We were taken by boat to the Mainland. As we sailed through the mangroves so many ideas start flowing and Chelsey and I can’t stop talking about Mother Nature and her beauty. The mainland was a surreal experience. There are no cars in Lamu, just donkeys and footsteps. The architecture looks like something out of Disney’s Aladin fairytale. The doors are exquisitely carved with welcoming designs. The energy is alive and the people all stare. We go by foot between the tall buildings in search of Mohammed Ali. He is on the community of the Lamu Conservation Trust and we want to work with him to cover their story. We climb the stairs to his house and in the distance there are the faint sounds of Muslim prayers and screeching donkeys. The sent is spicy and the feeling is safe. Mohammed and his big belly greet us with a smile, “Karibu” he says, “sit, welcome.” Mohammed is a good man. His ancestors lived off the land he wishes to preserve. At the end of our surprising conversation, Mohammed quotes the Koran by telling us that the best gift to give someone is water. One day we will all fight for water. He explained that as a human race we were given nature. If we don’t respect the land given to us Mother Nature will take its revenge on us all. We must preserve our land. Within the infinite African landscapes, great regions of wildlife and indigenous forestry grow gradually scarcer. Abundant acres of precious land bordering national parks and reserves are slowly being demolished. It is up to us to make a change!
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