Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program (OPDP)

Mapping Ancestral Boundaries for Land Rights in Kericho
Location
Funded By
Kericho County, Kenya
Omidyar Foundation
Project Timeline
Project Area
2019 – 2021
Ogiek ancestral land, Sorget Forest

Project with Cadasta

OPDP and the Ogiek community mapped ancestral boundaries in Kericho using digital tools, advancing land claims and supporting implementation of the Arusha ruling.
For generations, the Ogiek of Londiani have stewarded the Sorget Forest in Kericho County, yet they have faced repeated evictions and land dispossession. In partnership with the Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program (OPDP), community elders and youth came together to map ancestral boundaries using mobile technology. Through participatory mapping and oral histories, the Ogiek documented their long history of displacement, from colonial rule to the 1988 evictions. The resulting maps now serve as powerful tools for advocacy, enabling the Ogiek to press for recognition and restitution under the Arusha court ruling. This initiative demonstrates how communities can combine traditional knowledge with modern mapping tools to defend their land rights and cultural heritage.

Photos from the Field

Testimonials