Skip to main content

Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project (CIPDP)

Chepkitale Indigenous Peoples Development Project (CIPDP) is the Ogiek of Mt. Elgon’s indigenous peoples’ community organisation working to support the Ogiek community regain their ability to sustain and be sustained by their ancestral lands at Mt. Elgon, Kenya. 

The Ogiek Indigenous people of Mt. Elgon have faced evictions from their historical land, which they have conserved and protected since time immemorial. CIPDP intervenes by ensuring land tenure rights and peoples’ rights are protected. 

CIPDP was founded in 2000 and formally registered in 2003. It is part of the community and their work is driven by the community’s needs, rights and struggles. All activities are carried out after extensive community consultation and with the full support of the community. 

Country: Kenya
Website: chepkitale.org
X/Twitter: @CIPDPchepkitale
Facebook: Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Project-CIPDP

A Jubilant Ogiek Woman (Teresa Chemosop) Celebrates During Community Assemblies at Laboot, Mt. Elgon. Kenya
A Jubilant Ogiek Woman (Teresa Chemosop) Celebrates During Community Assemblies at Laboot, Mt. Elgon. Photo by Mutai / CIPDP
CIPDP staff who are part of Transformative Pathways Project. From left Shimron Kiptoo, Collins Ndiema and Kelly Laikong. Photo by Dickence, CIPDP
CIPDP staff who are part of Transformative Pathways Project. From left Shimron Kiptoo, Collins Ndiema and Kelly Laikong. Photo by Dickence / CIPDP

Dashed line

Main areas of work

  • Mapping community lands 
  • Supporting community advocacy 
  • Engaging in legal processes 
  • Handling international funding 
  • Engaging in regional, national and international policy processes 
  • Capacity building 
  • Environmental conservation 
  • Gender justice  
  • Land justice 
  • Collaboration  
  • Cultural identity and traditional knowledge  
Community members having a workshop the traditional way around a bonfire. Photo by Mutai, CIPDP
Community members having a workshop the traditional way around a bonfire. Photo by Mutai / CIPDP

Dashed line

Focus of work in the Transformative Pathways project

At the local level, CIPDP enables the implementation of the project directly with communities, as well as creating an enabling environment for sustainable use and biodiversity conservation, working with community-based organisations, local government, and supporting partners. 

At the national level, CIPDP collaborates with the Indigenous Information Network (IIN) in engaging the Kenyan government in the implementation of the framework of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. 

Stinging nettles are a source of vegetables in Chepkitale, Kenya. They are harvested sustainably thereby ensuring their continued presence along with other indigenous foods.
Stinging nettles are a source of vegetables in Chepkitale. They are harvested sustainably thereby ensuring their continued presence along with other indigenous foods. Photo by Mutai / CIPDP

Dashed line

Related posts

Filter

Article
IIFB representatives at COP16

Outcomes of COP16 for Indigenous Peoples and local communities

The Conference of the Parties related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use had many positive outcomes, but ultimately was suspended without all decisions being finalised. In October 2024, governments, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, local community representatives and other key actors came together in Cali, Colombia to…
27.11.24

Conservation and Human Rights: An Introduction

This guidance is intended as a resource for conservation professionals who are interested to learn more about the relationship between conservation and human rights, especially the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities. A huge amount has been written on this topic over the past…
30.10.24
Blog

Training resources on the Convention on Biological Diversity

This booklet series provides Indigenous Peoples and local communities with key insights into the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and its Target 3, focusing on their rights and participation in global conservation efforts. It offers guidance on engaging…
28.10.24