Osienala guests on a boat ride

School pupils on a boat ride

OSIENALA’s environmental education department has now embarked on a very important role of positively changing human behavior towards environmental issues. While the department acknowledges the fact that such environmental education should e made available to all generations, education targeted at the young generation is undoubtedly the most important and the most effective.

People on transit across Lake Victoria

Objectives of Environmental Education
Awareness: This helps social groups and individuals acquire an awareness of and are sensitive to the total environment and its associated problems.
Knowledge: This helps social groups and individuals gain a variety of experiences in and acquire a basic understanding of the environment and its associated problems
Attitudes: Helps social groups and individuals acquire the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems.
Participation: This provides social groups and individuals with an opportunity to e actively involved at all levels in working towards the resolution of environmental problems.

Students walking past fish ponds at osienala

students preparing to have a boat ride

Osienala speed boat for rescue missions

School visits
 Over the years, the number of schools visiting this department has improved drastically. This is made possible with the content of the lessons learnt in the center. The schools programme covers topics such as lake ecology, wetland ecosystem, water and sanitation, aqua culture, dairy farming, waste management and Agro-forestry among other environmental issues within the lake basin. The department makes learning more practical and enjoyable.

Eco tourism
This department is offering eco tourism both to local and international tourists. The sites frequently visited are Ndere islands, Mageta Island, Uyawi, Dunga wetlands and a general excursion in the lake. This has been enhanced by safe and modern boat engines with large capacity and competitive offers. The boats include MV-Nya Nam, Blue bird, MV-Kagoro. Following the services the department is working closely with Kenya Wildlife service Kisumu to offer safe means of transport to the national parks in the lake and within the lake region.

U.S ambassador to Kenya on the official opening of the resource center on 19th may 2009

An Eco-Tourism boat at Osienala pire

Resource center
The department has a resource center for Lake Victoria ecology and the culture of the people of the lake. In efforts to conserve the Lake Victoria resources, this department has materials covering various aspects of the environment including forestry, wetland management, and land use practices among other areas of interest. Also in the resource center are the artifacts from the lake community and different fish species found in lake Victoria such as Suma(elephant-snout fish), sire(silver catfish), okoko(Somerens suckermouth fish), kamongo(Lungfish), okunga(longtail spinyeel), mumi(Sharptooth catfish) among others

visitors fishing from OSIENALA fish ponds as Executive Director Dr. Obiero Ong’ang’a looks on.

Fish farming
Fish farming is rapidly gaining momentum in various parts of the country, to ease pressure on the Lake Victoria fisheries the department is currently working on how to promote fish farming in the lake region. With the demonstration ponds within the organizations premise, various groups and individuals are invited to visit and learn more about aqua culture. There are numerous studies going on to improve fish farming within the region.

Visitors at the Osienala ponds

Osienala fish ponds

Visit Osienala center for research and development for your answer on issues affecting Lake Victoria and its environment. Learn more about Lake Victoria environment, its ecosystem comprising of plants and animals, challenges and mitigation measures put forward to conserve this important fresh water resource.

 

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