Th US Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks of the Department of Interior Mr Kaush Arha yesterday visited CAWM Mweka and had a meeting with the MENTOR Fellows. He gave an inspiring address to the MENTOR Fellows, sharing with us the conservation challenges wildlife managers in America had faced in the past, most of which are similar to what we are facing here in East Africa today. This was after he carefully listened to each MENTOR Fellows who shared with him the bushmeat challenges in their respective countries.

The MENTOR (Mentoring for ENvironmental Training in Outreach and Resource Conservation) Fellowship Program was established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the College of African Wildlife Management- Mweka, Tanzania, and the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group to train and build the capacities of emerging conservation leaders in order to build a network of eastern Africa wildlife professionals who can lead efforts to reduce illegal and unsustainable bushmeat exploitation at local and regional levels. The USFWS have generously provided the funds for this program.

A group photo after the meeting

After the meeting he agreed to join us for dinner at the college cafeteria, to the surprise of many of us. The easy going Senior US government official was at home eating food prepared for the students as you can see in the photo below.

It was a great honour meeting and talking to such a senior US official. I was elated by the fact that he was interested in my project on wildlife policy review in Kenya. That motivates me.

Iregi Mwenja

USFWS MENTOR Fellow

Technorati : MENTOR Fellows, Mwenja, bushmeat

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The response I got from people all over the world following the attack has been overwhelming. I am humbled by all the encouraging emails, calls and comments in my blog and pledges for support that I have received following the attack. Honestly, I had no idea that there so many people out there who care and also appreciate what I do.

Please allow me to dedicate this post to members of the MENTOR program family in the US for their tremendous support and their pledges to help overcome the lose. I am really proud to be part of this MENTOR program family.

Nancy Gelman called me on Monday all the way from Washington to give me moral support and to make sure i was okay. Her pledge for financial support means that I will be able to finnish my Bushmeat field assessment despite the lose. Heather Eves was the first to send an email immediately the post went online to give me the moral support I desperately needed last Sunday. Dirck Byler sent me a very reassuring email yesterday.

Thanks to all you and your spouses for showing that you care. I wish you and your families all the best in life.

Iregi Mwenja

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