Preservation of Kenya's Endangered movable Heritage Assets Programme (EHAP).
With support and funding from UNESCO, NMK in collaboration with the Centre for Heritage Development in Africa (CHDA) developed the programme on the endangered movable cultural artefacts programme to identify, document, conserve, promote, present and diffuse information on endangered heritage assets along Kenya's coast.
This programme was initiated in 2004. The communities include, Mijikenda, Pokomo, Waata, Dahalo, Swahili/Bajun, Boni and Dawhida communities.
This programme is now concluded. The results have contributed to the identification, documentation, exhibition, and publicity. Furthermore, rituals and traditions associated with healing, rain making, food production, etc. among these communities have been explored and documented.

Map showing the location of the communities included in the EHAP programme

The Programme has achieved the following results:-
• The documentation of the endangered movable cultural assets of the coastal communities was completed. Out of these studies two booklets have already been published one on the MijiKenda and another on the Dhawida people and heritage. A CD on the endangered ritual objects of the MijiKenda has been produced.

• Increased capacity of local institutions and communities to ensure long-term preservation of their cultural heritage assets. This was realised through training 4 Kenyans at postgraduate level in museum and Heritage management at CHDA (in collaboration with University of Nairobi). Furthermore 15 local museum workers were trained in preventive conservation. This has resulted in the strengthening of the network of heritage and Museum professionals within Kenya so as to ensure the conservation of coastal collections in the region.

• The Conservation laboratory in Fort Jesus was aided with tools and equipment therefore increasing her capacity to assist in the conservation of the coastal heritage. In addition the audio visual laboratory was provided with equipment o assist in the task of recording of rituals associated with endangered objects – for use in animating the exhibitions.The project established collection storage facilities within community spaces and in the coastal museums, particularly in Lamu and Fort Jesus Museums and Dhawida leading to Improved collection storage conditions through rationalizing use of space, increasing storage unit space, carrying out preventive conservation and Remedial conservation treatments and upgrading collection storage methods and practices. This has enhanced the status of the preservation and accessibility of the collection.

• The Project has contributed to the improvement of exhibitions information there is greater awareness on the endangered movable assets of the coastal of presentation in Rabai, Gedi and Fort Jesus Museums.

• Collection care, documentation, access and management has been improved through the creation of a collection database of the collection. A collection management policy to guide in the creation and management of existing and new museums has been produced.

• Awareness on the communities culture and heritage was raised through mounting of a special exhibition in Malindi Museum. This exhibition will be completed and opened to the public by the end of July, 2009.