Mara Elephant Project has almost completed a new operational headquarters office for our key staff members and rangers. In order for MEP to be successful in sustaining our mission over the long term, we will need to expand our partnership network and the new MEP operational office will help us in this objective.
The site for the MEP operational headquarters office.
As MEP expands our evidence base we will need to utilize this data in the form of reports that will be developed and presented to key decision makers at the local, regional and national level within government, organizations and the local community. Currently, MEP doesn’t have the operational capacity to host such key meetings. The new operational offices will have a large meeting room with donated technology available to present to groups of decision makers in a more formal and impressive capacity.
Additionally, there will be a new ranger station that will allow rangers who were working in tents to have a computer station where they can come and run reports, track elephants and have an all-around better working environment while at HQ.
From an organizational standpoint, MEP needed a more secure network. We handle a lot of sensitive information regarding elephant movements and poaching intelligence, and through generous donors, we are now able to expand the security of our internet network.
The beginning build of the office.
MEP is establishing an unmanned aerial vehicle training protocol that we can share nationally once other conservation organizations are approved to use UAVs in mitigating human-elephant conflict. These trainings will establish MEP as a leader in this new and innovative technology and the operational offices will allows us to host these trainings in a safe and technology-rich environment. These offices not only allow us to host outside trainees, but also train our rangers in house instead of in tents.
The office that is almost complete.
In brand awareness and donor relations terms, having a permanent structure that we can use to develop a tourist visitation program has much potential. We can welcome guests from surrounding camps to come and spend time at MEP and learn about what we’re doing to protect elephants and conserve the greater Mara ecosystem. This building will also allow us a safe and comfortable space to host partner organizations like The Maa Trust when they come visit with children to learn about conservation.
Putting the finishing touches on the MEP operational headquarters office.
Overall, the new MEP operational headquarters office demonstrates our roots in the Mara. We have been operational since 2012 and are here to stay to fulfill our mission.
