About Pamoja Community Development

Thriving communities. On their own terms.

Pamoja means together in Swahili. It captures exactly what we are building: genuine partnership, sustained commitment, and transformation owned entirely by the communities themselves.

A man accompanied by a group of women dressed in traditional colorful clothing walking along a dirt path through a grassy landscape with scattered trees under a partly cloudy sky.

OUR STORY

A smiling man sitting on the ground with children around him in an outdoor setting, some children touching his hand.

A Relationship That Grew Into Responsibility

In 2001, Nigel first visited the Laikipia Maasai as a tourist. What began as a visit became a relationship that would span more than two decades.

Over the years, friendships grew. Trust deepened. The community became more than a place he had once visited. It became part of his life.

In March 2024, after five consecutive years of severe drought, Nigel returned and saw the scale of the crisis firsthand. Livestock had been lost. Families were struggling. Young people were leaving in search of opportunity. The situation was urgent.

Nigel and Charlotte responded by redirecting their family’s Christmas funds and launching a GoFundMe campaign. With generous support from their network, emergency relief was mobilised and more than 1,000 people received food over that Christmas period.

But it quickly became clear that short-term aid was not enough.

Charlotte joined the effort, and together with community leaders, a different vision began to take shape. Not charity. Not dependency. A long-term, community-led transformation.

Pamoja Community Development CIC was formally established in 2024 to bring that vision to life.

Since then, the work has moved from intention to implementation:

  • A comprehensive needs assessment has been completed across five community lands

  • Water surveys have been commissioned and strategic partnerships formed

  • A three-year beekeeping programme is underway

  • A local programme coordinator has been appointed on the ground

The ten-year roadmap is no longer an aspiration. It is already in motion.

A group of Maasai and other indigenous people in traditional clothing gathers outdoors on a grassy area with trees and hills in the background.

WHY WE EXIST

Partnership, Not Charity

A large group of people dressed in colorful traditional clothing, gathered outdoors on a dirt ground, with trees in the background, likely participating in a cultural event or gathering.

We work alongside Maasai, Samburu and other pastoral communities in Laikipia North to break cycles of aid dependency by building sustainable livelihoods, strengthening local ownership, and supporting longterm, generational resilience.

We believe that meaningful development must:

  • Be co-created, not imposed

  • Strengthen both women and men

  • Empower youth as the next generation of leaders

  • Innovate, while respecting cultural wisdom and values

  • Build economic independence through social enterprise

Our goal is not mere survival. It is thriving communities who own their assets, their decisions, and their future.

A group of men and women sitting inside a simple room with a yellow and brown wall, engaged in a discussion led by a man speaking with hand gestures. Some people are taking notes, and a table with a water bottle, notebooks, and a phone is visible.

OUR COMMITMENT

A Minimum Ten-Year Partnership

This is not a short-term project.

Nigel and Charlotte have committed to being actively involved for at least ten years, ensuring continuity, accountability, and longterm impact.

In a sector where organisations often disappear when funding ends, consistency matters. Trust is built through presence, reliability, and relationships that grow over time.

Pamoja is structured as a UK-registered Community Interest Company (CIC). Our UK team works entirely on a voluntary basis, ensuring that 100% of all funds raised go directly to community-led work in Kenya.

View from under a thatched roof shelter over looking a river with green trees and bushes on the riverbank in the background with a clear blue sky.
A group of people outdoors on a sunny day, with a woman in traditional clothing holding hands with a man in a plaid shawl, while others sit or stand nearby, surrounded by trees and a small hut in the background.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND PAMOJA

  • A smiling man with a beard and gray hair sitting outdoors on a blue plastic chair in a savannah landscape, wearing a colorful plaid wrap, white shorts, black sneakers, and bracelet accessories, holding a walking stick.

    Nigel Watson

    Co Founder

    From the mountains of Cumbria to the arid landscapes of Laikipia, Nigel has spent over three decades working with leaders and organisations in the pursuit of authentic, sustainable transformation.

    For 26 years he has led Tribal Teams, a coaching and consultancy business specialising in leadership development and cultural change. Over 32 years he has coached leaders across business, sport, the military and academia, helping individuals and teams perform under pressure and build cultures that endure.

    His experience includes working alongside the England Rugby management team that went on to win the 2003 World Cup and supporting the selection and training of skippers for the BT Global Challenge around the world yacht race. These experiences shaped his belief that sustained excellence comes from clarity of purpose, strong leadership and deep trust.

    Since reconnecting with the Laikipia Maasai in 2023 and witnessing their resilience in the face of recurring drought, Nigel committed to walking alongside these communities for the long term. His appointment as an honorary Maasai elder, a rare and deeply significant distinction, reflects more than two decades of sustained relationship and earned trust.

    He continues to practise professionally through Tribal Teams, with all of his work for Pamoja Community Development given on a strictly voluntary basis.

  • Woman with brown hair in a messy bun, wearing large sunglasses and a pink patterned scarf, smiling indoors with artwork and decorative bottles in the background.

    Charlotte McEvoy

    Co Founder

    Originally from a farming background in Ireland, Charlotte has lived in the UK for more than 25 years. Her connection to Kenya stems from her role as Senior Programme Manager for major DFID–ESRC interdisciplinary research programmes across Sub‑Saharan Africa. These programmes spanned health and education systems for poverty alleviation, environment and climate change, and economics—giving her a nuanced understanding of what drives impact in development programmes, and just as importantly, what hinders it.

    Charlotte also has a strong background in community development across both the public and voluntary sectors. Earlier in her career, she held a teaching and research post at the University of Exeter, where she taught International Politics to undergraduates.

    Her combined experience in programme management, research, and international development policy ensures that PCD’s ten‑year partnership model is strategically designed, evidence‑informed, and built for long‑term sustainability.

  • Young man with crossed arms wearing a patterned shirt against a plain brown background.

    Dennis Mores LeSiruaine

    Programmes Coordinator, Kenya

    Dennis lives in Ilmotiok, Laikipia, with his wife and two young children. He was born and grew up In Ilmotiok so he lives and breathes his community. This is home. That perspective shapes everything he does for Pamoja.

    He holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Resource Management from Kenyatta University and brings over five years of hands on experience with the Northern Rangelands Trust. During that time, he managed ecological monitoring programmes across more than 50,000 hectares and helped design and deliver youth conservation initiatives that strengthened both environmental stewardship and employment pathways.

    Fluent in English, Maa and Swahili, Dennis understands the cultural, social and political dynamics of northern Kenya from lived experience. He is trusted within the communities PCD serves and is able to navigate local leadership structures with clarity and respect.

    As Programmes Coordinator, Dennis is the operational heartbeat of PCD’s work in Kenya. He bridges long term vision with practical delivery, ensuring that strategy translates into measurable, community led impact. His leadership strengthens accountability, builds partnerships and ensures that development is shaped from within, not imposed from outside.

  • A woman holding a microphone outdoors during a speech or interview, with a building and greenery in the background.

    Rose Lekalesoi

    Water Security Advisor · Meteorologist

    Rose brings deep expertise in meteorology, climate science and public service to Pamoja Community Development. She worked at the Kenya Meteorological Department for 20 years before joining Samburu County Government, where she has held senior leadership roles across water, environment, natural resources, climate change, energy, roads, transport and public works.

    Her experience spans weather forecasting, climate data analysis, environmental monitoring, policy development and public service delivery. She brings this expertise to Pamoja to support work relating to water, rangeland management and land use, while also helping strengthen cohesion between communities across the Laikipia and Samburu border.

    Alongside her formal roles, Rose has also worked closely with young people in Samburu through education, mentoring and community activities during school holidays. Her perspective is shaped by both professional expertise and personal resilience, with a strong commitment to serving her community and supporting future generations.

Our Values

  • Partnership over charity

  • Sustainability over short term projects

  • Dignity and cultural respect

  • Inclusion across women, men and youth

  • Transparency and accountability

  • Community ownership

These values guide every programme and partnership.

Get in touch

Built On Trust. Focused On The Future.

Pamoja Community Development exists because relationships were built before programmes were designed.

We are committed to walking alongside communities for the long term, supporting generational shifts in leadership, economic participation and opportunity.

If you would like to learn more, partner with us or explore how you can contribute, we would welcome a conversation.