The powerful Kenyan documentary, “Healing Rangelands: A Story of Hope and Harmony in Northern Kenya,” will have its international premiere at the SER Film Festival in Denver, Colorado, on October 2, 2025.
The film has been selected as a finalist in the festival’s prestigious “Weaving in Indigenous Perspectives” category.
Co-directed by Ian Wafula and Saitabao Kaiyare, Healing Rangelands chronicles the inspiring restoration of previously degraded rangelands in Laikipia through a groundbreaking model of shared stewardship, ecological regeneration, and cultural collaboration. Cinematography was captured over two years by Ivo Horsey, documenting the transformative journey of human intervention to heal the land.
Set against the rugged beauty of Laikipia County, the film showcases the transformative partnership between Borana Conservancy and the Mayianat community, led by the Community Land Management Committee (CLMC).
A central figure in this success is Benedetta Tinkoi, Chair of the Grazing and Land Restoration Subcommittee. She describes the necessity of change: “In my life here in Laikipia I have seen my home transformed for the worse and then for the better… The rains would cause the land to change and gulleys formed where we used to have grassland. My challenge became teaching our community how to change the way they dealt with the prolonged drought and lack of food for their livestock. It was not easy.”
The documentary follows the hands-on efforts of the Borana Conservancy team, including permaculturist Llewellyn Dyer and regenerative livestock expert Richie Van Aardt, as they work with Benedetta and her community to restore degraded land using nature-based solutions like swales and rotational grazing. The result is the stunning regeneration of barren rangelands, the return of grass and biodiversity, and the blossoming of a once-strained relationship into a partnership grounded in mutual respect.
The film reveals how ecological wisdom, indigenous knowledge, and community empowerment converge to heal both the land and the historic divides between people.
Director Ian Wafula noted his motivation for telling the story: “For years, I’ve covered stories of land conflict in Laikipia. When I learned that Borana and Maiyanat Conservancies were breaking that cycle by sharing resources and regenerating land together, I knew it was a story worth telling. That journey became Healing Rangelands. I’m honoured that the film will now reach a global audience and thrilled that it has been selected as a festival finalist.”
Benedetta Tinkoi emphasized the critical role of community buy-in: “As more of our community saw the success of the land reclamation efforts they wanted to try it too. It was the first time that they were being told that livestock, which is our wealth, was a solution rather than a problem… Instead of ignoring our traditions and preferences, our indigenous knowledge was taken seriously and we have found a balance which works.”
The film is slated for screenings in Nairobi and Laikipia later in the year.