New ITP Research Grant 2025 awarded!!

Written by Claire Messenger, Manager, International Training Programme

We are very excited to announce another 2025 ITP Grant to Rodah Kalondu Lange, Curator/Conservator, National Museums of Kenya (Kenya, ITP Fellow 2023); Doris Kamuye, Curator, Malindi Museum (Kenya, ITP Fellow 2024) and Lillian Amwanda Ochieng, Curator, Kabarnet Museum (Kenya, ITP Fellow 2024).

Rodah, Doris and Lilian will use their ITP Research Grant for a project titled Establishing the Effects of Climate Change on National Museums of Kenya. Tangible Heritage for Sustainability, Adaption and Resilience; Integrating Climate Action Strategies.

As three curators working for the National Museum of Kenya, Rodah, Doris and Lillian will be working together on this project but the research will be based in regional museums across different parts of Kenya, specifically:

• Central Region – Nairobi Gallery and Karen Blixen Museum- in Nairobi City County.
• Coastal Region – Malindi Museum (Vasco da Gama Pillar, Portuguese Chapel, House of Columns, Heritage complex museum), Gedi World Heritage Site – in Kilifi County.
• Western Region – Kabarnet Monument- In Baringo County and Tambach Monument- in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

In these three regions, the fellows will travel to the museums to conduct fieldwork and data collection.

This very timely research is significant in assessing climate change impacts on NMK regional museum collections and developing sustainable conservation strategies. It will enhance the fellow’s expertise in climate resilience for heritage preservation, inform climate adaptation policy formulation and strengthen community engagement. The findings will contribute to safeguarding cultural heritage for future generations.

We are delighted to be able to support Rodah, Doris and Lillian in this research and are hugely impressed by their collaboration across museums and ITP years.  During the project, they will share blog posts from the regions to update us on their progress and we are looking forward to learning more about their research and sharing their final report with our wider ITP global network.