Jackem Otete

A young conservationist with two years of hands-on experience and knowledge in Wildlife conservation, I’m a Kenyan Citizen, and resident of Busia County. I pride myself as an alumnus of Egerton University, the graduating class of 2017 from which I hold a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife and Enterprise Management - a fundamental pillar in my career goals.

My academic and experiential accomplishment enabled me to be part of inaugural cohort of Public Service Commission Internship Program (PSIP) in the year 2019; where I worked at National Museums of Kenya. This internship furthered my awareness of issues surrounding conservation within Kenya context and it is through this opportunity that I was able to contribute to conservation work by developing scientific reports such as:The conservation status of Gede forest habitat, An assessment on high mortality rate of snakes in Gede Snake Parketc. which informed important conservation decisions that brought change at Gede Ruins National Monument in Kilifi County. Some of the management decisions anchored on my work include adoption of protocol on snake handling, visitors’ of code of conduct in the Snake Park et cetera.

I have skills in advocacy strategy design, public policy, strategic youth engagement that are hard to come by.

Moreover, I also belong to a number of youth-led environmental movements and networks nationally and internationally. I’m an active member of Global Youth Biodiversity Network (Kenya Chapter), where I serve in the steering committee as policy coordinator. In my leisure time, I explore new places and I also like Karate for mind relaxation, self-discipline and physical stability.

Far from conservation, I also play key role in corporate social responsibility arena, where I have co-founded an organization called Samaritan Step of Hope, CBO. The Organization strives to solves contemporary pressings challenges/issues of gender based violence, child protection, and peace and security.

One fact you don’t know about me is that am a Muslim and I have phobia towards chameleons.