Located in southern Kenya, Gazi Bay and Vanga Bay are home to two internationally recognized community-based mangrove carbon finance projects: Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest, respectively. Both voluntary carbon market projects, certified through the Plan Vivo standard, sell carbon credits to support mangrove conservation and restoration activities, as well as provide community benefits like access to education, clean water, and sustainable resources.

Read more on Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest projects here: https://www.blueforestsolutions.org/kenya

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for carbon offsetting projects – particularly the aviation industry buying fewer credits due to the global decline of travel – community organizations formed through projects like Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest have demonstrated their resilience by showing how resources can be mobilized to provide communities with support during the pandemic.

In 2020, the Mikoko Pamoja Community Organization and the Vanga Blue Forest Community Organization merged efforts to support 148 households from the organizations' villages with food and sanitary provisions. Funds were also donated by the two projects with facilitation from Association of Coastal Ecosystem Services (ACES) in a bid to cushion the arisen socio-economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic that was then majorly affecting the region and the country at large. Staples like basic food items, sanitary materials (e.g. soaps and masks) were distributed throughout the communities via door-to-door deliveries. Small events to increase awareness on preventive measures against COVID-19 were also held.

With the communities living adjacent to the mangroves, it was possible to engage small groups in conservation activities i.e. woodlot establishment, forest monitoring, etc., which not only served as awareness programs for the communities, but also provided a decent income for the supported communities. Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest project members majorly rely on the fisheries sector. Not only did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the fish market through enforced cessation of movement in counties, but it was then also a low season for fish production. Such incentives helped create casual employment for the community members.