Ol Jogi takes on the TUSK Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2026

Stronger Together

Months of early morning training brought four Ol Jogi teammates to the starting line at Lewa. When injury threatened their race, that preparation showed in how they supported one another.

Around 15 kilometres into the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, Solomon Meshami’s knee swelled and grew increasingly painful. With six kilometres still to cover and a 22-kilogram pack on his back, continuing became difficult. His teammates slowed down with him.

Joseph Eregea and Sydney Nompoyo initially carried Solomon’s pack between them for a few hundred metres. Sydney then balanced it on top of his own pack, carrying a combined load of 44 kilograms for about a kilometre before Eregea took over for another few hundred metres. Solomon eventually shouldered his pack again for the final stretch.

Together with Joseph Sinore, they crossed the finish line as a team. It was an emotional finish: disappointment at losing the chance of a higher placing, but immense relief at completing the course and pride in what they had managed together and worked as a team, never leaving a man behind.

A Challenge with a Purpose

On 19 September 2026, the Lion Landscapes/Ol Jogi team joined the Kenya Hub event at Lewa Conservancy for the seventh TUSK Wildlife Ranger Challenge.

Organised by TUSK and the Game Rangers Association of Africa, the annual challenge brings ranger teams together for physical and mental challenges, culminating in a demanding 21-kilometre race carrying weighted packs. It celebrates their strength, skill and teamwork while raising funds for ranger welfare and frontline conservation work.

For Ol Jogi, this year’s event brought colleagues together across the conservancy, building a shared commitment that extended well beyond the four competitors.

The Work Before the Starting Line

Training began around June. Alongside the four runners, one reserve and 12 other colleagues took part in the preparations, with most drawn from the security teams, including colleagues who would not ordinarily join an event like this.

On most mornings, the group set out between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m., covering distances of six to 15 kilometres. Saturdays brought strength training.

Finding time required commitment. Some came straight from a night-guard shift; others fitted their runs in before starting work. Through those months, they encouraged one another and developed the trust that would become so important on race day.

Ol Jogi provided additional food supplies to support their training. They also organized running shoes and new tracksuits for non-competing teammates, encouraging them to keep exercising beyond the event. Four runners would represent Ol Jogi at Lewa, but a much wider group helped get them there.

Crossing the Line Together

Solomon, Sydney, Sinore and Eregea travelled to Lewa on Friday evening ahead of Saturday’s 7:00 a.m. start. Members of the wider Ol Jogi team joined them the morning of race day, cheering them on along the route.

When Solomon’s injury forced them to slow down, the team adjusted together, sharing the load and helping him through the remaining distance.

The initial results placed them sixth at Lewa and second among the Laikipia teams, with official results still being verified at the time of writing. It was a strong performance under difficult circumstances, and a demonstration of the care and responsibility teammates show towards one another.

Support That Lasts Beyond the Race

At the time of the team’s post-race update, the campaign had raised just over US$8,000 towards a US$10,000 target, with donations attracting an additional 25% in matching support.

Funds support equipment, training gear and contributions towards salaries, helping keep the people protecting wildlife and communities safe, prepared, fit and motivated. The previous year’s campaign also enabled a private donor to fund rainwater-harvesting infrastructure at Ol Jogi. This added water storage for staff use and dry periods, supporting the conservancy’s efforts to collect more rainwater and reduce reliance on river and borehole supplies. These practical improvements are part of the challenge’s lasting contribution to life and work at Ol Jogi.

A Collective Achievement

Our landscape partner, Lion Landscapes, facilitated fundraising, provided team shirts and included Ol Jogi within its wider group of participating teams. Henry Vilas Zoo selected Ol Jogi as the beneficiary of its campaign, raising US$1,650 towards our fundraising effort at the time of the update. We are grateful to both partners, to everyone who donated, and to the colleagues who supported training or travelled to Lewa to cheer the team on.

Above all, congratulations to Solomon Meshami, Sydney Nompoyo, Joseph Sinore and Joseph Eregea, and to the entire training group. Their achievement reflects months of commitment and a simple, powerful decision on the course: to see one another through to the finish.

If you would like to support Ol Jogi now that the 2026 TUSK Wildlife Ranger Challenge has concluded, you can visit the Donation section of our website; Ol Jogi is a registered 501C-3 in the United States.

Thank you!