Mara Elephant Project’s rangers are not just protecting wildlife, communities and habitat in the Mara ecosystem; most were also born and raised in the very ecosystem they protect. MEP’s rangers are a snapshot of local life in the Mara and represent the best of the best in their communities. So, it’s essential that our ranger force also reflects the advancement in equality that the 21st century has brought about. March is women’s history month and Maasai women are critical to the community’s overall well-being and the same can be said about MEP. In January, MEP added four new female employees which included two rangers to our ranks. Caren, from Narok County, was identified at the October 18, 2019 Mau Forest recruitment. During the selection process she was one of nine recruits selected from over 50 applicants that passed the physical fitness and one-on-one interview process. Once she completed training at MEP HQ, she was assigned to the second Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Mau De-Snaring Unit and deployed in January (pictured left). During her deployment Caren was a critical member of the ranger unit and contributed to many of their successes during the time.
“Caren has been an exemplary cadet and has showed this both during her internal training and the Ranger Campus training. MEP is committed to continuing to support her to grow into a leadership role within the organization.”
MEP CEO Marc Goss
She also proved to be of top aptitude in her field medical package, which qualified her for additional training in Tsavo from Ranger Campus. Ranger Campus offers a competency-based, innovative and measurable approach to ranger training and concentrates on the long-term training of rangers. While at Ranger Campus, Caren has not only excelled, she’s been noted as a “top 1%” recruit and has earned many distinctions in the course (pictured right: Caren at Ranger Campus).
“Caren is what I call a one percenter. She’s a born instructor; I’ve seen five in my whole time with lead. I’d love to have more time with her in the future, she has a lot of potential.”
Ranger Campus Director of Operations Boris Vos
