Founded in 2017 by Dr. Chris K. Kiptoo—a local native and environmental advocate—Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Initiative (KICI) began as a movement to mobilize forest-edge communities and restore degraded areas of the Kaptagat Forest. This effort unites people across Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu Counties.
The region includes forest blocks like Pombo, Sabor, Benson, Kipkabus, and Kessup, which support biodiversity and feed rivers such as Ndoroti and Sosiani, eventually draining into Lake Victoria. Driven by Dr. Kiptoo’s lifelong passion for flora and fauna, and in response to deforestation and climate impacts, KICI began hosting annual tree planting editions that have grown into a large regional event.
“Every time I plant a tree seedling, it reminds me that it’s not about me. It’s about us. It’s about humanity.”
