About Us
Our Mission
Supporting local environmental projects to protect, preserve and restore nature in Lamu County now, and for the future.
We raise funds from individuals and businesses to support grassroots environmental and conservation projects across Lamu County, Kenya.
We build the capacity of local communities, preserve indigenous knowledge and protect, preserve and restore the environment. We believe that working through local communities is the best way to create long-term positive environmental impact.
We support communities transition towards sustainable living by raising awareness of the importance of environmental challenges, and supporting nature enterprises. In doing this, greater financial resilience is created which plays a part in decreasing conflict as natural resources are conserved and restored.
Grants are awarded for projects within the following thematic areas; solid waste management, mangrove conservation, marine conservation, land regeneration, environmental education and providing alternative livelihoods.
Our people
We rely on a network of people passionate about protecting, preserving and restoring Lamu’s environment.
We have a team on the ground that network with local community groups and monitor active projects. This consists of the Executive Director and a Communications Officer, together, they’re in charge of day-to-day management and coordination work on the ground, assisted by advisors and the Steering Committee.
Our Steering Committee is made up of local and international friends of Lamu County who direct our strategy. The Steering Committee offer a wide array of skills and connections to further the work of LEF.
Finally, we are thankful to our Advisory Board who assist us in assuring that we are supporting the best projects the county has to offer us!
LOCAL TEAM
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Raabia Hawa
General Manager
Raabia Hawa is a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow, completing her fellowship in Civic Leadership under the Young African Leaders Initiative at the Goldman school of public policy – UC Berkeley. She was also among five handpicked wildlife conservationists who participated in a conversation with civil society hosted by President Barack Obama in 2015.
Hawa has won numerous awards including the World Female Ranger Award (2024), Elephant Cooperation ‘Conservationist of the year’ award (2018), the 2016 Muslimah of the year award and was also listed in Kenya’s top 100 ‘Most influential Young Kenyans’ in 2019. Most recently, Hawa was recognized as one of Kenya’s top 50 most influential women in the Africapitol awards of 2025. Raabia has also served diligently as an honorary game warden with Kenya Wildlife Service for nine years.
Prior to dedicating her life to conservation, Hawa was a notable public figure having worked in local media as a radio host with Radio Africa Ltd., anchored local news on Ebru Africa TV while contributing to The Star as a wildlife news journalist, and released “Crocodiles of the Tana”, an investigative documentary into the crocodile skin trade and its socio-economic impacts and impacts on local communities.
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Fridah Gitonga
Finance Officer
As a numbers enthusiast early on in life, Fridah naturally assimilated into finance and accounting as a profession. With ten years of experience in finance and project management across Africa and a zeal for community engagement and collaboration, Fridah aims to add her expertise to LEF’s conservation projects across Lamu that rests on community engagement and collaboration.
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Abdulkadir Aboud Abdalla
Project Officer
Abdulkadir is a committed environmentalist with a strong passion for promoting sustainability in Lamu County. As a co-founder of Takataka Heroes, he has played a vital role in establishing a waste management organisation aimed at enhancing recycling efforts and reducing plastic pollution in the region. Abdulkadir’s background in Human Resource Management equips him with the skills to build capacity within local organisations and foster collaboration among community members. Through various initiatives, he has worked to address environmental challenges and promote effective waste management practices, contributing to a healthier ecosystem for future generations.
How we work
All funds raised go towards supporting environmental conservation projects in Lamu County. We believe that by supporting local environmental and conservation efforts we can make a positive impact and create sustainable positive environmental change.
We connect those who love Lamu with those who are working to protect, preserve and restore it. Then we involve, empower and strengthen local communities through a bottom-up integrated approach to create long lasting change, bolster civil society and build capacity by providing projects with vital funds to scale their impact.
As an affiliate of Conservation Collective, we collaborate with the global network to access piloted and proven solutions, tap into their network of experts to ensure we support the projects offering the largest returns for nature, and leverage co-funding opportunities with larger foundations, national or international organisations.
Our aim is to work within the highest industry standards, thus providing a proven and transparent channel for donors to support the environment they love.