Women from community groups working on mangrove restoration carry seedlings in buckets on their heads from local nurseries ahead of a planting operation in a deforested patch in Mida Creek, near Watamu, a small town close to the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya, on Aug 4. LUIS TATO/AFP
Under the scorching afternoon sun, the semiarid landscape of Marereni in Kenya's Kilifi County stretches into the distance — a place where salt and sea have long shaped both the land and the lives of those who depend on it. Renowned for its extensive salt production, this remote settlement lies at the heart of the country's north coast salt belt.
Women carry mangrove seedlings to plant as they wade through water in a mangrove forest during the rising tide in Marereni, Kenya, on Aug 5. LUIS TATO/AFP
Yet beyond the gleaming salt pans, Marereni is also home to one of the region's most vital ecosystems: a rich mosaic of fringing, estuarine, and creek mangrove forests that sustain remarkable biodiversity.
Women walk next to newly planted mangrove seeds kept in small sand-filled bags at their nursery in Marereni, Kenya, on Aug 5. LUIS TATO/AFP
In recent years, Marereni's mangroves have faced significant loss due to conversion for solar salt works, aquaculture, and human settlement, according to Kenya's National Mangrove Ecosystem Management Plan 2017-27.
For coastal communities like those in Marereni, the disappearance of mangroves poses a direct threat to their livelihoods. As mangroves vanish, so do economic opportunities, deepening poverty and food insecurity across the region.
Women from a community group inspect the growth of young mangroves they had planted to restore a bare patch in Mida Creek, near Watamu, Kenya, on Aug 4. LUIS TATO/AFP
An environmental revival is now underway. Local communities are breathing new life into once-declining mangrove forests. This grassroots movement goes beyond mere tree planting — it is about restoring an entire ecosystem.
Residents have organized themselves into community groups, turning mangrove restoration into a source of income by establishing and maintaining mangrove nurseries. Today, more than 30 project groups are active in Marereni, involving 640 community members — 218 men and 422 women.
Residents work on mangrove restoration by planting seedlings from local nurseries during a planting operation in a deforested patch in Watamu, Kenya, on Aug 4. LUIS TATO/AFP
Zena Hamisi, chairperson of a local women group based in Marereni's Mto wa Mawe Creek, said the project has been transformative for her and its members. She said each sapling sells for 20 shillings ($0.15).
Half of the earnings are distributed among the group members, while the other half is deposited into a savings account for future income-generating projects. For instance, Hamisi notes that her group used its savings to purchase a maize shelling machine, which they rent out to local farmers during harvest season.
A woman working on mangrove restoration takes a break during a planting operation in a deforested patch in Watamu, Kenya, on Aug 4. LUIS TATO/AFP
Hamisi highlights the tangible impact of mangrove restoration on local livelihoods, especially fishing: "Marereni residents' main source of income is fishing. When mangrove numbers declined, fish catches dropped too. Since we began restoring them, we've seen clear improvement."
A resident inspects an area where stagnant water and deforestation have destroyed a once-thriving mangrove forest in Marereni, Kenya, on Aug 5. LUIS TATO/AFP
Gona, a fisherman from Muyu wa Kae, recalls that before restoration efforts, daily catches rarely brought in more than 500 shillings. Now, fishers can earn between 900 and 1,000 shillings per day. "The improvement is obvious, especially if you go fishing at night," Gona said.
People examine mangrove seeds in Marereni, Kenya, on Aug 5. LUIS TATO/AFP
The project also serves as an empowering initiative for women. Women groups are not only playing a central role in ecological restoration but are also helping preserve local culture and strengthen community ties.
Agencies via Xinhua
A fisherman holds a crab in a reforested mangrove in Marereni, Kenya, on Aug 5. LUIS TATO/AFP
