Religion at the Kenya Methodist University.
3. Mr. Michael Gitobu Mwirichia, Director of Culture, Njuri-Ncheke Council of Elders, Meru. He was Civic leader in the Meru Municipal Council in the 1970s; has written a book on Meru history and lifestyles, Miturire na Mikarire ya Ameru Karaaja (2000). He believes that the African Culture has a lot to offer to the world.
4. Ms. Easter Kaimuri Ciombaine,(B.Ed.) 2004, A young graduate who believes in the revival of the best of the African Culture; has worked for the establishment of the African Cultural Regeneration Institute since 2003; represents the youthful generation who care about the values of the past
Cooperation:
Njurinceke is the traditional Council of Elders, almost destroyed by colonialists but saved through the efforts Dr Gaita Baikiao, a director of ACRI. Other officials of ACRI belonging and guiding Njurinceke are Prof Francis Gichuru, an initiated Elder of Njurinceke, and Michael Rinyiru, Director of Culture of Njurinceke. The role of Njurinceke since the start of the Meru community was to preserve the cohesiveness of the people of Meru, the territorial integrity, ensure proper governance of the society with justice and fairness to all, protect the weak and vulnerable especially women and children, and act as guardians of culture and identity. With the coming of the colonialists, Njurinceke was suppressed and weakened so that the invader could alienate the land and the people.

When Gaita Baikiao finished his doctorate in 1977 at Universitas Urbaniana in Rome, having studied social anthropology among other studies, he came back to Kenya and found that Njurinceke was dying, and the meeting spaces reserved for the elders were about to be alienated by land-grabbers because the organisation had no certificate of registration. He quickly organised documentary registration for purposes of allocation of the traditional meeting spaces. He helped to organise a democratic alternation of leadership, and became eventually a mover, together with Prof Francis Gichuru, for the establishment of the African Cultural Regeneration Institute (ACRI) in 2003.

Michael Rinyiru is the elected Director of Culture of Njurinceke and is a key recruiter and initiator of new elders into the Council of Elders. The Intangible Cultural Heritage, which includes the values and secrets of the Njurinceke, are transmitted during initiation of new elders, and the secrets are not available to non initiates. Michael Rinyiru is currently the Chairman of the traditional land tribunal, recognised by the current government. Without this tribunal today some land disputes cannot be solved fairly by modern courts.

ACRI is therefore working with Njurinceke as mover and facilitator, with key members of ACRI being operational and key elders of the Council of Elders. Njurinceke aims at preserving the cultural integrity of the Meru people and making the people live with dignity and respect for one another. The organisation is respected both locally and in the nation of Kenya as a whole. During the Post Election Violence in Kenya in the beginning of 2008 Njurinceke simply issued guidance to the youth of Meru to respect other human beings and not cause any mayhem as it was the case in other parts of Kenya, and the youth complied. ACRI will continue to work with the Njurinceke and the people Meru, as well as with other cultural communities in Kenya, to promote good conduct and respect for human rights, in the promotion of respectable global human civilisation.
This project is at proposal stage. The African Cultural Regeneration Institute (ACRI) is providing the dream, inspiration and guidance. The Meru people had a very rich traditional heritage before the colonialist came at the turn of the 19th Century and slowly strangled and discouraged it. The weakening of the heritage has been exacerbated by modernisation. The proposed centre is intended to preserve the heritage in a conscious effort of safeguarding in one specified area, such as in a living museum. Bits and pieces of this heritage can be found here and there, but still under pressure of disappearance.
The Meru people need to be rejuvenated and revived in order that they know themselves and become proud of themselves. Many of their traditional crafts were ingenious and useful both for lifestyle and health in general. The ACCAW will gather these crafts and practices in one place for the purpose of training the youth and showing them how to make economic industries out of them. It will also serve as a centre to demonstrate to the world what the Meru culture was and will open the world to the Meru people. The Meru communities are desirous to rediscover themselves and to make value out of their traditions. Before the old folk die out the youth want the elders to teach them what they know of their past skills. This will best be done in a centralised place.
Therefore, the communities, in their search for their identity, will manufacture traditional cultural instruments and create employment industries. They will develop technologies in games, dances, foods, drinks, plants and traditional medicines. They will promote modern technology transfer in order to add value to traditional culture by way of printed materials, audio and video recordings, and film making. In all this, ACRI is providing guidance and inspiration, advising the people to tap into their history without being shy and create value from their traditions.
In that respect, a suitable piece of land (about 8 acres) has been identified for the construction of Ameru Cultural Centre for Africa and the World (ACCAW) for the purpose of planning and coordinating all cultural activities of the Ameru people, recognising them and promoting them, making effort to marry the past and present.
From efforts of ACRI, revival of 'Njurinceke' is important. Following colonial domination of Kenya since 1900's Njurinceke became dormant after 1950s. During Post election violence in Kenya at the beginning of 2008, NjuriNceke was very instrumental in calming the youths of Meru against misbehaviour.
Today, suitable location and piece of land (about 8 acres) is identified for construction of Ameru Cultural Centre for Africa and the World (ACCAW), planned to coordinate all cultural activities of the Ameru people, recognise them and promote them, making effort to marry past and present, manufacture traditional cultural instruments and create employment industries; building technologies in games, dances, foods, drinks, plants and traditional medicines; and promoting modern technology transfer in order to add value to traditional culture by way of printed materials, audio and video recordings, and film making.
Advising a local investor in MEDIA industry, a local language Radio, Muga-FM, was established since 2005 through leadership of ACRI. Though the NGO does not share in management or profits of the business, it is content with having cultural values transmitted to every corner of Meru.
Books on Ameru culture, e.g., Miturire ya Ameru (Meru traditional lifestyles) by Gitobu Rinyiru, and Doctoral Thesis “Towards Africanization of Christianity “by Gaita Baikiao have been popular with communities and researchers.
BATWI AMERU, a local language paper is now in circulation since Dec 2008.. This paper is helping the Meru communities find their culture and language, and makes them proud of themselves.
Many of the projects of ACRI have stalled due to lack of funding support, and what has been happening is volunteer work; sometimes proposals circulated soliciting funding, e.g. to establish Music and filming studio for recording and research into African music, are frustrated by dishonest potential sponsors that steal the proposals while the NGO is trying to work with the local community.
The staff and drivers of ACRI are very motivated, qualified and dedicated to safeguarding African culture. Much has been achieved with volunteer work. With collaboration from organisations sharing similar interests like UNESCO, the scope of work can be vast and of very high quality.

Year of creation: 2005
Domain(s):

- oral traditions and expressions
- performing arts
- social practices, rituals and festive events
- knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
- traditional craftsmanship
- other
- Capacity building and institutional support for the conservation and management of movable and immovable cultural heritage in Africa

Safeguarding measures:

- identification, documentation, research (including inventory-making)
- preservation, protection
- promotion, enhancement
- transmission, (non-)formal education
- revitalization
- other
- Capacity building for African heritage institutions and professionals in all the above intangible cultural heritage undertakings

Main countries where active:

Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Objectives:
CHDA is an international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) dedicated to the reservation, management and promotion of cultural heritage in Africa through a programme of training and development support services. Its work is mainly with preservation of Immovable, Movable and Intangible Cultural Heritage in Africa.

CHDA started as a program (PMDA), dedicated to heritage resource management and development needs of Museums in Africa. However, from 2001 it increased her activities to encompass the conservation of both movable, immovable and intangible heritage assets. In recognition of these developments and for the organization to be recognized as a permanent institution as opposed to “a program,” PMDA was transformed into CHDA in 2005.

CHDA is mandated to Organize, co-ordinate and develop viable projects and activities for heritage and museum development in Africa, such as the post-graduate diploma course in the care and management of heritage and museum collections in sub-Saharan Africa, in collaboration with the University of Nairobi and University College London, and the Africa 2009 program.
• Provide advice and technical support to museums and heritage institutions
• Diffuse data and information about museums and heritage development
• Work with national institutions, individuals, community heritage projects and custodians of heritage resources to conceive, develop and implement special projects in the field of museum and heritage development
• Work with and complement other regional projects and programmes to ensure the successful implementation of their respective activities
• Contribute to raising the profile of African heritage institutions at local and International levels
• Consolidate the necessary financial and human resources for museums and heritage development.
Activities:
During the life of CHDA, from the year 2000 when it was PMDA (Program for Museum Development in Africa) until today, nearly 1000 heritage professionals on the African continent have gone through the CHDA training programs. In many programs, CHDA invites expert resource persons and also teaching assistants, who use the opportunity to understudy the expert trainer on their way to becoming expert trainers in their own right. These professionals, many of who went on and acquired further qualifications, became part of the CHDA network of heritage professionals, a pool of experts that CHDA draws on for its professional training needs, as resource persons, facilitators and program coordinators in case of need. It is important to note that the network has experts in most of the different aspects of heritage management, including tangible, intangible, movable and immovable heritage. They also have loyalty and commitment to CHDA, having come through it in the development of their professional careers.

A few of the programs CHDA has undertaken in the past and which had a direct bearing on intangible heritage management included:
1. Endangered Heritage Assets Program (EHAP)
This program was undertaken by CHDA in 2004-2005 successfully sought to identify, document and disseminate the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Mijikenda people of the Kenyan coast, especially those that are threatened with extinction.

2. The three-year en-compass project
The project began in October 2010 and is on-going. It brought together participants from China, England, Guyana, and Kenya (with the remit for Anglophone Africa)
The program looked at issues related to the dangers and challenges faced in the protection of intangible and tangible cultural heritage in all participating countries. The participants used these issues to develop a coherent programme which they used to mobilize people in their countries/regions by conducting awareness and dissemination campaigns, aimed at helping people become more aware of the dangers and challenges faced in terms of the promotion and safeguarding of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible.The program activities also included a workshop to scope and audit key tangible and intangible heritage resources, including cultural expressions, products and services in each partner country.
These in-country workshops provided a focus and momentum for long-term on-going scoping and auditing activities post training. However, the information and material gathered through the scoping exercise was also fed onto a database, used to create the online and published catalogues- this process is still on-going. The project also intends to create an inventory of cultural heritage resources (Tangible and Intangible), including those at risk in the short-term from the scoping exercise undertaken in each of the three partner countries. The catalogue of cultural heritage assets (both tangible and intangible) collected will be researched and used to design and develop a travelling exhibition that will go around all the participating countries.
In the last year of the program, three practitioners from Africa (Kenya, Zimbabwe and Zambia) were admitted for a Master’s Degree Course in Heritage management at the Newcastle University, UK.

3. Post-Graduate Diploma Courses
CHDA held 2 nine-month Post-Graduate Diploma Courses in Heritage Management, in collaboration with the University of Nairobi and the University College, London. This course had a whole unit dedicated to "Indigenous knowledge systems and community involvement", which is basically training in intangible heritage of communities.

4. Africa 2009 Courses
CHDA hosted the 3-month Africa 2009 courses for 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009
One of the issues Africa 2009 program addressed was the issue of insufficient human resources and capacity for management, conservation, and maintenance of immovable heritage properties on the continent, using traditional methods and materials. This means that traditional methods, knowledge and skills, which are basically intangible heritage assets, were being mainstreamed in the program, in a participatory approach involving local communities in the conservation planning and management processes. For example, the field projects aimed to establish self-confidence within the local custodians and to enhance their recognition as efficient professionals. The project also worked to integrate traditional techniques in conservation of monuments resulting not only in monuments that are responsive to local environments, but also to the sustenance and promotion of traditional skills - the intangible heritage within the local communities.

5. Workshop on Recording Intangible Heritage
In February 2005, CHDA organized and hosted a three-day workshop on Recording of Intangible Heritage. The aims of the course was to produce professionals who can record Intangible Heritage appropriately and to enable trainees effectively apply methodologies, standards, and equipment for recording Intangible Heritage. The main course objective was to enable participants to record Intangible Heritage using digital and video cameras in line with laid down standards and procedures as provided in the course.

6. Capacity Building in Universities
CHDA also undertook training on strengthening capacities of African Universities in intangible cultural heritage, on behalf of UNESCO/ICH section at the CHDA Centre in Mombasa between 18th and 22nd June 2012.
Cooperation:
These are just a few of the courses that CHDA has implemented. It is important to note that apart from special trainings deliberately designed to inculcate knowledge and skills among heritage professionals on how to work with communities and stakeholders; how to involve them in all heritage management/conservation activities; how to ensure economic benefits for them, e.g. the training course on stakeholder participation, CHDA has always appreciated the fact that the communities are the ultimate custodians of heritage properties, managing and conserving them in their day-to-day actions. For this matter, community participation has always been incorporated into the programs CHDA offers its participants - either by making it part of the teaching learning content or by inviting community members as participants in training programs to exchange issues with professionals, learn from and teach them and to create networks for future exchange.
In the last training that CHDA held in Zimbabwe on Risk Preparedness for Heritage properties between 6th and 18th May 2013 for example, two community members were invited as participants to help build an understanding among professionals on the traditional approaches to risk management of the Great Zimbabwe, as well as to help us understand the community needs and expectations from the professionals in their professional work of management and conservation.

Year of creation: 1997
Domain(s):

- oral traditions and expressions
- performing arts
- social practices, rituals and festive events
- knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
- traditional craftsmanship
- other
- Governance system, Food ways and Biodiversity protocols

Safeguarding measures:

- identification, documentation, research (including inventory-making)
- preservation, protection
- promotion, enhancement
- transmission, (non-)formal education
- revitalization
- other
- Integration, incorporation and exposition

Main countries where active:

Kenya

Objectives:
Cultural Initiatives for Biodiversity Conservation (CIBC) aim at linking culture and biodiversity conservation for sustainable development. This is carried out by identifying, safeguarding and promoting viable indigenous cultural elements that impact on the biodiversity for appropriate adaption and incorporation in mainstream development initiatives for the benefit of the local, national and the global society.

CIBC seeks to embrace those intrinsic values as a means to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of the African society that are instrumental and the backbone to the peoples' ways of life worldwide.

Social inquiry on the various aspects of the African culture, will extract relevant elements that may be useful in guiding Africa and the world. Then these values would be packaged by way of inventory, film, oral traditions, songs, video and other methods, including live presentations with the view of disseminating them at the local, national and international fora for the enrichment of humanity.

The documentation of important cultural elements will facilitate development of inventories and cultural spaces that are focal points for learning and transmission of culture from generation to generation enshrined in the practices, expressions and traditions that guaranteed the sustenance of peace and dialogue among communities.

The efforts of CIBC are purposed to tap into the rich African cultural systems with the view of safeguarding the inherent elements that would contribute to the construction of peace and creation of solidarity and cohesiveness amongst communities while promoting compatible human rights principles and pillars of social development.

CIBC goal is to facilitate the preservation of viable cultural tenets that are essential for sustainable human development while promoting human creativity, cultural diversity and biodiversity conservation that will benefit Africa and the global community. Safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and the values anchored in them will be integrated and simulated into the global community.

CIBC is founded on the principle of 'Africulture for biodiversity'. As a home-grown initiative from a culture based philosophy and contribute towards the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity from the African culture-rich societies for the benefit of the local, the national and the international society.
Activities:
#1 The CIBC fraternity has the appropriate orientation and has consistently been involved in the traditional ceremonies of the Maasai peoples in partnership with designated local NGOs in Tanzania, to ensure that ceremonial sites used for the IIkisonko Maasal Rites, which traverse the national borders of Kenya and Tanzania, are preserved for advancement of important cultural ceremonies of the Maasai. These spaces have been used for over 100years for these ceremonies but are currently endangered.

#2 The CIBC has for a long time been involved in the advocacy of the Maasai Moran's rights to preserve their traditional'moran plaited hairdo'. Today, this particular Maasai Moran's Cultural Practice has not only been maintained but it is widely respected and promoted as a unique cultural attribute at the local, national and international levels.

#3 The CIBC in partnership with the local community advocated against the forceful subdivision of the group ranches within the Mara Reserves and Amboseli geographical area by private developers. The Maasai group ranches were necessary to maintain the traditional pastoralism which in essence is the very survival of the Maasai Pastoralists. This initiative succeeded to the extent that the Maasai Cultural pastoralism has since been adopted and dubbed as the 'grazing bank model'. Indeed, Groups of landowners from the Malpai Borderland, USA, have frequently visited the project to learn from this 'grazing bank model' of culturally sustainable best practice in pastoralism.

#4 The CIBC has worked with communities and social groups to ensure that the Maasai traditional cultural rites such as Enkipata, Eunoto and Olgesherr are carried out by the Maasai Community without interference and infiltration from any influential forces. The ceremonies, however, are currently in dire need of revitalization to be able to realise the full potential of their viability.

#5 The CIBC has worked with Ms. Nancy Kireu on preparation of the documentary on 'Milking the Rhino' for the promotion of community culture and their commitment to enhance conservation in the Laikipia 'i1ngwesi.The documentary promotes culture and conservation as well as community involvement in the use of cultural systems to improve conservation of wildlife.

#6 The CIBC is involved in promotion of enterprise and culture through establishment of Maasai Manyatta (Maasai Homesteads) to benefit from tourism while institutionalizing them to preserve viable cultural elements of the community and share with the global society.

#7 The CIBC was also involved in the study on 'ethno-veterinary medicine' of the Maasai community as part of consultancy for Nairobi University.

The personnel and executive members of CIBC include:

1. Mr.Paul Ntiati - MA Rural Social Development - Founder Cl BC. Has been community educator on community organization

2. Or. Hamisi Seif Mutinda (Ph.D) An educator and ecologist / geo-politics on regional landscape

3. Joseph Solonka is a champion in the preservation of the intangible cultural heritage and its element of the Maasai cultural traditiions .......

4. Keriako Tobiko is one of the founders of CIBC. He is an advocate and currently the Director of Public Prosecution, a champion on the group ranches management practices, preservation of the pastoralism lifestyles and its subdivision system and effect on the lifestyle of the pastoralism.

5. Nancy Kireu, an advocate of women empowerment and integration in the decision process and valuing their role in reviltalizing the traditional cultures of the African society

6. Solomon Kotoke is an elder and traditional leader with the authority on information and knowledge and preservation of Maasai Cultural element of Enkipaata, Eunoto and Olngesherr
Cooperation:
From efforts of CIBC, the moran network has been established to sustain the respect of the cultural elements essential for community organization and development and preserving those cultural elements for posterity. Over more 3,000 morans from 5 different manyattas were involved. The moran through the faciltiation of CIBC and other partners formed a registered organization known as 'Moran Conservation and Development Network. All the Moran leaders 'i1aguanak' were in the advisory committee to ensure that the elements that are essential to the safeguard of moranism are sustained. An educational tour for 12 moran leaders to Tanzania was faciltated by CIBC and other partners as a cultural exchange initiative between the Maasai Moran leaders (kenya) and those of Tanzania.

CIBC has also works with partners in Tanzania to ensure that the physical site for the Maasai rites and devine places are safeguarded to be used by future generations. Some of these sites are used for performing the Maasai transitonal rites of 'Enkipaata', 'Eunoto' and 'Olngesherr'. These sites are under threat of being grabbed by politically influential persons. The network with partners in Tanzania has continued to advocate against these attempts thus slowing the impending danger. It is upon this premise that CIBC seeks support from UNESCO and other partners to preserve these elements. CIBC faciltated the Moran Network Leaders and ilaguanak from Kenya by processing permit, tranvelling documents and transport and linking with the spiritual leaders in Tanzania that the rites are performed in accordance to the traditional passage without interference.

Year of creation: 2003
Domain(s):

- oral traditions and expressions
- social practices, rituals and festive events
- knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
- traditional craftsmanship

Safeguarding measures:

- identification, documentation, research (including inventory-making)
- preservation, protection
- promotion, enhancement
- We do recording of traditional knowledge from the elderly mostly on traditional medicine and plants. We use audio recording, photography and writing testimonies.

Main countries where active:

Kenya

Objectives:
Our Vision
Maasai cultural heritage envisions a world where the indigenous cultures, communities and diversity are recognized respected and protected against commercial exploitation and abuse.

Our Mission
MCH exists to facilitate strengthening, promotion and preservation of Maasai indigenous cultures and heritage in its diverse forms.
2. OBJECTIVES
1. To preserve, protect and promote Maasai culture through cultural education and cultural talks.
2. Promote recognition of and respect of Maasai indigenous people's culture by designing website and posting all cultural information.
3. Promote tolerance and understanding of the cultural spiritual and language diversity through traditional songs recording and information dissemination.
4. Enhance sustainable economic development drawing on the wealth of knowledge and experience of the Maasai culture to advocate against corruption and protect human rights.
5.To use the traditional songs to raise community awareness and education on productive health and HIV/Aids.
6. Establish a cultural museum and documentation center for storage and preservation of the cultural art fats and community research and database.
7. Enhance and uplift the economy of the Maasai people through livelihoods supports programmes and encourage advancement of their cultural practices that forms back borne of their economy.
Activities:
Maasai cultural heritage is a community based organisation formed by the community themselves and registered under the ministry of culture and social services. We are documenting taditional knowledge that exist within the elderly people which faces a threat of disapearance and develop community education programs for the youth to learn about it.we document and preserve our collections through digital recording and archiving them and avail them to the community through education programs. We also
help the community to develop their protocols inorder to reduce exploitation of their cultural resources. We also support youth to explore their traditional talents mostly in performing arts and women in artistic work by enhancing their indgenous knowledge on making unique genuine traditional artworkwe preserving all our collections to ensure that the future generation will get something to see as som of our heriage is
disapearing. The organisation being a community driven, it is working in ilngwesi community of the laikipia maasai who share the same culture, way of life and traditional tboos. The population of this community is approximate 15,OOO.the organisation is runn by local people from the same community who have skills in culture documentation and intellectual property management beside other speciality like in community
developmenUhere has been training programs participated by the two members of this community runing the organisation organised by world intellectual property organisation, a specialised UN agency on intellectual property issues in conjunction with center for documentary studies in duke university in north carolina and american folklore center. The two specialise on these skills from duke university and have been working in the community.
Cooperation:
The organisation works with a principle of preserving culture and respecting cutural diversity. We work in the community with total respect to their traditional governance system and also understanding and respecting community secrets. We carryout our programs according to the community way of life and time considering other factors like when they are available, drought seasons,what is their priority, what to be recorded and therefore our planning is based on the community timelines throughout the year.

We have recenty documented a community age group rights of passage an event that take place after every ten years that was the last for that age group and the future generation may not have that opportunity to perform this can of a ritual, so we document and preserve information and make them available to the community whenever there is need.