Despite dropping out of Standard 8, 46-year-old John Pameri has made a living as the head of security and trained pilot at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Laikipia.
Pameri’s story speaks of optimism, determination and resilience. For a man who did not further his education beyond primary school, he has had to jump many hurdles to be where he is.
All Pameri wanted was to protect wildlife and he pursue this dream to the fullest.
In 1990, he sat for his Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination (KCPE) at Olarjiju Primary School in Laikipia and scored 321 marks out of the possible 700 marks.
He was called to several secondary schools but his parents could not afford to pay his fees. Besides, the Maasai culture then did not value education much.
Two years later, he started as a volunteer ranger at the Lewa Conservancy.
“I went across to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy which I walked 100 kilometres from here,” he recalled in an interview with Citizen TV.
This is when he volunteered waiting for an opportunity to become a ranger in the subsequent recruitment. He went through physical and intellectual training.
Pameri rose through the ranks and held the position of assistant head of security. In 1996, he took a natural resource management course from Mpulumanga in South Africa and graduated with a distinction.
After this, Lewa Conservancy sponsored his pilot training course at the Pletermaritz Flight Training Centre in South Africa. His first solo flight was in 2012.
“The communities are really proud of me seeing my life how I have grown up from a local community,” Pameri said.
Today, he is in charge of 87 staff including field rangers whose scope of work is wildlife management, resolving human-wildlife conflict, security and escorting guests at the conservancy.
