The Masais of Loita, semi-nomadic tribals who are jealously guarding one of the few remaining indigenous forests in East Africa, are in a state of despair. The Kenyan government's recent decision to turn their homeground into a reserve for the development of mass tourism has unnerved the entire community.

In a bid to garner support, the Loita Masais invited a group of NGOs in mid-May to visit Loita hills, a few hundred kilometers south-west of Nairobi. The visitors were enthralled by the work done by the tribals, not only to earn their own living but also to protect and the sustain the forests; in the Loita Masai dominated areas, soil erosion was non-existent, the cattle healthy and wildlife abundant.

Now these NGOs have become ardent advocates of the Masais and are lobbying the government to persuade it to leave the Loita hills alone.