On Sunday 26th February, 2017 a delegation from Kenya including Hon. Francis Ole Kaparo, Chairman, National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Hon. John Munuve Mati, Member of Parliament, Mwingi North Constituency, Mr. Daniel Juma Omondi, Executive Director, Global Peace Foundation Kenya, Mrs. Elizabeth Omondi, Mrs. Caroline Odera, newly appointed Global Peace Women Kenya Representative and Rev. Canon Rosemary Mbogo, Provisional Secretary, Anglican Church of Kenya traveled to Manilla, Philippines for the 2017 Global Peace Convention. The conference which is scheduled for 28th Feb – 3rd March 2017 will be held under the theme ” Moral and Innovative Leadership: New Models for Peace and Development”.
It will convene a diverse community of peace building practitioners,youth leaders, and experts in business, international development and education for a unique opportunity to explore critical global issues, share best practices, and develop innovative and action-driven solutions to building peace and social cohesion while strengthening robust multi-stakeholder partnerships.
The theme of the conference will be addressed through several tracks that include:
Transforming Education
Schools are called upon to provide youth with a relevant education needed to ensure that graduates are ready to succeed and prosper in the workplace, build healthy and resilient families, and contribute to economic development and social stability.
Global competencies such as character, critical thinking, creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership, collaboration, and problem solving must be prioritized in education to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive and interdependent global society.
Experts estimate that intangibles such as integrity, respect, resilience, conscientiousness, creativity, and innovation account for some 80 percent how successful a young person will be in life and work.
Innovative education approaches are an investment in a peaceful world for future generations. By placing priority on “life success” instead of “test success,” a reformed education policy can enable youth to graduate as productive, engaged citizens with a stake in society, motivated to fulfill his or her potential in the home, workplace, community and global society. For detailed sessions summary and schedule on transforming education track Read More
Youth Leadership and Service
The Global Forum on Youth Leadership and Service for Peace and Development will bring together global partners and stakeholders to assess progress, priorities and best practices in meeting sustainable development goals. The Forum will advance an action agenda to engage youth in cross-cultural service to encourage entrepreneurship, promote opportunity and counter the appeal of violent extremism. Read More
Interfaith Peace Building
As divisions between nations, religions, and political affiliations have increasingly polarized the human family, there is urgent need for leadership with moral authority to bridge divides and build solidarity that can foster peace and prosperity for all humanity. Toward that end, leaders of the world’s faith and wisdom traditions have a shared responsibility to transcend religious divides and work collaboratively to build ethical, just and cohesive societies. As Dr. Hans Kung, co-author of Towards a Declaration of a Global Ethic, noted, “There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions.” Read More
Women’s Leadership Culture
The Women’s Leadership Culture track sessions examine how women play a critical leadership role in both building sustainable peace and strengthening families in their communities around the world.
The track has five sessions, including a panel of influential women leaders who promote the theme of peacebuilding in diverse professional fields; a workshop on best leadership practices and strategies; a networking opportunity to build long-lasting international partnerships; a film-screening that exemplifies a woman-initiated cultural peacebuilding movement; and a special training program to develop healthy relationships as a fundamental peacebuilding and leadership skill. Participants will gain insights into a more holistic understanding of women’s leadership and explore practices to implement in their families and communities. For more information about this track Read More
Global Peace Economic and Business Forum
Violent conflict and instability disrupt markets and societies. In 2014, global economic losses due to violent conflict amounted to over US$9.8 trillion. . . . Businesses can be a powerful convener for bringing people together across national and cultural lines. They can create relationships based on a shared sense of identity and purpose, overcoming differences that, in the wider society, are more difficult to surmount. —UN Global Compact
Business leaders, government officials, NGO leaders, and entrepreneurs will examine the often unrecognized role of private sector business in poverty reduction, sustainable development, and regional stability, particularly highlighting emerging markets in Southeast Asia, in a series of forums at the 2017 Global Peace Convention. Read More
Korean Reunification
The Declaration of One Korea and global campaign for One Korea is such a significant approach. The Declaration was introduced by One Korea Foundation in coalition with the Global Peace Foundation on August 15, 2015, the seventieth anniversary of the liberation and division of Korea. Since then, more than 40,000 people have supported it.
The Declaration and vision of a unified Korea is grounded in the ideal of Hongik Ingan, an ancient ethic to “live for the benefit of humanity” that forms the ethos of the Korean people. Korea experts will explore this principle and ideal and discuss its practical application as a preamble of an eventual new Constitution for One Korea and a model of governance elsewhere in the world in twenty first century. Read More
To follow the conference proceedings on social media use the hashtags: #GlobalPeace #GPC2017
One day I interacted with a high school student who engaged me on a discussion about the difference between being educated and being learned. The ensuing conversation led me to critically interrogate the Kenyan system of education and its evolution and whether it is in line with the expectation of the 21st Century. Ideally, the cornerstone of modern education in Kenya was established during the colonial era by missionaries who introduced reading with the objective of spreading Christianity. The missionaries also taught practical subjects such as woodwork, gardening and other tasks which were useful around the missions.
However, it is important to note that even before the coming of the Europeans, Kenyan societies had their own systems of education which had neither classrooms nor the special class of people called teachers. Education was the responsibility of all the members of the society who ensured that children learnt cultural traditions and customs of their ancestors from the community. The Children also learnt specific skills from their families and other specialized individuals through apprenticeship programs. Localized, relevant indigenous knowledge was, therefore, very important in the organization and transmission of knowledge. The colonial era however saw the establishment of separate systems of education for Europeans, Asians and Africans based on the recommendation of the Frazer Report of 1909.
When the country gained independence in 1963, a commission was established to review the system of education. The focus of the commission was to build a national identity and to unify the different ethnicities through subjects in such as history and civics, and civic education for the populace. This led to the 7-4-2-3 system of education modeled after the British education system between the period 1964 and 1985. The system was designed to provide seven years of primary education, four years of lower secondary education, two years of upper secondary education, and three years of university (Buchmann, 1999). This was informed by the new African regime’s urgent need to fill positions previously held by the British.
In 1981 after President Moi came to power, he commissioned a Presidential Working Party to review the entire Kenyan education system which led to the current 8-4-4 system of education which is highly similar to the U.S. education system. This system was launched in January 1985, and was designed to provide eight years of primary education, four years of secondary, and four years of university education with emphasis on Mathematics, English, and vocational subjects. The vocational education was aimed at preparing students who would not continue with secondary education, for eventual self-employment or absorption into the non-formal sector. With time however, the 8-4-4 system has continued to evolve and is now highly centered around social prestige through a good job and entry into a privileged class: a good education may indeed get you a good job. DDuring this period, everyone who had an education got a job with the best employer at the time. This illusion was further emphasized by Henry Makobi’s famous song “Someni vijana! muongeze pia bidii, mwisho wa kusoma mutapata kazi nzuri sana…” (Study hard Young people because at the end of studying, you will get a very good job) This song has since been described in some quarters as one of the greatest lies ever told to students in the field of education. It’s no wonder that unlike before, this song no longer plays in our radios every morning as students prepare to go to school. The reality on the ground is that education alone no longer guarantees employment for our graduands. There are thousands if not millions out there with impressive academic qualifications but with no jobs.
As we approach the month examination months of October/November, the focus of all the schools and students shift to preparing the students for KCSE exams. The ensuing month of January/February/March is, understandably, dominated by KCPE and KCSE results… but are the academic qualifications at the heart of our education system doing enough to prepare young people for their future careers? Time and again the all-too familiar message from employers is that too many school-leavers and graduates simply do not possess the key skills that they are looking for. A lack of basic employability skills – such as communication, teamwork and knowing how to behave professionally in a working environment – is frequently cited, and this is compounded by a paucity of actual work experience. This bias towards attainment in academic qualifications, coupled with a tendency to dismiss or downgrade vocational learning, continues through to degree level and is reflected in successive Governments’ focus on expanding universities and increasing the numbers of students going to university.
In a report titled “Pupils do better at school if teachers are not fixated on test results” by Jessica Shepherd published on 13th August 2010, researchers found that Children perform best in exams when teachers are not overly concerned about their test results. The study conducted in the UK by the Institute of Education also revealed that pupils show greater motivation, are better behaved and are more likely to be independent and strategic thinkers when teachers are not obsessed by grades. However, Government policy increasingly points teachers in the opposite direction, encouraging them to concentrate on students’ results, said the study’s author, Chris Watkins, a reader in education at the institute. Ministers have placed teachers under so much pressure to ensure students perform well in national exams that they increasingly talk at their pupils, rather than talk to them and ask them open questions, he said. The latter leads students to deepen their learning and perform at their optimum, according to Watkins, who analyzed the findings of more than 100 international studies on how teachers can best help pupils to learn.
In Kenya, the Global Peace Foundation has been spearheading the Character and Creativity Initiative (CCI) which seeks to make education more relevant in the twenty-first century by integrating character and creativity into all aspects of school culture, shifting the focus from pure academics to the development of the whole person. These essential competencies are sought by employers, and also lead to stronger families and communities. Approximately 300 million youth around the world are looking for work, which deeply affects global economies and political stability. According to employers, a leading cause of youth unemployment is the disconnect between what young people are learning in schools and the competencies they need to be engaged citizens and successful employees and entrepreneurs.
Which qualities matter most for a child trying to negotiate his way to a successful and autonomous adulthood? This is the question at the center of the Global Peace Foundation’s efforts to transform education in the Republic of Kenya. Our education systems have overemphasized grade point averages and standardized test scores at the expense of raising the complete child by providing a meaningful and productive school experience that prepares them for success after graduation. Exclusively valuing students based on the acquisition of knowledge leads to disruptive behavior and disillusionment, and youth leave the education system lacking a sense of purpose, motivation, and confidence to be productive members of society. This intensifies social problems such as corruption, violence, political instability, and income inequality that interfere with the development of a productive economy and political stability.
The world of work has changed dramatically in the past decades. It is no longer static, linear, and predictable, but instead dynamic, changing, and connected. Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winning author notes: “In the past decade, the world went from connected to hyper connected in a way that is impacting every job, industry and school.” Our education systems must also grow and change in order to remain relevant in a world which is vastly different from the one in which they were designed.
Numerous studies state that twenty-first century employers are looking for the following competencies in prospective employees
• Ethical Worker
• Ability to Communicate Effectively
• Ability to Learn on the Job
• Motivation and Initiative
• Ability to Work Well with Others
• Ability to Solve Problems
• Interpersonal Skills
• Positive Attitude
• Reliable and Dependable
• Creativity and Innovation
CCI’s immediate goal is to transform school culture, shifting the focus from pure academics to the development of the whole person, but its impact extends far beyond the classroom. CCI is nurturing ethical, creative, confident young people who are equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern world and contribute to their communities and economies. CCI initiates the transformation of school culture by empowering teachers and principals with the tools to develop character and creativity in their classrooms and beyond. It is not a book, curriculum, or disciplinary program. Instead, a transformation in the mind set of educators, a set of resources, and a global network of schools. Educators anywhere are invited to start building character and creativity in their Schools.
CCI was piloted in Kenya through a three year program (2010-2013) in six secondary schools in Kenya. It continues to grow and develop as a nationally recognized example showing the impact of transforming school culture. This recognition has helped CCI spread to many other countries. The initiative is helping to transforming the school culture one school at a time and is being implemented in schools like Embakasi Girls Secondary School, Kariobangi North Girls Secondary School, Alliance High School, Kamiti Secondary School, Buruburu Girls Secondary School, Kenya High School amongst many others. In these schools, Principals are working closely with teachers, students and members of the non-teaching staff to transform the overall school culture.
A two-year independent evaluation by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) was published in 2013. Evaluation of the six pilot schools as well as six comparable control schools affirmed that CCI had an impact on the academic and social climates of schools. The study entitled “Character & Creativity Initiative in Transforming Secondary School Culture in Kenya” found that nurturing character and creativity not only improved academic performance but also reduced social problems such as violence, bullying and substance abuse. Furthermore, it demonstrated that CCI led to stronger student-teacher relationships, increased student involvement in school activities, and improved school culture based on caring, respect, service, ethics, and teamwork.
Wouldn’t it be great if, every March when the Kenya National Examination Council releases examination results, we would be celebrating not just qualifications successes, but the ‘graduation’ of students with an all-round set of work experiences, demonstrable employability skills, and the life skills and personal qualities needed to succeed in the world of work and beyond?
Daniel Juma Omondi
Executive Director
Global Peace Foundation-Kenya.
By Takasaki Yui Atieno
Once in a while I get this feeling like “WE” are living in total oblivion, confusion and denial, living in a world whose cause is at times questionable. Here we are, proud, too competent to realize that we as humanity would not be without mother Earth. We spend more time worrying, scheming, eradicating, polluting, corrupting the same place we call home…still we abuse, plunder and destroy.
Who are we as a nation? Who are we individually? We claim that we understand the failures and achievements of our predecessors yet we still behave in ways which result to questioning if we really are superior to the other beings on this earth. Are we?
Blinded by our greed and thirst for power we constantly forget to recognize our surroundings hence we end up destroying every single good that exists. We create deadlines in order to accomplish our long thought out dreams and will not rest until our mission and goals are fulfilled.
I as a person realize that I alone may not succeed but I can try. What will I have contributed to leave society better than I found it? What is my purpose on this earth? Will I be among the movers and shakers of the nation or will I be one of those people who live out their life cycle as common humanoids who end up having uneventful lives.
REALIZING MY KENYAN DREAM
To whom it may concern:
It is high time we stood up for our rights. We do after all have feelings. I feel it is time we question those who have authority in Kenya. What happened to the days of Tom Mboya, Dedan Kimathi, Oginga Odinga, the days when Kenyans were united as one?
How many have come close to bringing change the way our freedom fighters did? How many have lived up to the reputation of those recognized in the past? What have we done to honor those who died struggling to give us the land we call home?
Is it fair that we as Kenyans have to constantly rely on the government in order to make progress? Can we not for once put our foot down and tell them that we too exist and that they can learn a thing or two from us civilians?
What is the purpose of us calling ourselves Kenyans if we cannot realize our dreams? Our dreams as Kenyans, what can I contribute to my nation? Are the founders of this nation content with the course we have chosen to take all this time since we got independence?
In realizing my Kenyan Dream I have found the need to speak for those silenced, to point out the issues for those who are still blind, and to make the globe realize that there is an untapped source of manpower that can bring positivity: promote change and eventually eradicate poverty.
The Rift Valley Peace Initiative is aimed at addressing the main issues that are affecting Kenyans as a whole. Rift Valley is said to be the cradle of mankind. By saying Rift Valley we do not mean to narrow it down to one section of Kenya, it basically is the crème de la crème of Kenya and signifies the source of most of Kenya’s economy.
Our primary concern should be how to eradicate poverty, eradicate diseases and promote economic stability and national security. Our politicians offer blind leadership based on emotional imbalance and personal vendetta. This is a recipe for national disaster.
Without a country there are no people, without people there is no tribe, without a tribe there is no community without a community there is no leadership. Are there proper structures in parliament which will ensure leadership with the goal being a long term vision for Kenyans as a whole?
Question is: ARE WE DEPRESSING NOT ONLY AS A COUNTRY BUT AS HUMANITY? The key to success and the value of one is determined by one’s ability to reason and not to think. We must be open to the laws of probability and realize that it is high time that we are capable of making or breaking a nation.
We are not held back by incompetence but by our selfishness to rule, corrupt abuse and misuse our powers. Let this be a lesson to the whole world that there are issues that need to be addressed, issues that need to be solved, issues that are affecting you and I. Simple issues that need not be mentioned as it is we who condone them and the negative voice in our minds wrongly tell us that we cannot help those who are in need.
Be the first to change your perspective on humanity. Be the first to help. Your mission: Promote peace. Your vision: a world where there is fair leadership, eradication of poverty and diseases, job opportunities, a world where in each country there is national security and stability. A world full of peace and hope.
CHANGE STARTS WITH YOU.
In order to help mitigate negative feelings fueled by stereotypes and cultural differences, GPYC entered into partnerships with organizations such as Peace Cops, Brand Kenya Board and Rift Valley Professionals to educate residents of the Rift Valley province to observe and maintain peace especially as Kenya nears the 2012 general election.
Global Peace Youth Corps in conjunction with Global Peace Festival Foundation, Brand Kenya, Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYAS) and Peace Cops of the Administration Police have progressively engaged the youth in the Rift Valley in peace initiatives that range from Peace Education and training, Character Competency Initiative, service for peace and sports for peace. The area of focus is Nakuru County which includes Molo, Njoro, and Kuresoi districts.
Currently GPFF/GPYC have a solid partnership with Peace Cops Kenya and a myriad of local networks such as Nakuru County youth forum and KURMO (Kuresoi Molo Youth Group).
GPYC and partners have continuously engaged in youth exchange programs between local pupils and international students through a program dubbed “Global Poomashi.” The 14 students from Korea participated in painting one of the primary schools that was burnt down in Mutate. They also conducted soccer for peace from different ethnic groups.
Currently, GPFF/GPYC in partnership with office of the District Commissioner (Molo), local leaders and Peace Cops are organizing a training workshop for 50 young leaders from three districts within Nakuru County (this is a training of leaders program, following GPF workshop convened previously with 300 Rift Valley youths). The chief objective is to equip young leaders with knowledge, skills, and key competencies on sustainable peace development. This is to activate local leadership to take ownership of the local peace process. The workshop also inspires job creation through the available local resources. This aspect combines the doctrines of entrepreneurship and peace.
Trainings with the Rift Valley Professionals organization focused on civic education to ensure that young business professionals have correct information about hot topics such as the ICC and the new constitution. Civic education has focused on their responsibilities as leaders in the community to undertake actions reduce the risk of violence and promote peace.
Background
The Rift Valley was evidently the epicenter of 2007-2008 Post-Election Violence (PEV) which saw unprecedented loss of about 1500 lives and resultant destruction of property. The virtues of peace, love and unity as reflected from the national anthem of Kenya seemed to be water under the bridge as flames of violence, hate speech and ethnicity burnt down country. At the heart of all this uprising violence, Mutate MRM Primary School in Elburgon, Molo District, experienced its stream of equal destruction as the school was burnt down due to ethnic differences between the communities within its environs.
However, efforts by Dr. Manu Chandaria and MRM as well as other partners in rebuilding the school saw a beckon of hope being revived within the school and the community. The teachers and the pupils are now ecstatic more than ever to transform and redeem their surrounding community from being an epicenter of violence to a center of hope and peace.
Introduction
Young people in Kenya and all over the world are eager to participate in processes of peace and development. 2012 being an election year in Kenya, the actions of young people are very critical in spearheading the peace agenda at such times of difference in political opinions. In this respect, Global Peace Youth Corps (GPYC) recognizes that it is up to the young people in all levels to take action towards enhancing the peace, love, and unity they so desire.
The “Youth Action for Peace and Development” is a project of GPYC spearheaded by university students representing different varsities focusing on taking the lead actions towards the peace agenda this year.
Action
In this light, GPYC through its members from different universities embarked on doing projects with pupils at Mutate MRM Primary School. This is a follow-up activity after being in the school previously for service activities during the January 2012 Global Poomashi in which Kenyan and Korean students participated.
The purpose of the visit was to:
Nine universities were represented by a total of twenty-seven (27) student volunteers who teamed up GPYC staff.
The activities undertaken included:
The activities got coverage by journalists from Standard Group and they stated that the coverage will be aired on KTN over the weekend and a feature story on Standard Newspaper will be published.
At the end of the day, the array of hope for a brighter future for the pupils which seemed to cling from a distance drew even closer with the interaction with the varsity students. The connection formed between them laid a foundation for mentorship, and further a platform from which the peace agenda can easily penetrate even to the different ethnic communities surrounding the school. This becomes a leeway in rolling out the Rift Valley Peace Initiative in a more tangible aspect.
Future action steps:
The entire team of GPYC staff and university volunteers promised to go to back to the school the following month of April in an effort to have sustainable development.
Prepared by:
Timothy Gachucha
Campus Initiatives
GPYC Kenya
Number of attendees: 17, representing small businesses from the transport sector, the disabled, and voices of slum dwellers federation.
Sponsoring organization: Grassroots Trust
Agenda areas:
Participating organizations: Kisumu Grassroots Association (KINGA)
KITES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The main objective of the workshop was to explore the role of entrepreneurship within the community and analyze ways of developing cooperative and sustainable partnerships between the public sector and small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs can be able to have greater power than the government if adequately trained and empowered.
The workshop was divided into four sessions:
The workshop sought to address a number of challenges that are faced by entrepreneurs as they attempt to start and run successful businesses. Among the topics addressed were “leadership” and the “business planning process”. Practical application was retained throughout the workshop including exchanges of best practices on the topics of marketing and partnerships between education and businesses.
The attendees were given the opportunity to learn from and question an extensive array of keynote speakers. The speakers were from different fields covering a wide spectrum of the legal environment and the business sphere, and were able to impart their individual experiences to assist the entrepreneurs with the constraints they were currently facing. It was intended that the attendees would acquire an understanding of the Kenyan Constitution, in addition to benefits from newly established networks.
SESSION I
INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Speaker: Michael Asudi
Entrepreneurship is the process of identifying business opportunities, allocating resources and creating value. Innovation, on the other hand, is the process of bringing ideas to life.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation trends are aimed at meeting Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The objectives of entrepreneurship include:
Evaluation and recommendations
The workshop had 17 attendees and in spite of their differences in line of work, opinion and background, the group managed to maintain a good balance. The discussions held during the workshop sessions were open and friendly and this provided an opportunity for the attendees to share without fear.
The workshop provided the attendees with an opportunity to take a step back from the daily challenges of their businesses and consider their role in building the community. It also enabled them to network amongst themselves and tackle the challenge of entrepreneurship and innovation within the business
Impact
The impact of the workshop on the attendees is as varied as the group itself. Some left convinced that they could do more for their businesses, at no extra costs. Others discovered that they could dedicate themselves to other entrepreneurial projects by delegating more.
INTRODUCTION
The “YOUTH ATTITUDE CHANGE WORKSHOP” an initiative that was driven by the need to teach the youth in Kenya, starting with Western province about patriotism, innovation, peace and cultural inclusivity as opposed to discrimination which has stood to be the norm in the country fanned by agents opposed to change in the country.
The initiative was spearheaded by the Brand Kenya Board(BKB) as the conveners of the workshop and the Global Peace Youth Corps(GPYC) as the mobilizers of the youth participants in Western province, both of whom were the primary organizations in this initiative. Efforts to make the workshop a success were later supplemented by the Western Youth Empowerment Forum(WYEF) who were instrumental in the community mobilization required for this initiative and Vision 2030 who were called upon to join the workshop and raise the events profile.
SPEAKERS
The participants began arriving on Tuesday 24th January as scheduled after which they were assigned rooms and registered. The parcipant organizations,i.e BKB and GPYC in collaboration with WYEF first introduced themselves then proceeded to carry out orientation. The participant count by end of registration stood at 101 participants which translated to a 100% turn out for the workshop.
The second day of the workshop was had in it the official opening ceremony which consisted of speeches from Dr. Nzilu of the Brand Kenya Board, Arthur Oyange of GPYC and Samuel Muhati of the WYEF. Soon after the speeches by the aforementioned parties, the program began with Vision 2030 first delivering a presentation on the topic of “youth flagship project” where he explained to the participants the importance of increasing youth participation in development through creation of networks and linkages, lobbying and advocating on issues affecting the youth with regard to Vision 2030 and capacity building for both internal and local partners.
The next presentation on the topic of “role of youth in country branding”, Dr.Nzilu illuminated the image of the country as it stands today, and contrasted it against the greater image the country would have if the youth were actively involved in the process of country branding through their deeds, actions, ideas and innovation that would inevitably lead to greater success in all sectors of the country’s economy. He also expanded on the idea behind the “nitakuwepo” campaign being run by BKB which aims to instill patriotism and selflessness in regards to the country.
The local achiever, Mr. Samuel Muhati was an inspiring addition to the workshop program with him giving a speech about success and how one can achieve relative success in society regardless of origins. He motivated the group of participants to endeavour to achieve more with themselves, himself having grown up and living in the area and making himself a useful and respected member of society.The presentation on “youth innovation and entrepreneurship” was given by Mr. Daniel Juma who is also the secretary general of GPYC Kenya. His presentation was geared towards encouraging the youth present to think outside the box and refuse to identify formal employment as the only path to success, rather as an avenue. Innovation and creative ideas would be the other avenue through which youth would be gainfully occupied as opposed to being idle.
The day was concluded by a team building session where participants were engaged in sporting activities and games geared towards getting them to know each other better and work together as a team while maintaining the element of fun.
Day 2 of the worshop was started by a recap of the previous days’ sessions and discussions as well as a brief question and answer session that was presided over by Dr. Nzilu and Mr. Toboso where the participants sought clarity on issues raised by the duo’s presentations the previous day. After that a presentation on “addressing challenges facing the youth” was given by Arthur Oyange in which he emphasised peace and positive guidance as the key to avoiding the regular youth problems of drug abuse, sexuality and reproductive health. He gave the key example of the president Obama’s family as a prominent picture to look up to in today’s society, a complete family unit, albeit with challenges like any other family unit in society.
Dr. Edwin Aketch was next to give his presentation on “developing leadership skills”. In his presentation, he highlighted the importance of leaders in any society and how people in society could mould themselves to be effective leaders by observing the qualitites and skills of a leader and striving to nurture them in people from an early age.
To cap the day off, the participants were transported to the town center where they were involved in a clean up exercise in the heart of Kakamega town, our host town, as part of the servce for peace activity championed by GPYC in all workshops and activities. The clean up had the involvement of the municipal council of Kakamega with the mayor of the town flagging off the activity and it also recieving media attention and mention in the afternoon news. The group managed to clean up the entire main street and collect all garbage and properly dispose of it. This activity proved a success with it being sustainable as a result of municipal support and community ownership.
The third and final day of the workshop was begun by a presentation on “conflict management and resolution” which was also presented by Dr. Edwin Aketch. He explained the different causes of conflict in societies and the various methods of amicably resolving them. The presentation was very interactive with participants giving their views and ideas as to how most conflicts could be spawned and resolved in the societies they lived in.
The final session of the workshop was the focus group discussions with the participants being divided into groups according to counties of origins. They then proceeded to highlight and discuss the varied problems facing them in their respective counties for example, lack of adequate investment in kakamega county, iadequate road network in Busia county, poor communication facilities in Bungoma county and under unexploited farming potential in Vihiga county and listing possible solutions under the guidance of the workshop facilitators.
After these discussions, the participants went back into the conference room for closing speeches which were delivered by BKB, GPYC, WYEF and Vision 2030 representatives to mark the end of the “youth attitude change workshop” in Kakamega.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the “youth attitude change workshop” was a huge success considering its 100% participant turn out, and the relatively incident free run of the event. In addition, the participants learned a lot with some even expressing interest in having the same initiative being taken lower into the grass-roots and areas which experienced the most violence in the area, most notably, the mount Elgon area.
That being said, there were however aspects that could be improved on so as to ensure greater success in future workshops, these are most notably, adequate budgetary allocation for mobilization activities and improved communication amongst organization staff across the board.
BACKGROUND
The Kenyan Ministry of the East African Community and the East African Community Secretariat in Arusha, Tanzania, the Office of Prime Minister, Ministries of Youth Affairs and Sports, United Nations Volunteers and other UN agencies, private sector and civil society will convene a conference, June 28-30, 2012, to promote volunteer action to build peace and development on the continent of Africa.
The conference will be held at UN Offices, Nairobi, Kenya (global headquarters of UN Habitat and UN Environment Programs) and shall serve as an action forcing event implementing the new UNV State of the World’s Volunteering Report and UN Resolution recommendations positioning volunteering as a central pillar of community-centered sustainable development. The conference will be a launching forum for the East Africa Peace Service Corps mobilizing East Africa nations in the use of volunteers to address the goals and objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.
The Vision and Mission
To promote a culture of volunteerism that will enhance the capacity for development for people regardless of their ethnicity, religion, race or nationality, advancing regional integration and empowerment of youth leadership through the value of living for others.
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African Conference on Volunteer Action for Peace and Development
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Kawira Gakuu
‘’Growing up is hard work,” mama used to tell me and now that I am in my mid-twenties I understand what she meant. This statement rings in my mind because this is what she would tell me every time a ‘friend’ betrayed me. Many a times we think that we have the right people as our friends only to be shocked when they do something to us that we could have sworn with our lives that they would never do it.
You cannot do without friends in your life. It is friends who you will go to when you are sad and they are the same people who celebrate with you when you succeed. However it should be noted that only true friends will stick with you at all times. Getting such friends is not a mean task therefore you should choose your friends wisely.
You must have heard that you are known by the friends you keep. So it really does not matter if you are a good person if your friends are into bad behavior because by association you will also be perceived as a bad person. That is why you will find your parents telling you to keep off from some of your friends. When they do, do not take their advice lightly for they are trying to protect you. Some youth ignore their parents and find only too late that they had a point.
There are things to look out for when choosing friends. One of them is what type of person they are. By this I mean what are their values. If they do not have the same values as you, you may end up colliding at some point. This does not mean that they should be like you in all ways, no. The importance of this is because when you have the same core values, you will strengthen each other. Ever heard that birds of a feather flock together?
The need to be accepted can leave you in a group that will ruin your life. So stick with friends who will bring out the best in you. It does not mean that you will never be at loggerheads with your friends but even then they should be on your side if calamity strikes. A good friend should be able to tell you when you are in the wrong. If you find this kind of friend then you can be sure that you have found a good thing.
A good friend will encourage you at all times. There are friends whose work is to discourage you in whatever you try to do. Unless what you are doing is wrong, if you find that your friend is always discouraging you, make an exit from that friendship as soon as you can. You may be surprised to know that some of your friends do not like it when you achieve your dreams. Such friends are not worth your time and the faster you come out of their lives the better it is for you.
Having a friend who sticks by you through thick and thin is not easy as I have come to learn. With this in mind I have come to a conclusion that I would rather have a few friends who are true than have a bunch that are there to ruin my life. Some friends take off when you are in problems while others do when you succeed in life. What a paradox! Therefore if you find someone who is there for you come rain or high water, then it is wise to guard your friendship with all you can.
When you have a good friend, you are bound to improve in some way. This is because good friends sharpen each other. There must be something this other person knows that you do not know. So through them you get the knowledge hence improves your life. Do not stay in a friendship where you are not getting any kind of growth. This is not to say that you should always be pressurizing people to teach you something new so as to gauge if your friendship is true or not.
Lastly I should mention that if you find that all you do with your friends is nothing but vices, it is a good time to go back to the drawing board and make a decision to call the friendships off and start afresh. It is better to have one true friend than have a dozen who are not.
Kawira Gakuu
Many will agree with me that if you find a true friend, you have found a true treasure. In life, you are bound to be in trying situations time and again like death of a loved one, failure in your business or anything sad you could think of. If you have people who will be there to support you, the load will be lighter. At a time when family ties are shaky as a result of the extended family living in different places one needs to have good friends. Making friends may be easy for many but the tricky part comes in keeping them. The youth should know how to do this. So my dear youth, follow me as I show you how to keep friends that you have already made.
One of the things I have learnt is to separate friends because expecting them to be alike only leaves one dry and very disappointed. By separating I mean you should know the strength and weakness of each of your friend. There are friends who even after losing contacts, once you meet, you are comfortable with each other and you can keep up from where you left with ease. There are friends who you have to keep in touch at all times for your friendship to be intact. When you have known your friends, you will be better placed when it comes to keeping them.
For you to keep friends, you have to be a good friend. This is to say that it all starts with you. How you treat other people is how you will be treated. If a friend is going through a rough time and you are not there for them, it is very unlikely that when you get into a similar situation, they will be there for you. At times however you will be shocked to learn that doing good things to people does not mean that they will reciprocate. When this happens remember the Swahili saying that says, ’tenda mema wende zako,’ this can be translated as do your part well and go your way.
Being supportive to your friends is very important. This means that when they are doing something to better themselves, you should give encouragement in terms of words and deeds. At times some friends may shock you when they desert you simply because your life is changing for the better as a result of getting a better job, being promoted at your workplace, moving to a new house or even when your children do well in school. These are friends who are not worth your time because the only reason they have been with you is because you were on the same level.
Learn to communicate with your friends effectively. Communication in any relationship is key and you should know the dos and don’ts of it. When you want your friend to do something for you, do not hint and expect that they understand what you want. Go all the way in explaining what you would like them done and why you have picked him or her to do it. If you feel wronged at any time by your friend make sure that you express yourself in an assertive manner and indicate that even though you have been wronged, you still want your friendship to work. Being human means that we are bound to err which means that we may do something that will upset our friends even without our knowledge. Acknowledging that you have wronged the other person and apologizing is very important if you want to keep your friends.
Another thing that you should avoid so that you can keep your friends is being judgemental. No one wants to be in a relationship where everything they do or say is being questioned. When you have a friend, you want to pour your heart out to them without being judged. This applies to the other party. Questioning your friends at all times will drive them away.
You are going to be in trouble keeping your friends if you are a suck-up. Being needy at all times will drive people away because no one wants to have a friend who is a burden. There are people who once they get a friend; they want him or her to always be around. They say that,’ you can only give what you have,’ and I bet they are right. If you do not have love, you cannot give it to others. All you will do is constantly have the need to be loved while giving a negative vibe to your friend(s).
In essence all I am saying is know yourself first so that you can make a good choice of friends and follow the above tips to keep them. This will put you ahead of your peers because in your later years you will have people you can call upon when you need them.
Shirley Odongo
Today, I want to wear a different cap for this piece I am writing; that of an advisor; sort of like the person you go to when you need to get some perspective on an issue. Only difference being that I am no expert at all, I am just like all of us trying to make sense of this phenomenon called life.
One of the people helping me in this journey is William Lambert, a career teacher from the state of Memphis, United States, who has taught almost everything under the sun. He has turned his varied educational experiences into a series of educational presentations. He has also published various articles in the fields of education and training. I love reading his work and thought I would share some of what I have learnt from him. Lambert is big on people making their life worthwhile; to have a sense of fulfillment and to look back years later and feel that you truly made a difference. It is much the same way youth are taught life skills and how to navigate the very murky waters of growing up as a teenager and later as an adult and generally just how to make it smoother, somehow.
One of the things Lambert talks about is having a life inventory. If today somebody took an inventory of your life, what would it read like? You have been living for 18 or 23 or 25 or 30 or 40 years. What do you have to show for it? What comes to your mind first? What are the things in your life that would make it to your list? For those married, would spouses feature? How about children; were they planned or were they an accident? Is your job your proudest achievement? Your car? Your house? Your level of education? Your failures? Remember how you learnt from them and were more the wiser for them? What did you do to achieve all the things in your inventory? Were their sacrifices involved? What did you lose in the process? Looking back, is it all worth it? Is there anything you would have done differently? And why?
Lambert shares that he did his inventory after 10 years of teaching and felt that his inventory did not bring him much satisfaction. Yes he had a wife, children, a car, an apartment but still he did not feel fulfilled. He had to find new direction and include in his inventory things that truly made him happy and content. And he discovered that what really made him happy was helping other people. So today, his inventory includes letters from three people whose lives he saved using his CPR skills; a distinguished teacher award, college degrees and letters from students that say without his influence they would never have attended college.
My challenge is to the youth out there; what is your life’s inventory? As you go through life, what drives you? Do you have a vision? How do you want to be remembered? As we like to say, what legacy do you want to leave behind? Because each day we live, we are turning the pages of our lives, never to turn back. Do we strive to do all that we can to the best of our God-given abilities? Will we be able to look back and sigh with satisfaction or will we be a disappointed lot? Are we always ready to lay the blame on others and never even once think how our own actions could have contributed to a situation? And when we do take the blame, are we gracious about it or do we walk around with long faces feeling that the world just does not understand us anymore?
Lambert gives some practical examples on how to make these differences that so many yearn for yet very few achieve thus:
So, as we approach the festive season, I would like us to mull over Lambert’s counsel and apply them to our everyday situations. Small differences everyday make up small groups of happy people who eventually spread that happiness to others around them and the world will have been made a much better place to live in. Visit a children’s home and play with the young ones, buy some food for a street family, help that sick neighbor with household chores, assist that blind man next to you cross the road, pay that extra 10 bob for that passenger next to you who is pleading with the tout and is almost being thrown out, share your lunch with a colleague who does not have, smile at somebody who is having a hard day, allow the cucu struggling next to you to board the matatu before you even though it is raining! Just be your brother’s keeper. It may be nothing to you, but as the French critic and poet Paul Valery said, “God made everything out of nothing, but the nothingness shows through.”
Shirley Odongo
Obey your elders; respect your parents; such simple statements yet quite profound as well. Because from them stems a myriad promises which God bestows unto us when we do so. And not only that, even relationships in families are made whole, broken hearts are restored and many wounds and scars are healed just by simply upholding these tenets.
As youth, we hear them often enough; I daresay that for some of us, obeying our parents is so deeply ingrained in us, it has become second nature. How we perform at school, college, university and sometimes even at work, all have something to do with our parents. The decisions we make in our everyday life to a large extent, are influenced by our parents. Even after we are all grown up and have left the family fold, we still call on mama to find out what she thinks about something. We will take our girlfriends and boyfriends home to meet our parents because we are eager for their appreciation and support.
But sadly, in contemporary society, this idea is slowly but surely losing ground. It is no longer a big deal. Seeking parental counsel for some youth today is considered not cool and many youth, even though they would like to hear what their parents think, are afraid to do so for fear of being ridiculed amongst their peer circles. And yet we forget that there is a reason why this is important; these are your parents and it behoves one to accord them the respect due; however uncool that maybe. The result is fragmented and strained relationships within our family units. Stories abound of teenagers engaging in vices that leave one wondering what the world is coming to. It is now common place to hear children talking back to their parents in tones that should be reserved only for their peers. Respect for parents and for old age has taken a back seat and societal morals have taken a serious beating.
The breakdown of the family fabric is attributable to a number of reasons but mainly to the disintegration of morals that have been compounded by a society that has become too permissive. From modes of dressing to mannerisms to lifestyle choices, the youth are no longer guided by their parents counsel but by the media. The World Wide Web offers a ready market for any willing buyer, the majority of who are the youth since they have access to this very important and destructive tool, in equal measure. Long gone are the days when children would run to their parents to discuss issues that were disturbing them. Today, at the touch of a button, answers will pop up for all kinds of dilemmas one may have; the fact that the solutions presented may not always be desirable notwithstanding. The debate about the ills of the media in as far as introducing western ideals considered foreign to the Kenyan society is an on-going concern. The jury is still out on how best to curb this influence.
Family relationships have broken down thanks to lack of communication among them; youth on the one hand feel that their parents are too rigid and slow to change with times. They criticize their parenting styles which they consider outdated and far removed from the realities of today’s life while parents on the other hand feel that their children are treading on dangerous ground. Senseless deaths caused by careless driving by youth high on drugs and alcohol have become the order of the day. Teenage pregnancies abound as attested to by the high number of bed occupancy due to abortion related complications in major hospitals, especially at the Kenyatta National Hospital. All of these can easily be avoided if only communication lines are kept open.
It is an often quoted refrain; youth are the leaders of tomorrow. Plenty needs to be done to secure this future and to secure it effectively. The various stakeholders have to be commended for their efforts towards trying to heal these broken relationships. A good example is the programme in Mavuno Church that targets young men; it seeks to mould them into responsible young men who know and understand their place in society as youth, as brothers, as husbands and as parents. It empowers them to claim their rightful place and to defend that right accordingly. Such programmes are on the right path since knowledge is the first step towards achieving whatever goals one may have. These young men are sure to be good role models for their peers; they are bound to positively influence others around with their teachings and since they are aware of what their place is in society, I daresay that even their relationships, not only with their parents but with all those people they interact with will benefit.
Clearly, plenty more needs to be done to address this phenomenon; it cannot be done overnight but it can be done .As youth, there is need for us to change our attitudes towards our parents and caregivers; to recognize that it is their God-given right to direct and try to shape our ways. Granted, they may not always be right and in such instances, we should strive to find better ways of communicating our dissatisfaction than rebelling and creating all sorts of barriers between us and them. Parents too need to be open-minded; lot has changed in contemporary world and what worked in yester years may not necessarily work today. Be flexible, within permissible parameters of course and listen to your children because after all is said and done, it all boils down to effective communication.
David Gachagua
When you try to picture poverty, am sure images of homeless people spring to your mind. You might envision children with bowls in their hands or even men lying under the blankets at the bus stop. Or perhaps you may think of shacks in Mathare, Kibera, Mukuru, Korogocho slums in Kenya and Soweto slums in South Africa. Have you ever sat down and ask yourself, what is poverty and how can you fight it as youth?
Poverty is the state in which you lack a certain amount of material possessions or even money. That is being unable to afford basic human needs like clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care and education. Fundamentally, poverty is a denial of choices and opportunities, and it’s a violation of human dignity. Being poor means you are lacking basic capacity to participate effectively in society. When you do not have enough to feed and cloth your family or having no good school or clinic to go, means you are living below poverty line.
So, what makes people poor? Poverty has many causes of which some of them are very basic. Like overpopulation, and too few jobs which are quite intractable and not easily eradicated. In most cases, the causes and the effects of poverty interact. High population density is the situation of having large number of people, with too few resources and even too little space. Overpopulation is closely associated with poverty, especially in Africa and developing countries. Remember it puts stress on the available resources like land, housing, clean water and clinics.
I t is because of unequal distribution of the countries resources, and more so in developing countries, that the problems of poverty are massive and pervasive. Take Kenya for instance, the whole of northern Kenya has been neglected both by the past governments and the current one. There are no tarmac roads as you head towards Garissa up to Mandera, no good hospitals and insecurity is rampant. Education sector has not been left behind; there are no good schools in this region compared, to other parts of Kenya like central and Nairobi. The legacy of colonialism accounts for much of the unequal distribution of the countries resources in the world’s economy.
In most poor countries, and especially in Africa and the developing ones, illiteracy and lack of education are also major causes of poverty. But you must remember that lack of education can also be caused by the unequal distribution of the countries’ resources. Most governments in the developing world often cannot afford to provide good public schools, especially in rural areas. With the assistance the donor funding, the Kenyan government ha s at least tried to provide free primary education so that each and every child can access it and help fight illiteracy.I think the government has realized that without education, you cannot find income generating job.
Do you think you can be responsible for your own poverty? There are different believes about individual responsibility to poverty, Some of you believe that poverty, is a symptom of societal structure and that certain group of any society inevitably will be poor. You will even find some who believes that if you are poor, you intentionally behave in ways that causes or perpetuate poverty. For instance, if you voluntarily choose to abuse drugs including too much alcohol consumption, it will automatically lead you to poverty. Look here, all those who perished after consuming illicit brew in Ruiru and Kiamaina village in Nyandarua Kenya, and those who died in Sinai fire tragedy in Nairobi. Most of these people came from poor background. Was it not for individual character, all these deaths could be avoided.
The effects of poverty on adolescents can not only be devastating, but also last a lifetime for you young people. Bear in mind that poverty is carried from generation to generation. If you were raised in poverty such that your parents burdened by economic stress, the emotional environment between your family members, is often harsh and lacking in emotional support.Depression for your parents usually brings on marital conflict, and you may suffer emotionally or even physically. Abuse and neglect are present in many families living in poverty.
Crime records and higher rates of juvenile delinquency are just some of the issues associated with young people living in poverty. Drug abuse and alcohol consumption are also very high, without forgetting the teen pregnancy and young mothers. Younger girls are usually portrayed as sex objects, and sex is used to sell everything, from clothing to news.
According to J.Michael Kearney (2002), Poverty is more than lack of money. It’s in essence a lack of marketable skills, or at least lack of temperament that would allow you to employ those skills effectively. Inability to produce goods and services that your neighbors’ will pay for. Once again, just figure this, why is it that two people earning the same income, actually live entirely different lifestyles? Thus to alleviate poverty, it is individual discipline. If lack of money is the true definition of poverty, then governments would have alleviated it long time ago, with just a stroke of a pen, by printing more and more money, but this is going to bring about inflation, simply because there is too much circulation of the currency.
“Rich people have large libraries, while poor people have large TVs”These are not my words but Dans Kennedy’s giving the poor free rides, you are doing an injustice to them. It’s the worst thing you can do when trying to alleviate poverty. Try and make the poor believe that there were many others in their situation that rose above poverty by working hard and are rich today. Telling those rags to riches stories will satisfy their hunger a lot more than any free food feeding programmers by the government or nongovernmental organizations.
Poverty alleviation involves improving the living conditions of the poor. Particularly in medical, and scientific areas. As a nation, you can also secure property rights to land which is the largest asset for most societies. Land is very vital to your economic freedom. According to the president of the United Nations Social Council (ECOSOC) Paolo Fulci, poverty eradication cannot be brought by charity, but needs first and foremost empowering the poor, focusing on women and youth, tapping their tremendous potential. This is because the rate, at which women and youth fall into poverty, is higher than that of men. Thus, constituting majority of the people living in poverty.
Hans Odek
If there is anything we really yearn for then talk about improved livelihood. We carry our societies in our very own hands and therefore it is our responsibility to make it a better place to live in. This therefore calls for concerted efforts from all members of the community because unity is the key to success.
As we grow from childhood to adulthood, the older members of the society especially our parents are always in the forefront in ensuring that we become responsible members of the society. They provide us with the necessary resources and therefore our success stories can be attributed to the undying support they provide to ensure that we prosper in everything we do. That is why we are taken to the best schools with outstanding academic track records so that we can be on top of the pack as far as academics are concerned. Another important thing to note is that our parents ensure that they provide other basic requirements such as food and health.
As a younger generation, the best we can offer is to give back to the very society we gained from. The youth should therefore engage themselves directly in different development initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions in our societies. Volunteering has nothing to do with our ancestors as we still live with it to date. This is a selfless act of kindness that has been passed through the generations with the same undertones. With the emergence of Humanitarian organizations and other charitable organizations, there have been a wide range of opportunities for the youth to involve themselves with. The said organizations have initiated different development projects among them; construction of health facilities, construction of dams, improving road infrastructure, and building of new schools. All these are done for the betterment of our societies and therefore the youth have a larger input to make.
We live under very hard times where catastrophe is the order of the day. Many countries of the world have witnessed different phenomena which in many cases require emergency response. Hunger has been a common phenomenon in many parts of the world. This can be partly attributed to prolonged drought and poor disaster preparedness in these countries. The drought that hit Turkana recently was a wake up call for many youths. We witnessed our brothers and sisters die in pain and anguish, many having lived for months without even a single meal. Pictures of suffering men and women, and malnourished children have been common place in our media today. The question is, for how long will we live with these? As a youthful generation we have the responsibility to save our country from the turmoil. We can put a smile on the face of every suffering Kenyan.
The humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross, and other charitable organizations have been in the forefront in ensuring that these humanitarian crises are brought under check to avoid the unnecessary suffering and loss of life. However, these organizations in most cases face a wide range of challenges notably limited human resource capacity. The youth can therefore help these organizations meet their goals by participating on voluntary basis. If it were not for the participation of the youth, the drought calamity that hit Turkana would have worsened. However, many youths came out in large numbers to help in the distribution of aid and provision of medical services to the affected families and this ensured that no more lives were lost.
In the communities we live in, there are the less fortunate people who cannot help themselves, the elderly, the sick and the disabled. These are people who need a helping hand so that they can lead a normal life just like the other members of the society. What other satisfaction would we want in life other than brightening up other people’s days and putting a smile on their faces?
Volunteering helps the youth develop a sense of humility. Those who engage in volunteer services are able to see life from a different angle as they strive to put themselves in other people’s shoes.
Across the world, volunteering has formed a basis for the youth to gain more experience as they participate in different development initiatives. Many countries especially those found in Sub-Sahara Africa experience limited employment opportunities. In such cases, the youth form the larger part of the casualties. This means that many young people with necessary skills find themselves locked out and some even give up. Experience has become a basic requirement for employment. This does not necessarily mean that only those who are on the pay roll are more experienced. There are those who have gained vast knowledge and experience as they work on volunteer basis. More importantly, volunteering is a clear demonstration that one is committed to his/her community and therefore would work very hard to improve the lives of others.
Volunteer work can also be used to improve our physical and psychological health. Many youths who idle around sometimes find themselves engaging in unwanted practices such as the indulgence in drugs which eventually have negative effects on their health. If the same youths were engaged in development initiatives, they would have no time to engage in such practices and for that reason; we would have a healthy society.
There has been a growing misconception that volunteering consumes most of our time. This is a misplaced reasoning as the concept of volunteering seems to gain ground in many parts of the world. Sometimes we need to forgo the pay but improve our living conditions. The youth therefore owe our societies a smile.
Kawira Gakuu
‘The youth in Kenya need someone to tell them that parents are important and whereas they may not be right all the time, they should be respected’. That is what my friend with a teenage son and daughter had to say when a couple of friends got talking about their teenage children. From what today’s Kenyan parents say and what we have read in newspapers and magazines, there is a rift that should be addressed otherwise parents will lose their children and children will be in the world on their own.
I have come across youth who say that their parents are daft just because they restrict them from doing a number of things. What the youth should bear in mind is that their parents have been alive long enough to know what is right and what is wrong. Whereas the youth may argue that times have changed and what worked in the past may not work in the present day life, they should know that their parents have experiences of their own and that of their friends to know well enough if you as a youth are on the right track or not.
Therefore, you should make sure that you go an extra mile to build the relationship between you and your parent since it is one of the most important relationships that you will have in your life. If you look at what creates tension between you and your parents, you will realize that it could be something that should not be bringing problems at all. For example it could be your choice of friends whether of the same sex or not, chores, school grades, choice of career and many more.
At times parents may be wrong by telling you that the friends you have chosen are not good for you. This is especially if the allegations are based on issues like tribalism, racism or the fact that the social class is different. However at times even what appears to you as a non-issue could hold water. You must have heard of youths who after defying their parents were very hurt by their ‘friends’. The good thing is that parents forgive and are always there for us even when we go against their wish yet come back to them for comfort. This should not be taken as an advantage because they too are human and are bound to get annoyed. If the relationship is strained so many times, you can be sure that it can never be what it was before the problems began.
So even when you think your parents or guardian is wrong, do not snap back at them. This is being rude and to a person who is the reason for your existence. Some youth have gone as far as saying that they did not write an application letter requesting to be born! This according to me is an abomination! You may think that your parent is not learned, ’Fikira zake zimepitwa na wakati’ but think of the nine months that both your parents went through; one carrying you and the other wondering when you will be born so that they can see you and relate to someone they can see rather than someone they cannot.
Work on being a friend. As you now know from the friendships that you have had in the past, you have to work on the friendship otherwise it will be dead sooner than later. The essence of being a friend to your parent is so that when you need to do something in your life, they can be the first people you approach. The good thing with this is because they will tell you as it is and are unlikely to mislead you. Those who are friends with their parents will testify that it is a win-win situation because you get advice from them and they enjoy doing it as your parents. If however you are not friends, you will go to other people for advice who may not have your best interest at heart and you end up being misled and making the wrong decisions.
Another advantage of being friends with your parents is the fact that even if they gave you advice you do not think will work, you can be in a position to say no without hurting them and in the end they will appreciate that you did what you wanted.
Many people who are past youth and with families of their own have regrets for not having listened to their parents because now that they have children, what their parents said to them is what they say to their children. The thing to remember is that whereas parents are not always right, they have not gone to any parenting school. The best place to start as youth if we want our other relationships to thrive is to build a good relationship with our creator and our parents. Look out for areas where you can improve your relationship with your parents and what you need to rectify. You will be thankful in future that you did so.
Jesse Eyase
If only I could find the leader within me, then I would be more than able to mobilize development in my society. Speak I can, converse I do, give speeches, I have…yet still am unable to identify the leader within me. Does the above mean am a leader? Well, who knows? But wait a minute, I thought leaders are born. Are they? Maybe they are made, that way I would just hop into a top-class school of leadership and graduate with an “honors”. But who can find such a school? School, even the mere thought of it sends shivers down my spine. Oh how I long someone would hear my cry and save me from this quagmire. I long for knowledge, I crave discernment. My heart pleads for it. It is for this noble reason that I will not relent in my quest to unveil the leader within me. Armed with pen in hand and paper underneath, boldly I soldier on, that I may finally find out the truth and be set free.
First of all I realize that am just a normal human being like any other. Am tall, short, dark, light, young, old…am ordinary. Yet deep within me lays immense potential. With the help of my very able teacher, it dawns on me that leadership is the ability and skill to sell your action plan to others like a team. Wow, leadership is the ability to recognize ability!!! These are not my words neither are they my teachers’ but Peter Drucker’s. I learn that my conversations and interactions with other people would result in making them responsible and committed to development. Yet it is not as easy as a,b,c. I have to acknowledge other peoples’ feelings and build a trustworthy relationship. By now, sure have an idea of what leadership is.
It is at this moment that my teacher pauses to ask me whether i have a vision. It becomes clear to me that there can never be leadership without vision. Luckily for me, I do have a vision for my society. I would love to see a society where peace and development thrives, where both the young and young at heart have equal access to opportunities and resources. Then I discover that I can communicate this vision to other young people until they appreciate it and adopt it as their own. There is no better way to preach this than leading by example. I ought to be an example of peace, shunning all practices that would otherwise undermine this. I should be honest and dependable. I should be honest and dependable, but above all I should enjoy working with other people and motivating them. This shoe to me seems too big to fit in. Quick to notice this, my good teacher takes me through the SWOT analysis to help me clear my doubts. Don’t worry; I’ll be generous enough to share it with you.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Focus on your strengths that you may grow from strength to strength. Also, see that you minimize your weaknesses. Be sure to take maximum advantage of the opportunities that come your way. As for the threats, analyze them and treat them with the caution they deserve. This analysis could therefore go a long way in determining what needs to be done in order to be developed as a leader and as a person.
“Remember, leadership learning is a lifetime activity. You’re never done because
there’s always more to learn. There are always skills you need to improve. Effective leaders seek out development opportunities that will help them learn new skills.”
…those were the last words that my good teacher told me. I could now clearly see that deep within me lay a leader.
Shirley Odongo
It is 6.30 a.m. on a bitingly cold Friday morning that finds 14 year old Mwangi at the expansive Dandora dump site. Better known as Mwash to his peers and friends, Mwangi was here at the crack of dawn to pick whatever items of value he can get from the rubbish heaps. He is mostly interested in plastic bottles and containers which he hopes to sell in order to save towards his school fees kitty. His only companions at this early hour are the scavenger birds which are also foraging for food. Occasionally, he pauses to shoo them away when they get too close to him.
As he goes about his business of sorting through the dirt, he ignores the persistent rumble in his stomach and instead digs deeper into the assorted plastic paper bags that litter the dump site. He cannot remember when he last had a proper meal and hopes to find something edible by the time he is done. All the while, Mwash has a wistful look on his face; many are the thoughts that float through his mind. Uppermost among those thoughts is the hope that one sweet day, in the not so distant future, he will look back at this moment in time and smile.
Smile because his efforts will have finally paid off; smile because he will have conquered man’s worst adversary, poverty. Smile because even though the odds seemed insurmountable at the time, he will be a living, breathing example that determination does indeed pay off, eventually. Smile because he did not let his situation take control of his life; indeed, just smile because he can.
In the midst of all these pleasant thoughts going through Mwash’s mind is one other rather negative one that is threatening to wipe the much hoped for smile from his face. And that is the talk that has been doing the rounds that the dump site may be closed down. From the little that Mwash has been able to gather from varied sources; word is that the National Environment Management Authority NEMA is planning to relocate the dump site as it poses a serious health hazard to individuals.
Mwash concedes in his mind that this maybe a valid point but at the same time, he cannot help but feel apprehensive. This is where he earns his living not to mention part of his school fees. What will he do should this NEMA people go ahead and close the dump site as they have been saying for some time now? What will happen to his schooling? What about helping his single mother fend for him and his siblings? But for now, all Mwash has is hope; hope that NEMA will drag their feet for just a little while longer and that hope lights up his face in a radiant smile, again….
Not too far from where Mwash is in Korogocho slums is Agnes who is going about her morning household chores. She has a pile of laundry to clean, a young toddler to drop off at a day care centre run by her neighbor at a minimal fee and prepare lunch for her 7 year old daughter who is away at a nearby school. When done, Agnes will make her way to the nearby Buruburu estate and look for menial jobs, mainly taking care of laundry and cleaning people’s houses. Whatever she makes from these odd jobs, coupled with her husband’s earnings as a casual construction worker at a nearby building site is what makes ends meet for Agnes’ young family.
The going is not easy, especially since the recent collapse of the shilling’s strength against the dollar. What used to be enough to feed Agnes’ family for a day is barely enough for one meal. Many are the times she and her husband have had to go hungry to provide for their two children. And this situation is not unique to them; around them, everybody seems to be reading from the same script.
Social conditions such as housing, family income, and education leave their deepest marks on children and youth. For Mwash and Agnes, improvements in these social conditions can and have opened up new avenues for young people who might otherwise have ended up disillusioned in life and engaging in criminal activities.
One such endeavour to improve social conditions can be found in Korogocho. Known as the Boma Rescue Centre, this programme seeks to rehabilitate street children from the dumpsites where they are prone to myriad forms of child abuse. About 100 street children per year are targeted by the centre, aged between 8 to 16 years old. The main objective of the centre is to rehabilitate and reintegrate children in difficult circumstances. The Boma is run by St. John Catholic Church and Holy Cross Parish in Dandora.
Another initiative established and run by St. John’s Catholic Church is the Alcoholics Anonymous programme which targets young women and men who have alcohol problems. The programme seeks to rehabilitate them and help them make something of their lives. It also reaches out to their families who are usually also in need when their bread winner is indisposed. The programme has had a measure of success as well as failures.
An excerpt from the Korogocho Comboni Missionary website reads in part:….. We especially try to identify the special needs of our members regarding substance abuse and to access their role for prevention and caring. Moreover we try to reduce the problem of drugs by education and awareness seminars in schools and churches and finally provide a continuous holistic care to the families suffering from addictive illness. We provide individual counseling to our
members, family intervention and counseling, field work, A.A. meetings, group discussions and group therapy, recreation, treatment in our new rehabilitation centre Napenda Kuishi Home, follow up and networking with other organizations. The main challenges are issues of relapse due to our environment where the drugs are many and easily obtained. But achievements are seen and evidenced by sober life styles of many members who have gone successfully through rehabilitations.
These among many others are just some of the ways in which social conditions, when reversed, can be made profitable for the youth. No situation is permanent and humanity has proved this over and over again; we are constantly faced by challenges and calamities that may temporarily halt our progress but at the end of the day, humanity always wins. It is in us to try and make our situations a little bit better than we found them because, this after all, is the essence of life; it is the reason I wake up every day and purpose to face life, against all odds.
By Henry Onyango
Its 8 am in Nairobi Kawangware estate, another great morning indeed. A number of people are rushing to work whereas a few still hover around unaware of what awaits them and which job to do. They are jobless and are probably waiting for one.
A few meters away way from the bus station heading to town is a group of people in shrieking murmurs while others in silent tones everyone so wary of what has happened.
Already a man is writhing in pain while next to him another young man all probably in their early twenties sits next to him surrounded by four plain clothes police officers carrying guns and are not looking so friendly to the people around them. Two of the officers are talking through a mobile phone in a loud harsh voice, most likely to one of them back at the police station or base to carry the two suspects.
The man only identified as Jemo has been shot by one of the officers. Close investigations reveal that he is probably one of the murder suspects of certain boda boda motorcyclist in the area.This is just a replica of what happens in most of the slum estates in Nairobi. Today most youth have opted to indulge in criminal acts not knowing of its grave consequences. Who is to blame? Is it the political leaders or parents who have neglected their duties.
The Kenyan economy is at its limping gear, no proper policies , no job creation and poor remuneration while the Kenyan currency keeps dwindling as at the expense of the common mwananchi.Today the price of basic commodities are extremely hiking and may not come down soon. The president of Kenya Mwai Kibaki has since signed a bill that shall ensure price control of basic items but that is yet to be implemented.
Urban crime, sexual immorality ,drug and substance abuse are some of the activities that are phenomenal to youths living in urban slums and more so to the less educated youth who are under the greed for quick money as a result they indulge in such activities that bonds their ‘love’ with Kenyan police officers.
In Dagoretti corner on your way to Ngong estate in Nairobi, for instance, a section of youth gather everyday in an informal function discussing of matters that relates their life in away. When you come here pretending to be one of them you will easily know their intentions. A Kenyan youth has what it takes to build the economy but do not have the avenue to attain that.
Lukas Maina, 20, a member of the group graduated from a local college with a diploma in sales and marketing in 1999 but until now has never been absorbed in any formal employment.
“I always believe that creating a job is far better than waiting to get one”, says Maina in reference to what most youths go through after graduating from college and universities.
The tough talking Maina believes that tribalism, poor government policies and unending corruption is to blame for what the youths are going through today.
Recently in an inferno in Sinai slums in Nairobi over 100 people perished in the tragedy a large number being those aged between 24-38 years, a better definition of what the youth are going through to sustain themselves.
When they were advised to move away from the area after the incident others still looked adamant never to move for they thought their source of livelihood had been tampered with.
By Jesse Eyase
Grief does not discriminate and when it came knocking, it was for a person who has touched many people across the globe. Thus the world says goodbye to one of the bravest Kenyans of all time, a woman of character, an environmentalist and a freedom fighter. Selflessness was one of her greatest attributes as she always sought to look out for a better tomorrow for the future generation. She was a champion of women’s rights, doing her best to exorcise the ghost of male chauvinism as early as the 1970s when the woman was there to be seen and not to be heard. She rose above the mediocre and dared to do the extra ordinary. And that is why today we celebrate her as a champion of peace.
Born on 1st April 1940, Wangari Muto Mary Jo Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was educated in the United States at Mount St, Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya. In the 1970s, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation and women’s rights activism. In 1986, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, and in 2004, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” Maathai was an elected Member of Parliament and served as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources in the government of President Mwai Kibaki between January 2003 and November 2005. On September 25,2011, she died of complications from ovarian cancer.
But those of us who loved her and ache with her passing know Wangari Maathai by the other tittles she held: mother, sister, wife, colleague, mentor, and above all, a friend. Wangari Maathai was a true environmentalist who became its patriarch; the restless dreamer who became its rock. She was the bold woman who bore the brunt of her cause of activism but learned quickly how to brush it off. When her husband, Mwangi Maathai, filed for a divorce in 1979 (after a lengthy separation) claiming she was “too strong-minded for a woman”, and that he was “unable to control her”, she lost everything but responded bravely by finding an alternative job so as to fend for her children. This spirit of resilience would see Wangari Maathai through more pain than most of us would ever know.
In October 1989, Maathai learned of the plan to construct the 60-story Kenya Times Trust Complex in Uhuru Park. The complex was intended to house the headquarters of KANU, the Kenya Times newspaper, a trading center, offices, an auditorium, galleries, shopping malls and parking space for two thousand cars. Sounds great, doesn’t it? But not to the ears of Wangari Maathai. Thus she protested overwhelmingly. She was even quoted saying:
“…when I see Uhuru Park and contemplate its meaning, I feel compelled to fight for it so that my grandchildren may share that dream and the joy of freedom as they walk there.”
But the government refused to respond to her inquiries and protests, instead proclaiming the project as a “fine and magnificent work of architecture” opposed by the “ignorant few”. On 8 November 1989, Parliament expressed outrage at Maathai’s actions, complaining of her letters to foreign organizations and calling the Green Belt Movement a bogus organization and its members “a bunch of divorcees”. But she refused to be intimidated, cajoled, coaxed or enticed in any way. She kept fighting until her mission was accomplished. Maathai went on to make several other protests, always fighting to protect other people’s interests at whatever cost it took, even if it meant being thrown into prison.
Her quest for peace and sustainability would have broken down a lesser man, let alone woman. And it would have been easy for Wangari Maathai to let herself become bitter and hardened; to surrender to self-pity and regret; to retreat from public life and live in peaceful quiet. No one would have blamed her for that. But that was not Wangari Maathai. Perhaps borrowing from Ted Kennedy who said:
“Individual faults and frailties are no excuse to give in-and no exception from the common obligation to give of ourselves.’
Her life was dedicated to giving a voice to those who would otherwise have not been heard. She was given the gift of life and she used it to touch the lives of many.
Her demise leaves us reflecting. We cannot for certain know how long we are here. But we can live our lives as best we can with purpose, love, joy and peace. Wangari Maathai is now gone, but her legacy lives on, and the dream if freedom is alive. And the world will surely remember her for her weighty legacy. As young people, we embrace the challenge. The bar has been set, though high, but we will strive to make a difference and make the world an even better pace.
Shirley Odongo
It is Monday 12th Sept 2011 and Mike wakes up to head to Nairobi’s Industrial Area to continue with his bid to eke out a living for his young family of a wife who is 2 months pregnant. Mike recently graduated from The Kisumu Polytechnic University College; one of the many in the country that provide a stepping stone to higher learning for out-of-school youth who are keen on furthering their education. These polytechnics provide alternative sources of training and practical knowledge to the students who for one reason or another are not able to join middle level colleges and universities.
After trying out a few odd jobs in Kisumu, life did not seem to be getting any better so Mike decided to move to Nairobi to try his hand at whatever he could lay his hands on. It is while in Nairobi that he met Adah and within eight months they were married and now are expecting their first child.
On this cold and dreary morning, Mike realizes that he could make a fortune from a broken pipe oozing with oil from the Kenya Pipeline tankers. After fetching 3 20 liter gallons, he takes the first supply to a safe hide out in the nearby Quarry estate on a borrowed bicycle. This trip turns out to be Mike’s salvation because as soon as he leaves the scene, the pipe goes up in flames killing at least 99 people in what came to be known as the Sinai fire tragedy.
Today, my gripe has nothing to do with the government’s failure as far as disaster preparedness in our country goes or the ambivalence it shows whenever such calamities strike. I am sure the Kenyans for Kenya initiative is still fresh in our minds; the unity and love that we, as a people and a country demonstrated to lend a helping hand to our brothers in need when it seemed that their plight did not feature that high on the government’s list. My gripe is with the youth; why do they constantly engage in activities that endanger their lives? Right after the Sinai tragedy, the media reported a case of people who were burnt to ashes when a petrol tanker they were hanging onto burst into flames in Busia. This trend is not unique to Kenya; the world over, the people most affected by riots and other such disasters are the youth. Could the fact that youth account for the largest in number be a reason for this? Although this does not, by any means, explain their susceptibility to danger.
The usual culprits that I can raise off the top of my head are poverty, joblessness, lack of education etc. Which then makes me wonder, is Africa really poor? Is Kenya really poor? Don’t we export coffee and tea? Kenya is highly regarded as far as tourism and flower exportation go. Doesn’t Kenya boast of one of the strongest academic curriculum in the continent? And doesn’t this equal some form of superiority? If this is so, why is the rain beating us so hard? If you ask me, the missing link is determination and perseverance; modern-day youth are lazy. Yes, Kenyan youth want ready-made jobs; after school, they make a beeline for white color jobs. Even with practical course like Art and Design, Engineering and Agriculture the youth would rather wait to be employed than put their skills to use. Former Vice Chancellor of Maseno University Professor Fredrick Onyango encapsulates this phenomenon well when he urges youth to strive to be job creators and not job seekers.
The naysayers among us will wonder; does agriculture really pay? My answer? Show me any seasoned tycoon in Kenya who has not invested in agriculture. Tell me how much the Brookside Dairies yield in a day and who owns the farm. Then cross over to Naivasha and learn about the Delamare farm and what it does in generating juices and you will find its turnover close to that of oil in this country. I will then walk you to the Rift valley and expose you to the likes of former president Moi who owns chunks of land catering to wheat and maize farming. Some will be quick to point out the unreliable weather patterns that are hostile to farmers and I will point them into the drier Narok and leave them to the amazement of what renown media personality Fred Obach Machoka has achieved in horticultural farming, with a specific interest in vegetable farming.
And how about using your brain as an investment? The story of Evans Wadongo should inspire the youth to get out of their comfort zones and do something about their situations. Wadongo grew up with the kerosene lamps, better known as “Koroboi” and knew first hand, the negative health implications of this tin lamp. As soon as he was able to, he decided to counter this situation and thus the solar lantern was invented. It has become a hit in rural areas where there is no electricity. Out of this invention, Wadongo has not only created a source of livelihood for himself and his employees but he has also solved one of society’s problems. And this is as it ought to be.
I once attended a workshop where Mr James Shikwati, the Country Director of students in Free Enterprises (SIFE-KENYA) gave a key-note address about youth empowerment and was amazed at the level of awareness of youth wanting to exit poverty. Mr. Shikwati observed that despite the USD 568 billion pumped into Africa by Western countries every year, little has been achieved in putting the continent on the competitive path of economic progress. He proposed what may be a breakthrough for African countries; we do not need donor aid.
And I concur; even at the lowest levels, it has been established that the micro-credit and micro-saving products are the working tools to get the rural poor and urban slum dwellers out of poverty. Why can’t our youth just adopt and follow this trends that have been tested and found to be working? A few people have succeeded by starting small in the business industry. A good example is Jamii Bora, a local Non-governmental Organization that has quickly transformed the financial capacity of small-scale traders, something that a few years back was just a pipe dream for them.
It is a fact that to eradicate poverty, a business class of innovators is urgently needed to turn Kenya’s problems into business opportunities. These groups of people are already available; all that needs to be done is to ignite their thinking in the right direction. Grants and donor aid make it difficult for local innovators to respond to the needs in their immediate
environment. They instead concentrate on perceiving poverty from an outsider’s perspective and apply approaches that are superficial since the end goal is to please the donors.
A dynamic business minded population will be more productive because, driven by the profit motive; it will provide solutions to famine, disease, and poverty in general. There can never be real progress and advancement if a country cannot feed itself yet the opportunities for such abound! To achieve this, we should stop begging and improve our lot economically and the only way to do this-go back to the basics- business and agriculture, we will never go wrong.
By Kawira Gakuu
“Money, like emotions, is something you must control to keep your life on the right track’’. These words by Natasha Munson show that if you are not able to control money, then you are in trouble. In essence, money management is the ability and skill to know how much money you have, how you are going to save, spend and make more from the same amount.
By Kawira Gakuu
Have you met learned people who have not made it in life? I have and to say the
truth, for a long time I did not quite understand why a person with masters or PhD
could live a miserable life yet we are socialized to think that you go to school, get
a good job, get married or choose not to and create other meaningful relationships
and live happily ever after. Often this is not the case. I understand it all boils
down to whether one has life skills or not. As much as what we learn in school is
important, it is not enough to take us through life successfully. Ride with me as we
explore the life skills that all the youth should seek to learn other than classroom
work.
According to Wikipedia, the true encyclopedia, life skills is problem solving
behaviors used appropriately and responsibly in the management of personal
affairs. As a youth there is need to understand that you will not live with your
parents forever so knowing how to manage ‘life appropriately and responsibly’
well is crucial. There will come a time when you will be responsible for everything
in your life be it your family life or careerwise.If you have the following life skills
then you can be sure that you will make it in life.
Some life skills are so basic that you should have them regardless of whether you
live in rural or urban area. One of them is cooking. I have heard jokes and real life
stories of people who know to cook one thing only; boiled egg! Make sure that
you go beyond boiling an egg to creating good meals. Some say that cooking is an
art so there are those gifted in it while others are not. This holds water but bear in
mind that just like you can learn any other art, this is no exception. Create time to
learn and practice cooking and in no time you will be a pro.
Another important area is cleaning. You should live in a clean environment and I
am sure you know this. But surfaces do not clean themselves so learn how to do
it early whether your parents have employed someone to do it or not. You will be
glad you did when you join college or start living alone and need a clean place.
Organizational and time management skills go hand in hand and are very
important because with them you will be able to plan every single thing in your life
efficiently. You need to be organized and the earlier you start the better. You could
start by doing a to-do list and stick to it every day so that it becomes a habit. Once
you are able to follow the small list that you set up, you can start working out more
complex lists which you ensure that you adhere to. You will realize that you will
be in a position to manage your time well and you will reap from this.
When it comes to money management, many people fail because in their youth,
they never learnt anything about this essential skill and if they did learn, it was too
late so passed bad habits keep coming back to haunt them. So as a youth you should
take the opportunity while you are still young to ensure that you learn all there
is about money management. For example, make sure that you open an account
where you save the money you get either from your parents or from your deals.
Live within your means and save by bargaining where you can.
One of the most important life skills that you should learn early in life is people
skills. Man is no island they say and I bet they are right. Therefore if you are
going to spend the whole of your life dealing with people, you had better learn
people skills. This will help you in building meaningful relationships, your
communication skills will be good because you will be in a position to handle
people of different personalities, and your career will grow because you will know
how to work successfully with people. However if your people skills are poor, you
can be sure as hell that you will live an isolated life that has no meaning. People
have been said to imply in their deathbeds that its relationships that one creates
in life that matter and not the material wealth that he or she possess. If as a youth
you impact someone’s life, you are building a legacy that will not be erased in that
persons mind easily. So from today make sure that you improve your people skills
so as to improve your relationships.
Always be on the lookout for information like; how to change a bulb, how to
maintain a car and other skills that will be useful to you when a time to live alone
comes. This is easier nowadays because you can go online and check whatever it
is you have questions about. Be aware that in life, you cannot run away from doing
things yourself unless you want to spend all your fortunes to pay the professionals
to do it for you.
When all is said and done you will be a jovial person having succeeded in areas of
life that matter. This will happen if you take care of tomorrow’s business today by
learning the life skills mentioned above and others that you come across.
By Henry Onyango
The September 11 2001 attacks in the US is no doubt marked the epitome of al-Qaeda prowess and a threat to world peace.
Over 3000 people lost their lives in the attacks that left several others injured and most families’ separated .The reason for all these was to fight the superimposed superpower of the time-united states of America.
This came at a time when the very Qaeda team had shown their unbearable might on the American embassy in Nairobi in 1998 and another similar attack in and around the time in Dar e s salaam, Tanzania.
It’s a story most Kenyans would not love to hear being said for they remember well what it meant when their beloved ones perished in the blast .None ever want the story retold for they imagine of what it could be for a recurrence of such an inhumane act in Kenya and in the Tanzania’s city of Dar es salaam or anywhere in the world in the name of terrorism.
Raphael Wanyama still cannot figure out the extent of trauma he went through after the loss of a brother in the August 7 1998 suicide bomb attacks. He still wonders whether it’s him or the society he wronged to undergo all these.
‘Am still hoping that all those that led to the untimely death of my brother be brought to board one day’, he says.
These and many other terror stories in the world portray the level of test and threat to world peace at present.
Unlike several years ago, terrorist and militia organizations were only confined to a few nations across the world especially in Arab nations .Today every country has at least two or more such groups.
In Kenya for instance, there are over twenty outlawed sects and militia organizations those that are led by the many idling, unemployed Kenyan youths. The organizations get their funding through forced taxation on the people they claim to protect against other such sects. In Uganda, the Lord Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony is a thorn in the flesh of Uganda’s president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni whereas in the third largest Caribbean island, Jamaica the Bruce Golding led government is under the influence of the untouchable, Jamaican Drug Trafficking Organization (JDTO).
Experts argue that with the influx of such illegal gangs, the world would be the most dangerous place to live in. They say that the gangs are deemed to increase even further in the near future especially in the third world countries. This could be as a result of the swelling number of unemployed youth and in Arab countries the need to protect their interest and sovereignty against the US whom most allege are against their well-being and would love to go for retaliatory attack against.
If you asked me the cause of this world mess, my quick answer would confidently be the type of leadership in most of the nations in Africa and the world. And the solution unanimously lies with the youth who command the highest number in most of the third world countries .The youth population are without doubt the greatest investment of any nation and you would have to choose how to do so either positively or in an unproductive stature common to most of the African leadership.
While US marks the infamous September 11 attacks at the world trade centre in New York in 2001, it would be advisable if the US leader gave a second thought on terrorism across the world.
Though a lot has been done ranging from incessant security checks in most buildings, increased war on insurgency and terrorism across the world and most of all the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and the East African al-Qaeda coordinator Fazul Abdullah Mohammed who was recently killed in Somalia a solution to terrorism and insurgency across the world has not been found yet.
The world nations need to offer necessary assistance to the underdeveloped ones so as to address the inflation and increased unemployment rate amongst them. Also measures such as family planning need to be put in place.
Back to Nairobi’s ill fated incident, the 1998 bomb blast centre .Located right adjacent to the Cooperative house or bell bottom as many refer it is a granite memorial wall containing a long list of names of those who perished in the attacks.
When you come here you will be required to pay only ksh.20 as maintenance fee to the park. Also pools of refreshments hang in the balance right inside the park. This would attract you even more since their services are above average.
People in somber mood with their families get into the park some carrying their parked drinks all in the name of commemorating, for cussing and promoting of world peace through a tribute to those who mysteriously died in the incident.
Somewhere in the middle of the long list of the 257 people in the wall in the corner of the busy Nairobi city, ‘August 7 memorial park’ lays Mr. John Otieno Onyono; Born July 1960 Died August 1998,it reads.
“Yes, of cause he must be the one, I ask myself .Is he that man who used to bring cash in a harambee in our rural school?”
I had prior information of his demise long before I came here but in seeing the name appear in the plaque fresh memories of the late emerged as a counter to the 1998 bomb blast attack that took away many lives. Back at his rural home many will not forget him yet. Not now. Yes he is gone and Johnny is no more and he will never be.
Similar stories engulf the busy park all time as many Kenyan and even tourists come to see the place once known as’ Ground Zero’ now turned a green ground of trees and well maintained grass that will have to draw your attention once you pay visit to the area.
The sitting US president, Barrack has vowed to fight terrorism attacks through all means towards ensuring entire world remain focused towards promoting peace.
Jesse Eyase
If only I could find the leader within me, then I would be more than able to mobilize development in my society. Speak I can, converse I do, give speeches, I have…yet still am unable to identify the leader within me. Does the above mean am a leader? Well, who knows? But wait a minute, I thought leaders are born. Are they? Maybe they are made, that way I would just hop into a top-class school of leadership and graduate with an “honors”. But who can find such a school? School, even the mere thought of it sends shivers down my spine. Oh how I long someone would hear my cry and save me from this quagmire. I long for knowledge, I crave discernment. My heart pleads for it. It is for this noble reason that I will not relent in my quest to unveil the leader within me. Armed with pen in hand and paper underneath, boldly I soldier on, that I may finally find out the truth and be set free.
First of all I realize that am just a normal human being like any other. Am tall, short, dark, light, young, old…am ordinary. Yet deep within me lays immense potential. With the help of my very able teacher, it dawns on me that leadership is the ability and skill to sell your action plan to others like a team. Wow, leadership is the ability to recognize ability!!! These are not my words neither are they my teachers’ but Peter Drucker’s. I learn that my conversations and interactions with other people would result in making them responsible and committed to development. Yet it is not as easy as a,b,c. I have to acknowledge other peoples’ feelings and build a trustworthy relationship. By now, sure have an idea of what leadership is.
It is at this moment that my teacher pauses to ask me whether i have a vision. It becomes clear to me that there can never be leadership without vision. Luckily for me, I do have a vision for my society. I would love to see a society where peace and development thrives, where both the young and young at heart have equal access to opportunities and resources. Then I discover that I can communicate this vision to other young people until they appreciate it and adopt it as their own. There is no better way to preach this than leading by example. I ought to be an example of peace, shunning all practices that would otherwise undermine this. I should be honest and dependable. I should be honest and dependable, but above all I should enjoy working with other people and motivating them. This shoe to me seems too big to fit in. Quick to notice this, my good teacher takes me through the SWOT analysis to help me clear my doubts. Don’t worry; I’ll be generous enough to share it with you.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Focus on your strengths that you may grow from strength to strength. Also, see that you minimize your weaknesses. Be sure to take maximum advantage of the opportunities that come your way. As for the threats, analyze them and treat them with the caution they deserve. This analysis could therefore go a long way in determining what needs to be done in order to be developed as a leader and as a person.
“Remember, leadership learning is a lifetime activity. You’re never done because
there’s always more to learn. There are always skills you need to improve. Effective leaders seek out development opportunities that will help them learn new skills.”…those were the last words that my good teacher told me. I could now clearly see that deep within me lay a leader.
GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL FOUNDATION
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, BRAND KENYA BOARD, AFRICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, KENYA ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS AND BURU BURU GIRLS SECONDARY
VENUE: BURU BURU GIRLS SECONDARY SCHOOL
DATE: AUGUST 8TH- 9TH 2011.
INTRODUCTION
The Character Competence Initiative (CCI) annual conference brought together different stakeholders from the education ministry. In attendance was Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF Kenya), Africa Nazarene University, Provincial Director of Education, Global Character Competencies Network, Kenya Anti-corruption Commission, Oxford University Press, Brand Kenya, Global Youth Peace Corps (GPYC -Kenya) and representatives from various high schools.
The theme for the conference was dubbed: “Connecting values to actionable commitments”. CCI conference focused on the value of character competence to an individual and to the society as a whole in order to make real the Millennium Development Goals and Kenya vision2030 in reference to sustainable development in economic and social issues.
DISCUSSION
Dr. Arbogast Akidiva tackled the best practices in developing student character for success in school and beyond. He outlined the benefits of character education in fostering psychological traits, enhancing academic performance, decreases risk behaviors such as drug abuse and early pregnancies and improves socio-emotional competencies. Character education in schools is implemented through family and community participation, skill training, peer teaching, role modeling and mentorship and integration of character development into the schools’ curriculum.
Jim Copple, the founding partner of Strategic Applications International, demystified the principle of transformational leadership. A type of leadership that creates positive change in the followers with the end goal of developing followers into leaders by connecting the followers’ sense of identity to the mission and the collective identity of the organization.
Christina Sullivan presented an in depth presentation on community connections through youth civic engagement. Civic learning is a teaching that enables people to participate in and sustain democracy by equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge. This learning can be made possible through the community based learning model that involves having a meaningful content, choices, personal and public purpose, through resources and partnerships and assessments and feedback.
Our lady of Fatima Secondary School also presented the best practices of CCI they have undertaken in their school for example mentoring and counseling sessions, motivational platforms for example, recognition of students’ efforts and having weekly quotes to encourage the students, through sports activities, community work and interaction.
GPFF-Kenya presented on how character can be built through sports interactions. It was noted that sport activities enhance teamwork, sound judgment, fair play and respect towards one another.
GPYC-Kenya presented the “lighting your dream” initiative that is linked to promoting Vision 2030 and Millennium Development Goals of achieving universal education and promoting literacy. The “All light Solar project” was initiated in our pilot school, Our Lady of Fatima. It replaces the kerosene lamps with solar lamps. The Solar lamps are safer, less expensive, healthier and environmentally friendly. The solar lamps will enable the bright needy students to access decent light at night as their reading.
Kevin, a student from the slums was one of the beneficiaries of this project.
CONCLUSION
The conference was summed up through a tree planting session as part of developing character competence through protecting our environment and a group photograph as evidence of the success of the Character Competence Initiative Conference-2011.
Date: 23rd to 26th August, 2011
Venue: YMCA Kisumu
Partners:
Participants:
Government Officials in attendance:
Overview
The principle aim of this forum was to engage youths to become volunteers in various placement areas within their local community. This was the 2nd National Youth Volunteering Scheme being undertaken by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The 1st NYVS was in Mombasa municipality and its environs and out of 100 youths who were engaged as volunteers, 97 of them were retained in the organizations where they were volunteering.
Each year, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports chooses a thematic area for concentration apart from the volunteerism training. This year’s theme was “Peace and Conflict Resolution” and Global Peace Youth Corps and Global Peace Festival Foundation came on board in the forum to train participants on that topic.
Global Peace Youth Corps (GPYC) was represented by Arthur Oyange, GPYC Kenya Chair, and Timothy Gachucha while Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF) was represented by Dr. Aketch.
Arthur as a facilitator spoke on “Peace and Conflict Resolution” and how volunteerism contributes to peace and reconciliation amongst communities. Arthur explained about the Global Citizenship Empowerment Programme dubbed the ‘Bila Ukabila Initiative”. Moreover, he enumerated the need for youths to be leaders of their own destiny and contribute to societal progress.
Timothy shared the concept of GPYC: the vision, mission, core values and projects. He explained why we are ‘One Family under God’ and that youths should become the change makers in their communities. Timothy motivated the youths by sharing his personal experience of volunteerism in GPYC and its ripple effect.
The Global Peace Festival Foundation, GPFF, was represented by Dr.Aketch who expounded on how service/volunteerism leads to peace. He inspired the youths to give service as even the great men and women that we celebrate today like Mother Teresa are remembered because of their service to humanity.
After the two days forum, the GPYC team requested the participants to give their reflections how the program had been so far. These are some of the reviews.
”Facilitation has really touched me…I wish I had the teachings immediately after finishing my high school, I could have been a better person…But now I know.” Dorcas.
“I have been able to see life as a mirror and how it can be full of achievements when we embrace the element of volunteering with chastity. We shall achieve self-satisfaction if we embark on the act of giving of ourselves-resources, time, money and ideas with the spirit of selflessness as taught by GPYC. ” Steve.
“The training has assisted me know how we can amalgamate activities of volunteerism with preaching peace, love and harmony through bringing people from various backgrounds with the same goodwill to promote nationality and cohesion. I shall treat everyone around me as ‘One Family under God’ and not judge others by their outer person, but appreciate them from their inner person.” Ombasa.
“I can’t wait to be placed as a volunteer! I’m so excited imagining that serving one human being is as well as serving the whole world.” Doreen.
“I would like the GPYC team to scale up its activities to rural areas and the grassroots level especially with the ALLLIGHTS project because not only schools in slum areas are affected, but also those in rural areas.. Consider also opening up offices in each county.” Christine.
David M. Gachugua
Owning a business or a firm is the best way towards accumulation of wealth.It acts as test for the creativity skills and abilities. Bill gates once said “Your success has really been based on partnerships from the beginning: Then Victor Kiam added”entrepreneurs are risk takers, willing to roll and dice with your money or reputation online in support of an idea or enterprise.You willingly assume responsibility for the success or failure of a venture and you are answerable for all the facts “Victor kiam is best known for his ‘I like so much, I bought the company ‘ads for Remington Electronic Shavers.
Therefore, entrepreneurship is a process through which you identify opportunities, allocate resources and create value. The creation of value is often through the identification of unmet needs that you have, or through identification of opportunities for change. As an entrepreneur, you need to see a problem as an opportunity for you. It is through that problem that you identify the solutions to those problems. Do not worry about who will pay for the problems solved since the customer is always willing to pay. You need to see these opportunities in the market place, initiate change or even better, take advantage of that change and create value through solutions. Remember what the co-founder of Litton Industries said “As an entrepreneur, you need to bite off more than you can chew, hoping to chew it’.
The most obvious form of entrepreneurship is that of starting a new business often referred to as a start-up company.Here,you have to undertake innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform these innovations into economic goods. It is through these transformations that may result into new organizations hence creating employment to you and other people around you, or may be part of revitalizing an already mature organization. This form of entrepreneurship is referred to as inter-preneourship and may include corporate venturing.
You must bear in mind that the study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work of Richard Cantillon and Adam Smith in the late 17th and 18th centuries.Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter Joseph(1930) called ,‘the gale of creative destruction”Here,you replace in whole, or in part inferior innovations across markets and industries and simultaneously creating new business models.
However much you try to be innovative, there are challenges that as an entrepreneur, you will face. First is the finance. This is the principle factor hindering entrepreneurship in each country. Finance is also referred to as venture capital. In Kenya for instance, the government has addressed this issue by establishing both the Youth Development and Enterprise Fund, and Women Development Fund, where you can easily access the capital. Rather than the government, banks and financial institutions are always ready to help you achieve your goal as long as you are creative enough.
Education plays a vital role in entrpreneurship.It is one of the factors that hinders you in reaching your objectives and providing you with the necessary entrepreneurship education will really assist. They say knowledge is power. It is through education that you are going to achieve that breakthrough. Thomas Edison quoted” You have not failed, but just found 10,000 ways that never worked”. The biggest of all factors that you will face in entrepreneurship is the fear of failure. It is referred to as social legitimacy. This factor deters you from starting a new firm or business in the view that it will fail. Richard Branson the founder of Virgin Atlantic said”business opportunities are like buses, there is always another coming”, thus if you fail on the first opportunity, another one is on the way coming or even waiting for you.
Quality entrepreneurship to any business be it small or large is paramount. There are many reasons for this. For instance, when you start a business there are certain objectives that you will have. Quality entrepreneurship involves giving your clients quality products since they are always looking for it. Thus the products you put out must have the required standards. Also, you must bear in mind that there is quality in the sense of meeting specific needs your clients have. People will always stick to certain entrepreneurs because of their high standards of quality.
If you are able to understand the dynamic of quality, you will not be disappointed and you will also not disappoint. Therefore, for the sake of your business, it is important to maintain quality. This is because you will be able to earn trust with your clients. Trust is what people are looking for, and if you can deliver quality, you will build trust that is able to propel the business to a successful direction and become dependable.
The entrepreneurship activities for a particular kind of business, depend on various factors. You must bear in mind it’s quite specific on the kind of business being run. Whatever may be the course of action, entrepreneurship has a lot of benefits, for you, and the society in which you are carrying out your business. Some of them include opportunity to get control. Owning a business endows you with the independence and opportunity to control your own business. Here you can aim to achieve targets that are important to you.Entreprenourship provides you a chance to make decisions according to your wishes.
For you to make a difference in society, you must begin and put a lot of effort. Thus entrepreneurship offers you a chance to make that difference. Reaping high profits by being an entrepreneur is one of the most important factors that motivate you to become one, and take up all the challenges associated with it.
The profits that your business makes play a vital role in the decision-making process.
Natalie Clifford Barney once said that entrepreneurship is the last refuge of the trouble making individual.Therefore, as a matter of fact; entrepreneurship involves a lot of risk taking. But it pays off very nicely with rewards such as to be your own boss and make your own decisions. Thus you do not have to win a lottery to be rich.
Shirley Odongo
Pain. Regret. Anger. Helplessness. Closure. And probably even justice. These are some of the feelings and thoughts that are going through Kenyans’ minds as they keenly follow the proceedings at the Hague revolving around the 2007/2008 Post Election Violence (PEV).
For many, the events surrounding that period still remain firmly etched in their memories with constant reminders in the form of an absent breadwinner, a loving child or sibling, lost property, homelessness among others. And for those who may have forgotten the finer details, the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) troubles that are regularly featured in the media serve to jog their memory.
Yet, remember or forget, the single unifying factor is that Kenyans hope and pray that they will never again have to experience such violence; violence that saw neighbours turn against one another in blind hatred; violence that saw police turn against the very population they are supposed to protect; violence that saw people burnt in a church where they had sought refuge; violence that revealed a dark side of humanity that chilled to the bones. And with this hope also comes the expectations that the wrongdoers will finally be brought to book, that loved ones will find closure and that Kenyans will be able to once again, attest to their greatness as a people.
And being Kenyan too, a few thoughts spring to mind even as I also wait for the outcome of the Hague proceedings. Youth, either through choice, coercion or other reasons beyond them are always the first to be affected by conflicts of whichever kind. It is a fact that during the 2007/2008 PEV, the youth played a big role in carrying out the attacks. Their involvement was mainly due to socio-economic situations which made them vulnerable and susceptible to be used by the politicians.
This scenario replicates itself the world over. Rag-tag armies and militia groups led revolutions meant to bring forth various results; it could be a bid to oust dictatorial leadership as has been happening in the Middle East in recent months or protests to decry the rising costs of living as happened in Uganda with the opposition leader, Kiza Besigye. Currently, Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi is in hiding after being ousted by rebels protesting his dictatorial methods of leading. In neighbouring Uganda, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader Joseph Kony has been in conflict with the Ugandan government for over two decades. Kony is famous for abducting children who are forced to become rebels and concubines.
Further West, Sierra Leone still faces the hurdles of reconstruction, 9 years after a civil war, which had mainly children and youth as rebels and militia fighters. Ishmael Beah, a survivor of that war, in his book titled A Long Way Gone, gives a harrowing account of how he was conscripted into the army and how he managed to escape that life. Beah was forced to join the war when he was 12 years old and according to his book, he fought for about three years before being rescued by UNICEF.
Conflict, it seems, has and always will be a part of humanity. So, what causes conflict? We live in a diverse society with people of different backgrounds, beliefs, cultural orientations among other things. And with all of these different people there will be competing interests and thus we are bound to lock horns once in a while. All the same, conflict need not be negative all the time; sometimes, out of the strife and pain, something constructive and positive can be created as has been the case with Beah in Sierra Leone and Kenya’s post election catastrophe for instance.
For Beah, a former Sierra Leonean child soldier, escape from the war provided him an opportunity to help children and youth affected by war reintegrate into society and improve their lives. This he has done through The Ishmael Beah Foundation (IBF) which aims at creating and financing educational and vocational opportunities for children and youth who have been affected by war, so that they can be empowered to choose a life free of conflict.
After Kenyans got over the initial shock of that violent period, it emerged that there was a lot to be done to ensure a repeat of the same did not take place. Various stakeholders among them government agencies and private organizations sought to reach out to the youth and involve them in conflict resolution programmes while providing a platform for them to heal following the mental and psychosocial effects of that experience.
One such private organization is UN-Habitat which has a programme targeting the youth known as “Youth as Agents of Peace”. This programme was established in February 2008 to provide support to the humanitarian situation emanating from the post-election unrest. The programme has established a network of youth peace builders at the community level in Kenya in support of peace building and conflict transformation among the young people.
Working with the Kenyan Red Cross Society, “Youth as Agents of Peace” engages the youth in peace building initiatives by training young people from urban areas in Nairobi who were most affected by the post-election situation. They are trained to promote peace and reconciliation in the affected slum areas while seeking to find a solution to the conflict. The activities the youth engage in include blood donation drives, peace dialogues and peace building trainings in which the young people are taught how to understand and manage conflicts and differences in a proactive way.
Identification of target areas of the programme was based on preliminary consultations with the Kenya Red Cross Society, affected youth, and on the recommendation of the UN-HABITAT’s Rapid Assessment on the Impact of Post Election Violence in Nairobi Report.
These examples may be a drop in the ocean as far as peace and conflict resolution efforts which involve the youth go, but they are a step in the right direction. More of such initiatives ought to be cultivated if any tangible headway is to be made in incorporating the youth in these endeavours.
It is certainly not realistic to absorb all of them into government. But there are definitely hundreds of retirees still serving in government who should be made to make way for our energetic youth. What most people in government probably know but don’t fully appreciate is that there is a direct correlation between youth empowerment and security, or lack of it. Everyone is always harping on about the importance of maintaining peace and order. Brilliant! That I have no problem with. In fact I do concur absolutely. My beef, however, is the lethargic and casual manner in which affairs of the youth are treated in this country. It is lost on government bureaucrats that the much sought-after peace becomes almost untenable without it doing what is right and just by the youth; without youth empowerment there can be no justice, and without justice, peace and security is a mirage. Well over half of the population of this country is composed of the youth, and a good percentage of these are jobless. In other words, they are hungry. This is a time bomb waiting to go off. A very disturbing prospect indeed. And I’m afraid we don’t have much time. Any day, I would rather deal with any other type of person than with a hungry man.
In close connection to this is something that is so close to my heart: the question of the leadership of football in Kenya. It galls me to see a bunch of old fellows who have been in the management of football federations for eons, yet have nothing to show for it, shoving and jostling with the youth for the leadership of football today. These are the same fellows who have ensured that we are consistently ranked behind countries we should be well ahead of. Last time I checked we were at number 133, slowly inching towards 150. They loot funds meant for youth development programmes to launch their careers in politics, sitting pretty and smiling sheepishly before the cameras to tell us a bunch of baloney about how they are going to bring about change in football management in Kenya. Change my big toe! This is nothing short of an insult to the intelligence of the youth of this country. Surely, what can such people offer the youth of Kenya, a good number of whom nurse dreams to play in top-flight leagues in Europe? It is not only immoral but also a heinous crime against the youth of this country.
By the way, I wouldn’t have any problem if those playing football were the elderly. Unfortunately though, they are not – in fact those playing football are young people trying to make a decent living out of it. This tragedy is akin to the old fellows leaving their deep end of the pool to come and cram into the shallow baby end and expect to be applauded for it, not realizing that they end up sticking out like a sore thumb. Please, give us a break! We know our problems well enough and how to solve them.
There is no silver bullet that will empower our youth overnight and solve all their problems. Nor will there be a leader who will wave a magic wand to empower the youth and deliver them from challenges affecting them, nor even will the trite argument that “the government has not done this or the other to develop the youth” be tenable anymore as an excuse for our youth to continue wallowing in self-misery and poverty. The youths of this country have to empower themselves by yanking away their rights and going out there to grab opportunities. And if there are no opportunities, they should create them. Instead of ambling down the well-trodden path, the youth should go out there and create their own trail. This is the only way that the clogged wheels of youth empowerment will start moving again; this is the only way that the youth of Kenya will be taken seriously. Is anyone listening?
The organization is picking up with a relatively unrelentless speed in most parts of Nairobi; in Kawangware 46 estate the foundation reaps great benefits to the community.
Today the estate is regarded ‘worth staying’, thanks to the tireless thirty-two member team of the ‘ongwaro’ Amani Sasa Foundation.
“At this point our main interest is giving back to the community where we belong to and am glad my fellow colleagues are all committed to achieve the objective”, says John Kamau, chairman Amani sasa foundation, Kawangware branch.
The soft speaking former drug addict says that the organization is struggling to beat all odds so as to ensure they offer better services to the community and earn some income to keep them going.
However, he reiterates the road towards achieving their desired target has always been hit by several setbacks that to some extent paralyzed the smooth operation of the group.
He cites inadequate finance since what they earn from the service is not enough to satisfy their daily needs.
The organization majorly offers services like garbage collection, car washing amongst many others to the community at a relatively cheaper price.
They have opened up two car washing stations and a large garbage site along Gitanga –Kawangware road in the larger Kawangware area. Also the group has links with the City council of Nairobi where they load the city council garbage trucks at their garbage site at a substantial amount of fee.
“Badala ya kuvuta bangi na kutumiwa na hawa wanasiasa kuwapigania ni heri ufanye ka works inakupa ka kitu jo”(instead of smoking bhang and being used by the politicians to fight for them its better you get some work to do so as earn some little income) ,says Mike Njoroge ,a member of the group in slang Swahili language.
It’s not only in Kawangware area where the group has taken toll, other parts of Nairobi such as Kibera, Mlolongo,Kayole ,Dandora amongst others boast of the magnificent performance of the organization.
In fact the organization have developed better strategies to cope with the current high standards of living and unending skyrocketing prices of basic commodities to raise some income. Most of them have completely left use of hard drugs in order to save for their families.
Julius Munda, a member of the organization in Kibera’s Katwekera slums says that car washing services he does is what caters for his two children boarding school fees in secondary school back at their rural home in Siaya County.
Although the government of Kenya offers subsidy to the secondary education, Munda says that boarding cost remains expensive to the ordinary citizens.
He says that such similar foundations need to be set up to control rampant unemployment and crime rate amongst the youth.
Although the government of Kenya offers subsidy to the secondary education, boarding cost has all along been quite expensive in most schools.
According to criminology analysts, if Maina Njenga and company would have taken a chance not to form the organization early enough, there would be an increased robbery and theft in the city than ever before.
They argue that more police cells and prisons would have been erected countrywide to counter to the increased crime rate in the city as more of the mungiki loyalists would have formed a criminal gang to carry out crime.
To an organization whose origins have been so intricate and is luring thousands of youth join the sect, an initiative such as this is laudable .However it’s recommended that the local and international NGO’s offered support to combat chances of further involvement in such criminal acts in future.
The empowerment from family does not only lie on lessons on how to acquire material wealth. Most times it should be values that will be of help in years to come. There are celebrities who even having attained financial success, did not end up well in other important areas of their lives. Good examples are; The basketball great, Michael Jordan who ended up as a divorcee, remember the case of Tiger Woods infidelity scandals, he who was introduced to Golf when he was only two years old not forgetting the sad story of the Kenyan athlete Samuel Wanjiru. When talking to your son or daughter, make sure that you teach them life skills which they will not get in school.
Psychologists say that if a youth comes from a family that is stable and peaceful, they are more likely to be peaceful in the later years and they are more likely to build peaceful families as well. Miss Mary Wangari, a psychologist at Schizophrenia Foundation of Kenya says the families play a big role in building a person into who they will turn out to be in life. “Families are very important because they mold a person into who they will become,’’ she says.’’ Early childhood is something all parents should be careful about because there are some things done to a child that will determine who he or she is as youths and when they are adults.
Education
An educated youth is an empowered youth and you can be sure that they will develop. They say ‘education is the key,’ and I bet they are right. With education, one has choices. They learn from exposure that they can be whatever they want only if they work at it. Any society therefore should have education policies that will ensure that all youth get quality education. By giving grants to those who cannot afford to pay for their school fees, there will be a big number of youth who can work in all areas. The workforce will increase and instead of getting experts from outside, the ones in the home country will do the work.
Economic growth
It is a sad thing that the youth are left out when it comes to getting opportunities of work. Some are talented in areas as diverse as music, business and other areas, yet they cannot make money out of it because they do not have capital to start out their business. When it comes to empowering the youth, it is good to know that unless you empower them economically, you risk having a group of people who when given opportunities in future, they will not be in a situation to handle it. It is therefore good for the government as well as other institutions dealing with the youth to come up with ways that will ensure that the youth are empowered in terms of job placements especially when they finish college, also funds like the Kenya youth fund is something that makes good sense because those wishing to start a business can do it without a problem at all. The fact that they start business early in life means that they will know the dos and don’ts of the respective businesses early. If you want to shape a tree, do it while it is still young.
Work ethic
The youths are the leaders of tomorrow. This being the case, they should be empowered to turn out as good leaders by instilling in them proper work ethics. If one is learned yet he or she has no work ethic, they will not be productive at their area of work and they will affect others meaning that there will be no results. If many areas of work are affected by this then the whole nation is in big problems. The learning institutions should therefore take it as a challenge and ensure that the youth in their institutions come out knowing what work ethics is all about. If this is done, you can be sure that the future of a country and the globe is in good hands.
Lastly, I would like to point out that empowered youth will always advocate for peace. With skills, proper work ethics, and developments in all areas, they will be balanced emotionally, socially and physically. They would not like to do anything that will bring war because they have something to lose. As a result, the country will develop at a very fast rate. Let us come together and empower the youth.
By David M. Gachagua
Remember what the former United Nation’s secretary General Kofi Annan once said “Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. If empowered, you can be key agents for development and peace. If however you are left on society’s margins, all of us will be impoverished. Lets us ensure that you have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of your society.”
Some time ago a bunch of enlightened, like-minded, trend proclaiming individuals labeled Kenyans as some of the most optimistic citizens on the planet, and sure quick we absorbed their convictions, held our heads high as if such claims came with a medal and podium ovation for each citizen.
These youngsters remain mired in the fear of commitment to family and still live under their parents roofs, lately the high cost of living has not left behind dowry pricing in most communities leaving them unable to start sustainable families.
The confronting reality of not knowing what to do next pushes them to crime, a phenomena that has become a lucrative profession to hopeless men and women in their formative years and judging from recent statistics, the number of graves from victims of police bullets has been rising by double digits.
When top decisions in the ministry for the youthful is left to heads flooding with hair graying hormones then such initiatives like Kazi Kwa Vijana become curses that condemn hapless youth to un-clogging trenches gagged with putrescent misery in the name of earning a stipend.
Notably in the budget speech, last June, the Finance minister shot himself with a double barrel in the foot by acknowledging the immense and underlying need to upgrade the lives of many youths in the country only to allocate meager resources that could hardly support this age group for a month.
With only a dismal 24 percent of the country’s youth going through formal education bright schemes like the youth empowerment program which intends to offer internships to willing participants, hindrances may occur since the ‘other’ lot may also breed mutiny against their learned brothers and sisters and want a piece of the cake.
By Stella Kimathi
The youth should not only be taught how to read, write and advancing their academic interests but they should also be taught and braced with skills of leadership, how to educate the rest of the world on the same issues they are going through, nurturing talent and their development and things like how to solve personal issues in life that they may come across. Above all they should be braced with information on how to be future parents’ hence wise leaders. This means that there is more to life than just a book and a pen. Yes we may teach them until they get their masters but if they don’t know how to coexist with other people, socialize and get creative; it’s all but a waste of time. It’s all about being an all round person with both knowledge and intelligence. Nothing beats that!
However, there are still a lot of things apart from the above skills that the youth need to learn; that the youth need to learn especially from the third world countries where issues of diseases, unemployment, homelessness, unwanted pregnancies and lack of jobs are a very common spectacle. Youths in these countries should be well-informed on the roles they opt to play in order to fight theses vices that face them daily since they are things that happen every day and every youth needs to know how to tackle such situations. For instance a teenager who has been impregnated has an idea what pregnancy is, but just from the books, she doesn’t have the information on how to deal with it when it’s a real life situation. Here you find she has no idea what prenatal care is or things like healthy eating habits. The syllabus offers the basic topics on human reproductive organs but it does not give the details on how to tackle this real life situation and this is where the empowerment bit comes in and the youth Is able to get hands on experience through the training and talks offered by different experienced people in these specific fields. This way, the youth is able to get more information which they could not get from books or otherwise.
Now that the youth has gained the ability and power to change their lives and for the people around them, the next challenge is how to put this into practice and change the people around them as they influence them. Now this is the hardest part, trying to bring other young people together so as to share this information with them and be able to impact the community as a larger group. Some will not be available for this kind of thing while others will just not be interested. This is where thing like projects come in.
By Hans Odek
If the enormous and brilliant achievements in our societies are anything to go by then it can be noted without a shadow of a doubt that the youth form a basis component of our societies’ world over. It is no doubt that with youthfulness comes productivity. This has become a fact that only those who are still living in the past can refute.
However, the youth have made little if no effort in the day-to-day running of our societies and the country at large. This is because they have always been pushed to the wall by the ‘grey haired’ generation especially those in positions of authority who so much dread handing over the leadership mantle to the younger generation.
Most youth therefore have been dying in silence – one thing they forget is that it is important to be as open with your beliefs as possible, if you do not say when you do not like something or when you believe an act or law is unfair, you become a supporter of the injustice you secretly loathe. Others even go through life hoping to be rescued by a magical act that will pull them up from the dregs.
This is because even as much as the youth may feel slighted, they have no one to air their grievances to. Their relentless efforts to try to be heard have always hit a snag. Instead, many young people have for a long time been used as means to an end by the very people they elect to represent them. In a bid to attract the youthful voters, our political leaders have ended up promising the youth heaven if elected.
Most of these promises are seldom fulfilled.
With the promise of plum job opportunities and subsequent improved living conditions, many youths therefore become tied to their political leaders’ apron strings. The fact is that we cling to apron strings because we fear taking care of ourselves and admitting that what stands between us and starvation or deprivation is us. We fear cutting the apron strings because we fear that if we fail, we will fail and if we fall, we will fall.
The high rate of unemployment among the youth has rendered them vulnerable to the political elite who use them to achieve their own political ends. The emergence of militia groups has been common place in various parts of the country and the trend has been particularly worrying since many lives have been lost and property worth millions of shillings destroyed. In most cases, woman and innocent children have had to bear the largest brunt.
Most youth engage in such practices not because they like it but because the society they live in has become unbearable. We are living under very hard economic conditions and therefore to most youth, even violence can be a form of employment. A little handout from the political leaders to cause havoc, to many has become a means to bring food on the table. This has therefore led the youth into destroying the very foundations on which they were built.
As youth, the time is rife for us to break from the old prejudices that have for a long time tied us. Every youth has the skills and the expertise required to drive our dear country to the heights of social, economic and political development. However, the leadership of this country has for a long time posed a greater challenge to the advancement and development of the youth. “youth” as a word had in most cases sent shivers down the spines of many, especially the political elite.
The times are rapidly changing with new technologies emerging each and every day. What does this imply? We need young, brilliant and fresh brains to enable us catch up with the emerging new trends. The youth have all these at their disposal. All they need is an encouragement to take the leap. It is however sad and disheartening to note that in most occasions the necessary support is not forthcoming.
We have youths who have made daring breakthroughs in this ‘grey haired’ dominated domain. These are individuals who have done marvelous jobs and therefore need a pat on the back. Behind them stand excellent track records that speak for themselves. This is a clear indicator that given the support they need, the youth can make this world a better place to live in.
We have seen various youth initiatives being set up by the government but these have achieved less obvious results. The allocation of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund for example was a noble course by the government as it would ensure that the youth venture into entrepreneurship and build their own business empires.
Properly managed, such initiatives would ensure that unemployment among the youth becomes a thing of the past. Instead these very initiatives have been marred with a lot of controversies ranging from irregular appointments of those to manage the funds and subsequent embezzlement of funds.
“Kazi kwa vijana” was another brainchild of the government that was meant to encourage the youth to engage in the development of the country. The efforts to familiarize the youth with the initiative have instead hit a snag due to its poor management strategies. The initiative therefore acquired a new name “kazi kwa vijana, pesa kwa wazee”. The impression is that despite all the efforts by the youth, it is only the old and the well-connected who benefit. With no immediate prospect of success, many youth shy away from engaging themselves in the aforementioned initiatives and therefore most of them do not see the light of the day.
Sensitization among the youth therefore is particularly critical before they are engaged. Nothing should be left to chance since the youth have a right to know about the opportunities available for them so they can come up with rational decisions based on the same. Old minds seldom have creative ideas so the initiatives intended for the youth should ensure their full participation in terms of operation and general management.
There has been a growing misconception that the youth should take the backstage while the older generation decides on their behalf. Those spreading such information can only be compared to the prophets of doom. The time for the youth to make a difference is today, not tomorrow as we are made to believe. The best we can do is take care of today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
Just pose for a moment and consider this “the recruitment of men and women to serve in the army is underway and you are lucky to be absorbed. While at the military camp, you realize that there are only three older officers. The rest of the group comprises new recruits. Young energetic and with excellent academic track record, your performance is outstanding and therefore all the top ranking officials are amazed. The best they can offer is to climb you up the ladder. You are given the keys and told you will be responsible for the armory which is basically the heart of every military force. You are provided with open options, you can either take up the appointment or handover to another person. Soon there is hearsay all over the camp that the task is too demanding and therefore requires those who have spent the better parts of their lives in the military. You decide to handover the army keys to a ‘senior’ person to take charge.
Later on, there is growing conflict and the new recruits swear to fight to the bitter end. The older generations stick to their guns and swear never to soften their stance. The question is, who is likely to win in this conflict?
Just as the young man in the army, we the youth have all the weapons at our disposal. All that needs to be done is to safeguard them. If we hand them over then the same weapons will be used against us.
By Shirley Odongo
Tumaini is full of hope for the future; hope that her life will change for the better that finally, she will be in a position to provide for her one-year old baby without the constant begging that has been the story of her life since she lost her parents to the dreaded AIDS scourge. At last, she can kiss goodbye the many nights she spent hungry and cold while her son suckled on a breast that no longer produced any milk.
As she reminisced on all these, tears trickled down her cheeks but this time, they were tears of joy and gladness. But even with this feeling of gladness, Tumaini could not help but feel a bit apprehensive. The only formal education she had, was up to standard eight and clearly, that was not enough for an aspiring entrepreneur. However, she was keen to better her life and so armed with only determination and a thirst to escape the poverty surrounding her, Tumaini swore that she would make this work.
You see, Tumaini is one of the recipients of the youth fund that the Kenyan government has been disbursing to youth around the country as a way of empowering them. At only 17, Tumaini’s story mirrors that of countless other youth in Kenya and indeed, around Africa who have no means of supporting themselves and have become disillusioned with life.
But just who is a youth? This term varies according to context. The UN definition has various contexts thus: 10-19 are considered adolescents, 10-24 are young people and youth are those between 15-24 years. In Kenya, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MOYAS) prefers the term young people and these are those between 15- 30 years. Obviously, the jury is still out on just who is a youth but that is beside the point.
A few weeks ago, the people of Kamukunji held a by-election to elect a representative to parliament. Throughout the campaigns, the various candidates were at pains to explain the plans they had in store for the youth. The constant question on the electorates’ lips was what agenda the hopefuls had for the youth of Kamukunji in particular and by extension, the youth of Kenya.
This brought forth the fact that youth in Kenya are a forgotten lot in as far as development and leadership issues go. We have all heard the oft quoted line of youth being the leaders of tomorrow but when it comes to the real deal, your guess is as good as mine. It is an open secret that the old leagues find it rather hard to hand over the reigns to the young ones.
Enter the various Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) which have in place programmes meant to assist the youth in various ways. There are programmes for out of school youth, teenage mothers, and street boys among others. A good example is a centre in Kilifi which was recently featured in one of the dailies. The centre caters for girls who fall pregnant and are chased away from their homes. It welcomes these girls, provides a much-needed haven for the next two years of their lives while equipping them with various skills such as tailoring, weaving, computer lessons while they await the birth of their children.
A truly inspiring story is that of Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA). The organization, with more than 17,000 players, is the largest in Africa. Situated in the heart of the Mathare slums; MYSA strives to transform the lives of the youth in and around Mathare positively through sports and environmental activities. Many a times however, the going is not so rosy for the youth involved in these activities. Stories abound of mismanagement, pilfering of funds and other corrupt goings-on that bring more harm than good.
However, this need not be the case. Youth are the backbone of any economy and strides to empower them ought to be accompanied by tangible measures to ensure that whatever development initiatives they take part in are worth the time, the money and can be sustained over time. And how can this be achieved? As an example, before the Ministry of Youth disbursed the money to the youth, it would have been in order to hold some training workshops where various personalities who have excelled in their fields were invited to share their experiences and impart knowledge as well.
Asking the youth to form groups and then giving them money without having taken into consideration their individual strengths was, for me, a defeatist move. For many, the only driving factor was the money so they ran around forming groups with, at times, people they did not even know well, got the money, split it and then spent it on some short-term venture and a few months down the line, they were right back where they started.
Youth development and empowerment needs more than just desktop initiatives among a few well-meaning individuals at the top of the tier. It is important that the youth are recognized and supported as leaders and this is possible through active participation of the youth themselves when forming these programmes. People tend to be receptive to ideas when they are part of them from the start. So even as we endeavour to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goal number 7 which urges member states to improve the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by the year 2020, active engagement of the intended recipients will go a long way in realizing this goal.
By Jesse Eyase
As a young person living in Kenya today, I find myself in complex and challenging times. Yet this ought not to be an excuse for taking to the streets and resolving to violence because the phenomenon cuts across the globe. Therefore, though there may be scars caused by the political and social turmoil, they should not be borne disproportionately by me because I want peace, development and empowerment among my fellow youth in Kenya. That is the Kenya I want.
Thus said, in my noble quest, I choose to hold Mr. President accountable because he is charged with the duty of ensuring youth development and empowerment, among other duties. He is our icon of peace and therefore he should unite all Kenyans. But I will do so diplomatically and responsibly. I will not take to the streets with stones in my hands chanting:
“Haki yangu, haki yangu…
That, I will not do. If I have to throw anything, then it will be a word of encouragement to the leaders who have the interests of the common Mwananchi at heart. As for the precious stones, I will leave them for the contractors for major projects that add value to our country like the Thika road project . I hope to see more of our roads blown up and expanded in a likewise manner in the near future. That is the Kenya I want.
I will not just cry, grow angrier and feel helpless as I watch my brother, friend or neighbor die, loose all and become a people of despair, rage and hate. A people they are not!!! No, that is not the Kenya that I want. I will sit my fellow Kenyan down and talk, because the nation is greater than both of us. It is home, it is our home and our children’s home. Therefore, I will melt the machetes away with the heat of love and treat everyone like my brother. That, my friend, is the Kenya I want.
I will not fight my friend for the shortcomings of my government. Shouldn’t the fight be against the government, corruption, poverty, ignorance and unemployment? Surely our situation need not be likened to the Middle East, where there is constant war. Peace to them has become like a mirage, the closer they get to it, the further it moves from them. I only have one message for them; why should they fight each other due to their differences in faith? Shouldn’t they leave the fight to God? All of us should embrace one another and make peace. Yes, my brothers, I want peace, we want peace. That is the Kenya I want.
I will therefore not tire to urge the youth not to be used and abused. Instead, let us take advantage this moment in history to stand up and be counted as champions of peace and development. They say experience is the best teacher, but she is also a very cruel teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson afterwards, and more often than not, we fail the test. We have already failed the test once. Rather than running from the reality, let us learn from it. The future lies in our hands. Let us choose to change the past, by being better people today, as today is tomorrow’s past. If we all embrace this then we would make the world a better place.
I will choose to preach the gospel of peace in a simple analogy:
People,
Embrace,
Appreciate,
Care and
Edify.
Peace, a simple word centered on you and I. We are the People. Let us Embrace,Appreciate, Care and Edify one another. Let us not be quick to judge, instead, let our words be those of peace and a better tomorrow. That is the Kenya I want.
Yet I will not just criticize the government. I will set to work and be a better person. I will take advantage of the avenues created by the government for youth development and empowerment. I will mobilize youth to come together and form youth groups which will be independent of gender, cultural and tribal differences. Together we will borrow funds from the government and invest in small-scale projects. This will not only boost the economy of our nation but also open up opportunities for other young people. Together we will strive to make Vision 2030 a reality, and transform Kenya into the Kenya that I want.
I will also endeavor to abstain from vices like tribalism and corruption. We are all just one big family. I will not give or solicit for a bribe; rather, I will be more than willing to pay the price when I break the law. Rules are rules; they must be followed, without them we are savages. I will seek to make an impact in my community and Kenya as a whole. I will even put my passion in writing and display it for the whole world to see. I will not be intimidated, I will soldier on. I know I will make mistakes along the way, but I will gladly heed correction and change for the better. I will listen to different opinions, especially when I disagree, because one is entitled to their opinion. Above all, I will try to live an exemplary life in building my country, the Kenya that I want.
Well, my path as a change maker began when a friend of mine informed of an internship position at GPYC Kenya. For a young lady who has just finished campus, an internship is a better opportunity than idling around in your neighbourhood. Little did I know that this would be a path that would open my mind to greater values and paint a bigger picture for me.
For me, GPYC is a lifetime opportunity. ‘Why?’ one may ask. This is how:
GPYC(Global Peace Youth Corps) is the youth arm of Global Peace Festival Foundation. it is an alliance of young leaders and youth related organizations whose main objectives are:
All the above is through a culture of service with a mission of being one family under God.
GPYC is ran on ideals and foundations. our ideals are ASPIRATIONS, PRINCIPLES AND VALUES.
This is just who we are in a nut shell but to this young lady, there is more!!!
To me GPYC is an awakening call to the value of peace in Kenya and how it contributes to sustainable development
To me, GPYC has given me a platform to think beyond the box and come up with sustainable solutions
GPYC is training the leader in me, forming a solid character and instilling lifelong values that I will live to remember.
GPYC is teaching me the value of the next human being around me
The value of my community
The value of my contribution
Through the projects undertaken
Through the various conferences and meetings
Through the interactions with great men and women
Through GPYC as a whole
A young lady’s life is being transformed
Through the aspirations, principles and values instilled
You too can be part of this vision
the vision of being : One Family Under God!!!
Despite our diversities, we can create a synergy of efforts that can make a difference on this earth.
Be a change maker!!!
Make a difference.
©Beverlyn Naliaka- Change maker
The NYVS was held on the 23rd to 26th August, 2011 at the YMCA in Kisumu. this forum sought to bring together 100 young leaders from the Nyanza region with an aim of engaging them to become volunteers in their local placement areas. This scheme is an initiative and a partnership of UNDP, GPYC,GPFF, VSO Jitoless and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Each year, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports chooses a thematic area for concentration apart from the volunteerism training. This year’s theme was “Peace and Conflict Resolution” and Global Peace Youth Corps and Global Peace Festival Foundation came on board in the forum to train participants on that topic.
Global Peace Youth Corps (GPYC) was represented by Arthur Oyange, GPYC Kenya Chair, and Timothy Gachucha while Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF) was represented by Dr. Aketch.
Arthur as a facilitator spoke on “Peace and Conflict Resolution” and how volunteerism contributes to peace and reconciliation amongst communities. He explained about the Global Citizenship Empowerment Programme dubbed the ‘Bila Ukabila Initiative” and enumerated the need for youths to be leaders of their own destiny and contribute to societal progress.
Timothy shared the concept of GPYC: its vision, mission, core values and projects. He explained why we are ‘One Family under God’ and that youths should become the change makers in their communities. Timothy motivated the youths by sharing his personal experience of volunteerism in GPYC and its ripple effect.
After the two-day forum, GPYC team collected feedback from the participants and this is what they had to say:
”Facilitation has really touched me…I wish I had the teachings immediately after finishing my high school, I could have been a better person…But now I know.” Dorcas.
“I have been able to see life as a mirror and how it can be full of achievements when we embrace the element of volunteering with chastity. We shall achieve self-satisfaction if we embark on the act of giving of ourselves-resources, time, money and ideas with the spirit of selflessness as taught by GPYC. ” Steve.
“The training has assisted me know how we can amalgamate activities of volunteerism with preaching peace, love and harmony through bringing people from various backgrounds with the same goodwill to promote nationality and cohesion. I shall treat everyone around me as ‘One Family under God’ and not judge others by their outer person, but appreciate them from their inner person.” Ombasa.
“I can’t wait to be placed as a volunteer! I’m so excited imagining that serving one human being is as well as serving the whole world.” Doreen.
“I would like the GPYC team to scale up its activities to rural areas and the grassroots level especially with the ALL-LIGHTS project because not only schools in slum areas are affected, but also those in rural areas.. Consider also opening up offices in each county.” Christine
GPYC always seeks to leave a mark and to transform lives through empowerment of values and aspirations.
Bigups to the GPYC team that represented us in Kisumu City.
Remember: We are all one family under God
Global Peace Foundation Kenya 