2016 donations: 

On June 3, 2016, the board of the Trolltech Foundation decided to make the following grants to:

* Africa Startup:

Object: Establish Alphabet King Reading Labs in Gambia to demonstrate and promote independent learning in reading and writing using state-of-the-art technology and apps. The project aims to prove that the Reading Lab can be replicated effectively across diverse geographic and cultural contexts. Additionally, the project focuses on making educational resources accessible without the need for internet connectivity, utilizing apps that can be directly copied onto devices. This initiative also plans to extend its reach by adapting the learning apps into local languages like Kirundi and Swahili, broadening its impact in regions with varying educational needs and infrastructural challenges.

Africa Startup is a Foundation based in Norway with the mission to improve livelihoods in Africa and around the world, through education in agricultural innovation, environmental protection entrepreneurship and new innovative learning methods for basic literacy, numeracy, logic and concepts.

A total of NOK 100 000 was allocated to this project.

* Nenkashe Education Center:

Object: Construct a life skills development center on a 5-acre plot in Kajiado County, donated by members of the Nenkashe Education Centre. This center aims to provide vocational and life skills training to enhance the livelihoods of children under the center’s care. The training will focus on areas such as personal development, tailoring, carpentry, computer science, home science, and agriculture.

Nenkashe Education Centre (NEC) is a Non-Profit Organization which aims at addressing the plight of the pastoralist girls (and boys) at risk of adverse traditional cultural practices.

NEC supports 39 orphaned and vulnerable children who are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage to access education. We combat illiteracy and soaring school dropout rates by offering mentorship and counseling services to children in need. We offer legal services and operate a safe house in Kajiado County where sponsored children who are at risk of early marriage and FGM are housed when school is not in session.

A total of NOK 100 000 was allocated to this project, a partial financing of the education center for girls in Kenya.

* Nashulai Maasai Conservancy (previously I see Maasai Development Initiative):

Nashulai Maasai Conservancy is a new conservation programme which plans to increase biodiversity in private lands sharing a border with Maasai Mara National Reserve to the north by creating a wildlife conservancy.  The location of the conservancy is critical as a wildlife migratory corridor which supports the reserve and other conservancies in the wildlife dispersion area.

Because the conservancy is adjacent to the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the settled area near Sekenani, it is critical to stop human encroachment and fencing which is starting to mark parts of the migratory corridor.  This problem must be controlled and one innovative way of finding a workable solution to the dilemma is to engage land owners in the formation of conservancies.

Nashulai Maasai Conservancy will work with 40 land owners who have already signed the lease agreement for 3,000 acres to introduce a sustainable land use programme within the conservancy which will  improve biodiversity and bring more benefits to the environment, the people and the wildlife.  More landowners have expressed interest to lease an additional 1,000 acres.

The main goal of the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy is to engage landowners to carry out sustainable conservation of the conservancies’ 5,000 acres and provide a low density safari experience for high paying tourists.

Objective: Establish a 3,500-acre conservancy area through a collaborative effort between Rick Young Enterprises and 40 landowners. This innovative conservation program aims to promote sustainable land management practices and create a unique, low-density safari experience that attracts high-paying tourists. Key objectives include engaging landowners in conservation efforts, enhancing governance through leadership training for the elected committee, developing sustainable livestock enterprises with controlled grazing and strategic livestock culling, providing enriching safari experiences, and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Maasai people. The expected outputs include improved biodiversity, reduced human-wildlife conflicts, sustainable livestock management, exclusive safari experiences, enriched cultural interactions for visitors, and better resource use advocacy by a skilled management committee.

A total of NOK 1 676 000 was allocated over a period of 2 years for leasing land from local Maasai in Kenya to fight poverty, conserve wildlife and run a tourist business.