Our Words of Wisdom
“Never are we more open-minded, hopeful, powerful and energetic as when we are young. It is now that we believe in friendships across cultures and hope for a brighter future.”
– Cecilia Logo-Koefoed, UN Intern
“Never are we more open-minded, hopeful, powerful and energetic as when we are young. It is now that we believe in friendships across cultures and hope for a brighter future.”
Husika Urekebishe
Project Name: Husika Urekebishe (Participate to Restore)
Project Description:
The Husika Urekebishe project seeks to promote peace and reconciliation in the rural areas of Central and Nyanza Provinces by fostering intercultural dialogue, celebrating cultural diversity and promoting leadership among young people in Kenya.
The main project outcome will be understanding of and respect for cultural richness of individual communities. The project aims to develop structures and mechanisms for participatory dialogue and action that can be used to advance local and national reconciliation.
Name of Organization: Youth Alive! Kenya
Description of Organization: Youth Alive! Kenya is a youth organization whose main objective is to ensure a free, just and equitable world where young people are able to translate their aspirations and potential into productive and fulfilling lives. Currently there are 60 ‘offline’ members and 247 ‘online’ members in the organization.
Timeframe: 2010
Country: Kenya
Email: joan@youthalivekenya.org
Website: www.youthalivekenya.org
Background: Kenya has had a series of internal conflicts including open clashes between the local people and the State; and between ethnic groups and political authorities. The relative stability experienced in most parts of the country is not to be taken for granted as many people experience marginalization, poverty and unequal access to power and resources.
In April 2008, Kenya emerged from three months of election-related violence. More than 1,500 people died in the ethnic strife and more that 300,000 were displaced. The government faced a series of daunting tasks and simmering issues that required immediate attention. Underlying social grievances and structural weaknesses in Kenyan society needed to be addressed. Unfortunately progress has been slow. Corruption scandals have diminished confidence.
Young people in Kenya were both perpetrators and victims of post-election violence. In the project locations, livelihoods and relationships were deeply scarred. Beyond the visible infrastructural and economic damage of the post-election violence lie the social ruins. Young people who had lived together since childhood turned on their friends who did not share a common ethnic and/or political background.
Project Activities:
1. Community awareness: At the preliminary stages, forums will be held with community and government agencies to communicate the project’s objectives and generate community support. Participants will be recruited from the provinces of Nyanza and Central. These areas are the ancestral settlements comprised of distinct ethno-lingual communities that continue to have an antagonistic relationship.
2. IEC materials: Project materials will include a community youth peace kit, branded project t-shirts and pamphlets to be used throughout the project and beyond.
3. Selection & briefing of participants and host: The project will organize an exchange program whereby participating individuals will be hosted in different households outside their ethno-linguistic groups. This allows participants to learn the diverse cultural practices and to appreciate the different past and a common future shared by the different communities. Participating hosts are expected to share with the guests the community’s way of life and include them in everyday activities.
Partners: The main partner is the National Steering Committee on peace building and conflict management under the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and National Security. They are engaged as technical partners. The Kenya Ministry of Justice, Constitutional Affairs and National Cohesion and The Ministry of State for Youth Affairs are also critical partners. The project will work with other non-state actors who share the project objectives.
Results: Project under implementation