"This is a solution that was invented by somebody in the community," explains Paula Kahumbu, executive director of the Kenya Land Conservation Trust and chairman of the Friends of Nairobi National Park. "Therefore the support for it is very high."

Bright ideas, bright future

Kahumbu and her colleagues first came across Turere's innovation some two years ago in the course of their fieldwork. Stunned by the boy's achievements, they helped him get a scholarship at Brookhouse International School, one of Kenya's top educational institutions, where he started last April.

"Richard is quite an extraordinary boy," says Kahumbu. She describes him as a "very smart, curious and surprisingly confident (boy) for his age and background," who's integrated smoothly among his new classmates, most of whom are from wealthy families.

"One thing that's unique about Richard is that if you give him a problem, he'll keep working at it until he can fix it," she adds. "He doesn't give up; he doesn't find things too difficult; he's not afraid of being unable to do something and I think this is why he is such a good innovator -- because he's not worried that it might not work, he's going to try and do it anyway."

Turere says his dream is to work in aviation when he grows up.

"Three years ago when I was in the savannah herding my father's cattle I used to see the planes flying over and landing at the airport and I was like, one day I'll be a pilot and an aircraft engineer," he says.

For this remarkable boy, it's clear that the sky is the limit.