Restoring Hope in Oldeani

“Conservation is my passion,” says Sadikiel Josephat Hallaye. “If we join our efforts, we will bring hope to our people and save our elephants.”

Sadikiel serves as a Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation Officer in a village where crop damage once discouraged many farmers. Officers respond to more than 1,000 elephant-related incidents annually in participating landscapes.

Through data collection, they track when and where crop raiding occurs. This information, combined with local knowledge, guides practical mitigation measures and improves coordination with village leaders.

“There is huge awareness now,” Sadikiel says. Communication between community members and conservation authorities has strengthened. Farmers better understand elephant behavior and apply mitigation techniques with greater confidence.

For Sadikiel, the work centers on building trust and sustaining steady engagement. When farmers feel supported and informed, fear decreases and cooperation improves.

He believes progress comes from steady collaboration. “We must work together,” he says.