Statunga Ecotours is a partnership of community based groups in western Kenya working to promote nature conservation in Western Kenya region. Our main offices are located in Kisumu city but we operate in the entire western Kenya tourism circuit. Our vision is built around the belief that the best way to conserve any given ecosystem or physical feature is to enable communities living around these natural resources to accrue benefits from them. Much of biodiversity and the physical features we work to conserve are located outside the traditionally protected areas i.e. national Parks and forests reserves. They are often on private and community owned lands. This puts their chance of survival at the mercy of land owners and communities. To motivate a community or individual who lives around a small lake, animal park, forest, mountain or hill or any other natural feature to conserve it, the organization puts effort in enabling the community or individuals to gain from the resources. Our mission; to promote community based sustainable Environmental natural Resources conservation through responsible nature based micro enterprises. Statunga eco-tours promotes the formation of groups among the communities living around the physical features, forests etc for purposes of conserving them at some economic gain. The communities conserve and grow the sites, ensure that they are as attractive and diverse as possible and yet natural and develop the necessary facilities according to some plan. We also partner with the private sector and other willing agencies to support community initiatives that can enhance nature conservation and sustainable community livelihoods. Statunga eco-tours also markets community products in these sites to enhance nature based micro enterprises. The firm transports the visitors to the sites where they pay the communities for the entry and the services that they provide. It also facilitates accommodation, mobilization, and site visits for visitors through design of appropriate itineraries. For purposes of achieving its objectives, the organization is therefore two faced - a conservation based organization and a commercial tourism firm. Gains that are made in the commercial operations are used to support conservation activities so as to make all operations self sustaining. Being self sustaining is one of the organization's main objectives. Not an easy task but definitely achievable. The organization is run purely by community members in Nyanza, Western and the North Rift valley part of Kenya.