The annual BBC/Shell World Challenge showcases great grassroots projects around the world. In 2006, first prize was given to the Sri Lankan Eco Maximus Elephant Dung Paper company. They provide a range of cute products, employment and an incentive to protect local elephant populations.

Occasionally in Kenya you can find the odd designer greeting card made out of elephant dung. I haven't bought any for a while: they will probably reappear as we get closer to the Xmas shopping frenzy. I guess they must be produced by the Taita Discovery Centre that's located on Rukinga Ranch south of Tsavo East National Park. Not too far from Amboseli: perhaps the paper has a few molecules of our eles' DNA. I like the touch that the centre collects dung only from vehicle tracks to minimise impacting the environment by removing nutrients. Anyway, neither the centre nor the ranch seem to have their own website, so just Google for the names and you'll find lots of safari news articles on both.

Haven't come across ele dung being used as fuel, but don't see why not, if you were really pressed. It tends to have a high content of undigested cellulose and is less compacted than the dung of other herbivores, so it burns quite quickly without much heat. I've tried it out in a bee-smoker (the device apiculturalists use to quieten hives that are being worked on), but found it burned too quickly; not at all as good as the East African favourite for the purpose, giraffe droppings.

Whereas 'airdad' has a point that it might work as fuel, I think Hans is correct that the low price would never outcompete the deadly appeal of ivory.
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HC

The Owens helped start a program in Zambia for the people to have their own business/cottage industry. This helped stop the complete annihilation of the elephants in Luanga. Is there something similar in Kenya?