MSWC President Guy Pfeffermann has written about Ewaso Lions for WellBeing International. The piece traces how a small research project in northern Kenya grew into one of the most effective community-led conservation organizations in the region.
Ewaso Lions was founded in 2007 by Dr. Shivani Bhalla and Samburu pastoralist Jeneria Lekilelei. They began with a hard problem: lions were killing livestock, and herders were killing lions in return. Their answer was to put the community at the center of the work. Warrior Watch recruits young Samburu men, some of whom once speared lions, to track and protect them. Mama Simba brings women into habitat restoration, clearing invasive mesquite and replanting native vegetation. Lion Kids Camp introduces children to the wildlife living alongside them.
The results are measurable. The lion population in the area has climbed from 11 to more than 60. Ewaso Lions is now helping organize an international conference on community-led conservation, to be held in Nairobi in November 2026.
Lions in Africa are in huge trouble. There are only about 20,000 lions left, and they have lost about 90% of their original range.
Dr. Shivani Bhalla, Founder & CEO, Ewaso Lions
Shivani Bhalla joined the MSWC Board of Directors in 2026.