Introducing Kikardi

Introducing Kikardi

Jackson Kikardi – a new addition to our senior management team – joined Lion Guardians last year, but we have been so busy in the field that we are only now sharing our excitement about him coming on board! Before joining us, Kikardi was working as a field operations manager for Soils for the Future, a US-based organization working in northern Kenya to develop a grassland carbon project.

We had been in need of someone to help manage day-to-day tasks at camp and in the field, so we held an interview in Kikardi’s village. Here’s how he remembers it: “A friend called me, insisting that we must attend the interviews. I organized myself and my friend gave me a ride there with his motorbike. I was the 5th person to enter the interview room, and little did I know that I would be selected for trials…that’s how I made my way into Lion Guardians.”

Since joining our team, Kikardi has been a huge asset. In his role, he supervises the Guardians, distributes their rations, and helps manage, download, and analyze their data. Additionally, he serves as a liaison with the community and helps advise the senior management team. “I have had a great experience so far,” Kikardi said. “People in Lion Guardians work as a team and support each other. It is also amazing to see how the organization has made a huge impact in both the social and economic way of life of all the Guardians, who can now even read and write their names and numbers.”

Kikardi looks forward to gaining more experience conserving lions and promoting peaceful coexistence between wildlife and people. And he is keen to help our organization thrive; “I hope to help Lion Guardians grow into a conservation giant that’s recognized both locally and internationally,” he said. And with dedicated, enthusiastic team members like Kikardi, we are well on our way!