Safaricom and the M-PESA Foundation have committed Sh114 million to the 2026 Rhino Charge Challenge in what the telco says reinforces the growing role of corporate financing in Kenya's conservation efforts as pressure intensifies on critical water towers.
The funding will support both ecological restoration and event logistics for the 37th edition of the endurance off-road competition, scheduled for May 30 in Samburu.
The allocation comes at a time when conservation groups are increasingly relying on private capital to plug funding gaps left by constrained public spending and rising environmental degradation.
Of the total, the M-PESA Foundation has allocated Sh94 million to Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust for conservation work across key ecosystems.
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These include fencing and protection of the Mount Elgon Forest (Suam Block), restoration of the Mau Forest Complex spanning Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties, and rehabilitation works in the Mount Kenya forest landscape in Tharaka Nithi.
Safaricom Plc will contribute Sh20 million towards event operations, including sponsorship of three competing vehicles and deployment of communications infrastructure.
Part of the allocation will fund network connectivity and 5G coverage during the event, which is staged in remote and often inaccessible terrain.
The Rhino Charge has become a key annual fundraising platform for forest conservation, drawing corporate sponsors and private entrants who navigate extreme terrain to raise money for electric fencing and habitat protection.
"As a company, sustainability remains central to how we create long-term value for our customers, communities, and the environment,"said Safaricom
CEO Peter Ndegwa.
"Our support for the Rhino Charge reflects our commitment to practical conservation efforts that protect Kenya's natural heritage while driving innovation and resilience."
The initiative also continues to highlight emerging innovation themes, including electric mobility. One of the supported entries, the EV Explorers team, says the sponsorship strengthens its participation in the increasingly competitive field.
"As the only EV team in the competition, we are highly motivated not only to complete the challenge but also to emerge among the best, building on lessons from last year's mechanical challenges as we champion the future of electric mobility and environmental conservation," said Richard Kiplagat, Team Lead, EV Explorers.
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Last year's event raised Sh269.5 million, underscoring its growing significance as a conservation financing vehicle.
Rhino Ark-supported projects have so far delivered more than 650 kilometres of electric fencing aimed at reducing human-wildlife conflict and protecting over 80,000 households living along forest edges.
The Rhino Charge remains both a sporting endurance test and a fundraising mechanism for Kenya's mountain ecosystems, which continue to face mounting pressure from deforestation, settlement expansion and climate stress.
