Paul Omonge (2011 - 2012)

Kenya

Paul is the Director of Lake Victoria Sunset Birders (LVSB) , a youth-based conservation organization. Through LVSB he has implemented numerous natural resource protection projects including livelihood alternatives for wetlands and lake resource user-groups including fish farming, avitourism, ecotourism, agroforestry programs and papyrus product value addition.

He was born in Nakuru Town, in the Rift Valley province of Kenya, and obtained his B.Sc. in Range Management from the University of Nairobi. He also holds a Certificate in International Transboundary Water Management from the Swedish International Water Institute. As an undergraduate, Paul interned at the Kenya Wildlife Service, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli National Parks, and Samburu/Buffalo Springs National Reserves. During his internship at Lake Nakuru NP, he researched and wrote “The effect of changes in Range Trends and conditions on the large Herbivore population within the Park”.

After graduation he followed his passion for nature with a bird ringing course at the Arocha Kenya Bird Observatory and field study center. This paved the way for his research on the “Effects of Anthropological factors on the abundance and distribution of Chloropeta glacilirostris at Dunga Wetland of Kisumu, Lake Victoria” a paper that he presented at the Annual Ecological Society of East Africa (ESEA) Conference.

He spearheaded monitoring and research activities around Lake Victoria wetlands on the role of wetlands in the provision of ecosystem services, and participated in drafting the yala  and dunga   wetland management plans. When completed and published, these will be used by the partners in the management of Lake Victoria wetlands.

He has participated in and represented his organization in several development and conservation fora, notably the Transboundary Water Management Program for Lake Victoria (TWM-LV) and the Lake Victoria fisheries organization (LVFO), where he made significant contributions in the management of the enforcement and regulatory units at the beaches along the shores of Lake Victoria.

Paul is the National Coordinator for ‘Change Africa Youth Initiative, CHAYI’ a network of Climate Change Master Trainers in Kenya which was formed with the support of the World Bank Climate Change Institute. CHAYI collates best climate change adaptation and mitigation practices around the country and demystifies them for implementation by the local communities.

As a Sauvé Scholar, Paul developed a youth engagement model and guidelines for combining environmental conservation with entrepreneurial development . The guidelines collate best practices for youth engagement from organisations across Canada and the USA. During the Sauvé year, he discovered a particular interest in – and aptitude for - public speaking. He therefore spoke and held leadership forums at various venues including the university of McGill, University of Concordia, St. Johnsbury Academy, The Shelburne Farms, Khanawake Survival School, and Dawson College.

Paul’s spare-time activities include bird watching, travelling, writing, cycling and playing soccer. He deeply regrets that he did not see a snowy owl while living in Montreal.

Mother Tongue

Luo (mother tongue) -- other languages: Swahili, English, French

Country of origin

Kenya

Country of Residence

Kenya

Profession

Environmental conservation