The ground has become dry and hard, unable to sustain life. But their regularity has been affected by changes in the climate. In the pictures he sends us on WhatsApp, fluffy clouds dot the blue sky and the meadow is filled with white flowers. And his lifesaving cargo. Once finished, he gets out of the hospital bed to carefully fill a bottle by … And now that his first project has taken off thanks to the contribution of those who believed in its potential, Mwalua wants to launch a new one. “I was born around here and grew up with wildlife and got a lot of passion about wildlife,” he says. “We have to be very patient and go deliver water.”. We favour those who choose to be guided by ethical values, who respect ecosystems and all their life forms. They've come to know the water man by the rumble of his engine. “We aren’t receiving rain the way we used to,” says 41-year-old pea farmer Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua. Yes, I launched another fundraising campaign. To us, environmental and human sustainability represent an authentic lifestyle that defines our way of being in the world; an attitude centred around conscientiousness and concrete actions. Elephants like maize. So I did some research and found that elephants don’t eat sunflowers. And when he rumbles down the dusty road bearing some 3,000 gallons of fresh water, the elephants, buffalo, antelope and zebras come running. For 20 years we have operated to catalyse social change, to awaken and feed a new state of ecological awareness, to inspire and promote new business and consumption models for people as well as companies. BREAKING FEATURED NEWS in Kenya today Top FEATURED NEWS NOW Hot news around the world ☝ Get the latest articles & stay tuned with SANDEKENNEDY. Thousands of plant and fungi species may be at of risk extinction even before being discovered by scientists, according to a report by Kew Gardens. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. “The truck is heavy and doesn’t go very fast,” he says. A little girl, barefoot in the sand, plays with some goats. “From last year, from June, there was no rain completely.”. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua is the founder of Tsavo Volunteers, a group of animal lovers who look after the vulnerable wildlife of Tsavo National Park. Eng. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, the African farmer who brings water to wild animals, is ready for a new challenge, Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, the "water man" © Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua. At that time there was no water anywhere in the park, absolutely nowhere. As soon as he answers the call, we hear birdsong in the background. And his lifesaving cargo. The fundraising campaign can also be found on the website linked to my organisation: the Mwalua Wildlife Trust. Though there is no quick fix to the problem, 41-year-old Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, a kindhearted Kenyan pea farmer, dedicates much of his time to heroically helping wildlife in danger. We humans have contributed to climate change, so I decided I needed to take responsibility for them. 8. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, the African farmer who brings water to wild animals, is ready for a new challenge. Buffalos and zebras know they can count on him. “The buffalo roll in the mud so they suffocate the fleas and ticks,” he told the Dodo. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua was born in a rural village in Taita county, an area dominated by wildlife parks, sanctuaries and ranches populated by a wide variety of animals. Mwalua’s homeland is experiencing the worst effects of the climate crisis. Daily Dodo serves up emotionally and visually compelling, highly sharable animal-related stories and videos to help make caring about animals a viral cause. A woman from Utah named Cher Callaway has been sharing new of Mwalua’s work on social media. I’m trying to create beehives in our community, so that bees can help our vegetation. A serious undertaking that Mwalua reasons is absolutely necessary. This is the last white giraffe left in the world. “A True Hero” Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua from Kenya; travels with his truck, containing 3000 gallons of water, every day, to help thirsty animals that have been suffering due to … Even in my village there used to be a lot of trees but because of developments and people trying to establish new farms, and also because people depend on burning charcoal to make a living, a lot of trees have been cut down. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua: Founder, Director. To many, Mwalua is a hero. Thank you. From there, I got enough money to buy my truck, and now taking the water to the animals has become a regular, day-to-day thing. At the same time, sunflowers can help attract bees. As soon as he answers the call, we hear birdsong in the background. “The truck is heavy and doesn’t go very fast,” he says. The drylands of Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park live up to their name. “When I arrived they could smell the water. The South African government wants to change the Meat Safety Act, allowing for threatened species such as elephants and rhinos to be consumed as food. Hon. Looking out the window we mostly see cars and skyscrapers,” we confess, perhaps slightly envious that Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua is spending lockdown immersed in nature. Some of the money I raised will go to the rangers, to support them and provide masks and disinfectants so they can work safely. Callaway and her network have so far raised close to $20,000, which they plan to put toward a new truck for the Water Man. Every single day he carries 3,000 gallons of water towards these poor thirsty creatures. I like sunflowers because when you harvest them you can press the seeds to make oil, which can be sold or used for cooking. Tulasi Gowda is known as the goddess or encyclopaedia of the forest for her ability to extract seeds from mother trees and regenerate plant species. He drives a water truck to the driest areas, hoping to … Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua is choosing to "stand for the animals" amid a drought that Kenya's government has declared a national disaster. Also known as “The Water Man,” Mwalua has taken it upon himself to deliver clean water to thirsty wild animals. News,Gossip,Sports and Entertainment from Nairobi. “Last night, I found 500 buffalo waiting at the water hole,” he says. When those are too polluted with buffalo droppings, he sets his hose down on the dry ground for the animals to play with. We are the space in which education becomes determination, feeling becomes action, the goal becomes solution and result. The rangers who work here depend on tourists for their income. So I decided to take water to the park, out of the passion that I have for animals, and also because I was so touched. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua receiving the Head of State Commendation (HSC) Award to from Tourism CS Najib Balala for his invaluable service of supplying … You see, we live close to the park, and there are many ranches in the surrounding area that have lots of wildlife, like elephants and buffalos. 19. Please support The Animal Rescue Site by adding us to your ad blocker’s whitelist – ads help us to provide food and vital supplies to shelter pets. © 2000–2020 The Animal Rescue Site and GreaterGood. Absolutely, yes. So we’re saving elephants and bees, and helping people as well. Tribesman looking at the landscape of Kenya. Without the rangers, the animals are less protected from poachers. Callaway worked with Mwalua on multiple conservation projects, but thought his work as the Water Man deserved the most attention, so she set up a fundraising page to support the water delivery service. Then, when people saw my work on Facebook, they started contributing. Philanthropist Paul Lister’s mission is to save biodiversity, and the journey starts in Europe. Hello, my name is Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua and I am the Founder of Tsavo Volunteers. Each day, Mwalua tirelessly drives to Tsavo West National Park —a 9,065 square kilometer savannah located hours from his village—to bring 3,000 gallons of fresh water to the desperately dried-up region. In 2017, a local man named Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua noticed that the animals in Tsavo West were suffering greatly from the lack of fresh water. A pea farmer named Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, he delivers trucks loaded with water every day to feed the thirsty animals, animals now know him and they run towards the moment they hear the engine noise approaching them. Additionally, I installed solar powered pumps, so now we can pump water to animals many kilometres away. The story of Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, the farmer bringing water to animals during droughts, has fascinated many. This means there’s a lot of conflict between people and wildlife. And when there’s a drought, it becomes almost impossible for new trees to grow. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua Mwalua, who is a pea farmer in his local village, came up with the idea after seeing firsthand the grim toll climate change has taken in his native land. Mar 28, 2017 Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua drives hours every day bring fresh water to thirsty wild animals at drought striken Tsavo West National Park, Kenya.. .. He’s carrying 3,000 gallons of water, every single day. I live in a very remote area, it’s a village of about 2,500 people scattered widely. Source: Facebook/Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua Alex Tolgos. That leaves water to evaporate or stagnate on the surface, festering in brown pools while regional wildlife die of thirst. Zebras, elephants and buffalos wait for him at the water hole. Often it is brandished as an accessory, sometimes it is used as a gateway, others still it is considered merely a credential. “I started giving animals water because I thought, ‘If I don’t do that they will die.'”. Can you tell us about your new project? So the sunflowers help preserve the bees, and the bees help preserve the elephants by making them stay away from the farms as elephants are afraid of the insects’ buzzing. While I have been delivering water to wildlife I have also been receiving dialysis because my kidneys failed 4 years ago. Meanwhile, the Netherlands abandons mink farming completely. Bumblebees can help plants flower more quickly. My name is Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua and for the last 3 years have been working towards water management solutions for wildlife in Tsavo ecosystem. They get so excited.”. How has the project developed since? In that year 40 per cent of wild animals died due to the lack of water. From a very young age, he had many encounters with animals such as elephants, lions, buffalo, and antelope while travelling to school or tending his father’s cattle, and he began to develop a deep … Researchers believe the animal died from ingesting it. Mwalua for days has been transporting water to thirsty animals at the park. It all started in November 2016, when Mwalua decided to rent a truck, get behind the wheel and drive for hours, multiple times a week, to bring water to the animals in the park, whose survival was being threatened by a terrible drought. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua is a pea farmer who delivers truckloads of water, everyday for the thirsty animals. The animals were on the brink of dying. Picture credit: GoodFreePhotos Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua thinks of fertile green pastures while connected to a machine that cleanses his failing kidneys. When a tree is felled, it takes years for it to grow again. Hon. Something as simple as it is brilliant, that could contribute to safeguarding elephants, bees and communities: cultivating sunflowers. And when he rumbles down the dusty road bearing some 3,000 gallons of fresh water, the elephants, buffalo, antelope and zebras come running. →. https://www.facebook.com/Patrick-Kilonzo-Mwalua-1047082565456139 They started drinking water while I was standing there. When I started, I didn’t have any money. It’s a tough situation. I’ve seen a lot of changes. Owned and operated by CharityUSA.com, LLC. At the time, Mwalua Wildlife Trust’s founder Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua was patrolling in Taita Hills Sanctuary, an area that borders Lumo Sanctuary and Tsavo West National Park and, as a corridor for Tsavo elephants, hosts approximately 40% of the elephants in this particular ecosystem. From Scotland to Abruzzo, via Romania. So when people plant their crops – especially maize – we have a lot of animals coming to our villages, and they destroy the farms. There was a lady in the US who started doing some fundraising. “His commitment to the wildlife and his heritage is unmeasurable,” Callaway told The Dodo. “I decided to bring awareness to this so when they grow up they can protect their wildlife.”. Using tankers Mwalua transported the water to a waterhole at the park for the waiting animals to drink. Image credit: Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua Facebook account Mwalua decided to deliver thousands of litres of water to the animals of the drought-stricken national park … By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy. That would be Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua. Patrick is a pea farmer in a nearby village, and when he saw the effects of climate change getting worse with each passing year, he decided to take matters into his own hands. As drought persists in most parts of Kenya, one man has taken upon himself to ensure wild animals in the parched Tsavo West National Park are hydrated. Nanok Josphat Koli. When we point this out to him, he bursts out in sincere and melodious laughter. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua is the darling of the many wild animals in the park as a result of his mission to deliver thousands of liters of water for the animals whose watering holes are bone-dry. Thanks to a GPS device its movements are being tracked to protect it from poachers. Have you launched another fundraising campaign? Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua is known as the Water Man of Kenya. I was also given two machines from India for extracting water from the atmosphere. How has coronavirus impacted your community? According to the Dodo, Mwalua drives for hours between water holes in the region. I also started building dams, creating watering holes where rainwater would pool. “Even risking his own life in the middle of the night to deliver water to a dry water hole.”. “We have to be very patient and go deliver water.” When I was younger, the situation was good. Do you see the effects of climate change on a daily basis? Ever since, he has made a name for himself as the “water man“. Every truckload of water costs about $250. As a pea farmer, Mwalua remembers a time when it was much easier to grow a crop, and much easier for wildlife to find potable water. The little money I had I used to hire the truck to transport water. Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, rumbles down the dusty road with 3,000 liters tank track full of fresh water to fill the dry water pans in the Tsavo National Park, where it is most desperately needed to save the vulnerable and thirsty elephants, lions, antelopes, zebras, buffalos and other animals. When he's not helping thirsty animals, Mwalua is a pea farmer and the founder of the wildlife and conservation nonprofit Tsavo Volunteers. All rights reserved. We asked him about his new project. He shares these stories and the water management strategies he’s learned with local school children and a conservation group called the Tsavo Volunteers. Su nombre es Patrick Kilonzo Mwalua, ... Patrick Mwalua no solo atiende a los animales: también va a las escuelas a concientizar a los niños. One day, when I was in the park, I saw a buffalo sniffing at an empty water hole. Provide food and vital supplies to shelter pets at The Animal Rescue Site for free! 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