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>> Healing the Rifts

This mini work camp was decided upon during the HROC basic workshop that was held in the area on 10-12 August 2009. On the first day of the workshop, most of the participants from the Kalenjin community gave their expectation was to have all their neighbors who had run away during the post elections violence return home. They stated they were ready to welcome them back.

On the last day after Mr. Francis, a Masai man, stood up and said that they are ready to welcome all who had fled the area. He was very remorseful and he reminiscenced about the good neighbors they had and how they lived in peace with one another. He also said that the area had never had any tribal conflict even when other areas in the country experienced the same during earlier elections. He appealed to members of his community not to ever do what they did again.  Then,  Mrs. Lucy Njambi, a Kikuyu, who fled from the area to the Internally Displaced Persons camp, stood up and said, "I am willing to come back, but I have no where to come back to. My house was burnt and all my property stolen."

There was a heated debate and then people began to  pledge what materials they could give in the shortest possible time. They were able to get iron sheets, posts, and nails to build three small mud and wattle houses.  August 22nd was the date set for when they will all come together and help to rebuild Jambi's house and two others.  On this day I was there to help out and see if they were going to live up to their word. When I got there at the time they had agreed upon, I was shocked to see all the three houses-Jambi's and two others--standing waiting to be bomwad, (to put mud in the walls). They had already fixed the posts and the iron sheets to all the three houses.

The day that everyone had waited for had finally arrived and people arrived in Majitamu in time to start the day's work. I had heard that the men had come very early. Almost all the participants in our last HROC workshop were present and those who could not make it sent their spouses or children. All tribes were represented.

one of the completed houses

After a whole day of work every one was happy about how the day has been. In this photo was one of the completed houses. It was decided that after some days they will come and smooth the walls of the house ready to welcome the family back. After finishing the work we were given lunch and tea. During the meal Njambi was very happy and could not stop saying thank you to everyone. She said, "I first thank Mr. Francis for inviting me to the HROC workshop. It has made me realize regardless of what happened, I still have good neighbors who want me back. My husband didn't believe that this house will be made for me by my neighbors, but I now know he is very happy." The day was great for me because I was able to witness great love between neighbors. They showed real commitment and said it was a sign of good relations returning in their community.

Article by Dorcas Nyambura, Kenyan HROC facilitator - more information at AGLI

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