Saturday, December 18, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
New Kenya, New Counties without Slums!
Mukuru Kwa Njenga School, Nairobi, where residents from the vicinity use the school's toilets during the day, February 2010, ©Amnesty International
Poverty and upgrading of informal settlements will not be possible unless cities are productive and efficient
-Nelson Mandela
In the wake of a new constitution in Kenya, Kenyans, especially the majority poor-46% of the population are living in less than one dollar a day- have very high expectations for a new, better Kenya. Thus the new slogan seems to be: New wine, new wineskin!
Moreover, the new Constitution of Kenya’s Bill of Rights is seen as the great white hope for most Kenyans, especially those that have for a long time been disfranchised. Even those living in uninhabitable housing have not been left out (Article 43 1 (b)), thus: Every person has the right-to accessible and adequate housing, and to reasonable standards of sanitation
Even Kenya’s Head of state, Mr. Mwai Kibaki, could not hide his excitement and the hope he has for the country’s future while addressing the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly, New York, on September 23, 2010:
The New Constitution greatly improves the structures of governance and lays a firm foundation for political stability and economic prosperity. It has injected new vitality and a sense of renewal. We believe that this step will go a long way in contributing towards the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals. It is also our hope that this historic development will contribute to continued consolidation of democratic governance in our region.
With a devolved government or county governments, Kenya has ushered in a renewed opportunity to make up for its misguided plan of the Millennium Development Goals. Kenya’s current framework for implementing the MDGs-Vision 2030-connotes pessimism, because it depicts a competitor riding on two horses at the same time to win one race. But with County governments (47), each headed by a governor, Kenya has the greatest opportunity ever to paint her country anew, with symbolic colors that ensure “plenty be found within our borders”. For example, a county government will be responsible for developing policy for the county, implementing county laws, and managing the public service of the country. As such I expect that one of the crucial policies, which is under the county government’s jurisdiction, will be to ensure that we have COUNTIES WITHOUT SLUMS!
Friday, October 1, 2010
UN World Habitat Day: Better Cities, Better life-Yes, Cities without Slums!
As we celebrate the UN World Habitat Day on October 4, 2010, we need to reflect on where we have come from and where we are going. Especially on where we are going, we most importantly must choose the right road for “We the Peoples”. Understandably, these “better cities” are meant for us “Peoples,” including slum dwellers. This therefore means that “better life” will not be forthcoming if we still have slums within these “better cities.”
Among the crucial issues we need to reflect on is our own perception of slum dwellers in this context, because this will potentially determine the kind of plan we are bound to put in place toward ensuring that we don’t have slums in those “better cities.” Or, are we not outraged when we see these dehumanizing conditions in which slum dwellers live? If yes, what are we, both collectively and individually, doing about it?
The UN Habitat reports that “a total of 227 million people in the world have moved out of slums since 2000. This means that governments have collectively surpassed the Millennium Development Goal on slums more than two times over.” While this might sound extremely encouraging, we need to remind ourselves that the number is increasing: “…if no collective action is taken, UN-HABITAT projections show that this figure will increase to 1.5 billion” from the current figure of 1 billion. Does this tell us something about MDGs’ Target 7d: Achieve significant improvement in lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers, by 2020? We made a mistake by failing to properly include slum dwellers into the MDGs. If we are supposed “to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the world’s people whose income is less than one dollar a day,” then it means that slum dwellers have been excluded from this important framework as neither the 2020 target date nor the numerical target of 100 million are consistent with this overall goal of the Millennium Development Goal. Clearly, this shows some of the problems resulting from strident voices that, conservatively, tend to equate rural development and poverty reduction. And this explains why the slum dwellers’ goal was moved from ‘poverty eradication’ and placed under ‘environmental sustainability,’ which, by the way, is the last one under this category.
If we are serious about having “better cities” and consequently “better life,” we must accept the fact that slum dwellers constitute poverty. Again, we need to agree that both rural development and rural poverty reduction tend to benefit from urbanization. Within this understanding, we are empowered to aim at the right target, thereby invoking the right tools toward eradicating poverty. At this point we are able to:
· Plan for future urban growth as one of the means of preventing slums from increasing
· Undertake nationwide slum upgrading programs
· Develop policy and institutional capability for sustainability
· Locally involve slum communities in the design and implementation of measures aimed at improving their lives
Human rights’ Principle of Indivisibility and the Millennium Development Goals
The rights of every men are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened
-J.F. Kennedy
We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
One of the greatest challenges toward implementation of human rights today is the tendency to divide them. This division, for the most part, plays out as a blame game between rich and poor countries. The latter complains of the economic rights’ neglect on the part of rich countries while the former allegedly perceives political rights as the only broom able to clean the house of poor countries.
Clearly, this is not in the spirit of human rights principles-universal and inalienable; indivisible; interdependent and interrelated. And an attempt to move in this direction means we will eventually find ourselves in a mark time mode. Failing to embrace all of the principles toward implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) reflects a lack of commitment to the dignity of humanity. Moreover, Human rights’ principle of indivisibility is critical toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
True commitment to the dignity of humanity means that all parties-rich and poor countries alike-will have to work toward embracing the UDHR in its entirety as they endeavor to implement the MDGs. Posing a question of legality in this context is yet another demonstration of a lack of this commitment. The political will bestowed on all sovereign nations must be invoked now more than ever toward ending poverty in our time. We are all in favor of a world free from want and fear. We are all against hunger and disease. We are all against global terrorism. If we are all in agreement with this, then let’s embrace human rights in its wholesomeness.
It’s true that disagreement is not an uncommon thing in a family setting. And yes, we are now family by virtue of sharing a single humanity and living in one world, one global village--we are global citizens. This gives us the reason to discard our differences and instead consolidate our efforts to fight our common enemy: poverty. And since we have a global framework called the Millennium Development Goals, let’s use it to end poverty in our time. But this will not be forthcoming if we don’t crucify any prevailing cynicism in respect to winning the battle against poverty. Let poor countries not just pretend to reform, but indeed deliver required reform. And let rich countries not just pretend to help poor countries, but in the spirit of true generosity and commitment help them. We are all engaged in the battle against poverty together as family. As such, we must undertake our roles with utter commitment and determination to defend one another as brothers and sisters--we must all be winners in this noble fight against poverty in order to survive the global threats of our time.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Become a Global Citizen and Change Lives--Join the Noble Fight!
Changed lives—Stories of hope and inspiration
Staring into the future without fear
Had it not been for Solidarity House CBO’s table banking program Ms Purity Makandi, now 30, would not have recalled how it feels to smile. Her mother died in 1991 and changed her life forever-and, most likely, her 10-year-old son would have been headed to the same road were it not for this program. Now Makandi has a reason to smile. Although her past memories have brought her so much suffering, now she has a lot to look forward to--Solidarity House CBO has changed her life for the better. She says that she is sure her son will not end up being semi-illiterate like herself. The table banking services program has brought back her lost hope, which had been lost through her past misfortunes. “I’m now sure of getting money every month. The worry I used to have due my son’s school fees is now gone. I can now sleep well at night and plan for tomorrow with confidence unlike before.”
Makandi had to discontinue her primary education to take care of her brother’s two sons when her mother died. The boys were aged 2 and 3. She assumed the role of her mother who used to look after them when they were abandoned by their mother. Besides fending for herself, she had an extra burden of taking care of her two nephews.
For survival, Makandi got into a relationship with a man who promised to marry her. But he left her upon realizing that she was pregnant. Makandi is now a single mother. “I’m not scared like before. With or without the man I will be able to support my boy.” And as she emphasizes her statement with a smile she adds: “this is all thanks to Solidarity House and the table banking program. I now can stare into my future without fear!”
My business, my power
Motivated by easy access to funds at her group every month, Faith Kagwiria, a mother of two, began a small business. And although the business premise is a small wooden kiosk which also serves as her home, she can afford to smile to her renewed dream of becoming a successful business woman. “Unlike other microfinance institutions where you are not guaranteed of money upon repaying a loan, table banking gives you the assurance you need to start a business as you will have access to money every month,” Kagwiria says about the table banking services program. “I think I will realizing my long time dream of succeeding in business. Once this happens, I will harness the opportunity I need to compete in today’s world.”
Like most women in Kenya, Kagwiria is the breadwinner in her extended family. Besides her husband and children, other members of her family look to her for support. “My family’s situation makes me to work very hard. I know I will succeed and take care of my needy family members someday.” Sadly, most men spend their time drinking liquor. Kagwiria’s husband is such a man. It is against this backdrop that Solidarity House CBO endeavors to promote table banking services program in order to economically empower especially women to better assume their bread-winning role in the family.
Getting Involved
(a) Donor
1. As a donor, you can make our “girl effect education” scheme for poverty eradication a dream come true through your generous contribution. Every year, when the fund produces a 50% growth, numerous girls are bound to benefit from this scheme for a lengthy period of time because the money you give as donation stays ‘alive’ and only what it produces goes away to the beneficiary each time.
2. Also, as a donor you can help the extremely poor groups to get to the first rung of development ladder by boosting their shares. In some areas in Kenya, people go to bed hungry for many days (according to the statistics released by the Poverty Eradication Commission of Kenya, poverty stood at 46% in 2005/2006- and this result had not anticipated the post election violence of 2008). With donor funds, nearly 17 million people living in poverty in Kenya can be given hope through the table banking scheme. And just like the “girl effect education” scheme, the money will stay ‘alive’ to continue boosting shares for the in-coming poor groups who are unable to transact business for lack of capital-money on the table for borrowing.
(b) If you are not outraged, you are not paying attention!
If you do not have material means to support the noble fight, your voice counts. Join other Global Citizens around the world and support various campaigns that seek to eradicate poverty and defend human rights worldwide. Such organizations include Amnesty International, Oxfam, and United Nations Foundation.
DONATIONS CAN BE DEPOSITED TO:
SOLIDARITY HOUSE C.B.O, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK KENYA LIMITED, MERU BRANCH, ACCOUNT NO. 0102002078500, SWIFT CODE: SCBLKENX
CONTACT:
P.O. Box 1578-60200, Meru, Kenya. Tel: (254) 711385722,
E-mail: info.solidarityhouse@gmail.com
Education: A Sure Way to Eradicate Poverty
1. Introduction
Since time immemorial, gender has been a big issue. Yet the role gender plays toward a sustained economy of any nation is undeniably crucial. For example, contributions of women to the development of most countries have failed to be recognized in a manner likely to prompt governments to consider investing more in development initiatives geared to empowering women. Had this been done, benefits would encompass everyone, now and in the future.
At the international level, specific human rights instruments have emerged to try and address the issue of women, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women 1979 and its Optional Protocol, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women 1993, and the follow-up ‘Beijing Platform Plus 5’ Special Session of the General Assembly. Women’s rights continue to be advocated at this level to ensure that this very important issue stays on the agenda with a view to urge governments to mainstream gender equity in important development areas like constitution, legislature, institutions and policy regimes.
Like most African countries, Kenya continues to lag behind in this area of reform. For example, gender relations in Kenya show that discrimination against women and inequitable practices are prevalent at various levels of the society. And, unfortunately, they are largely embodied in the legal system and administrative structures of the government. Discrimination against women is also securely anchored in the customs and traditional practices of various communities across the country. One of the areas in which gender imbalance is quite common is the area of resource allocation and management. And although women account for over seventy percent of the productive land-based labor force in Kenya, land relations in particular are based on laws, customs, and practices that are aimed at marginalizing and disempowering women. Against this backdrop of utter marginalization of women in a developing country such as Kenya, what would be the most plausible approach toward ensuring an empowered generation of women for enhancing a sustainable growth in both our economy and social life?
2. The ‘Girl effect’ Education Fund: Promoting Girls’ Education through Table Banking Services Concept
Although Solidarity House CBO does not have the resources to break the vicious cycle of illiteracy especially among women and girls in Kenya, the organization continues to gradually promote education under its current program of table banking services as a gradual, sure way of winning the battle against poverty in the country. For example, “education booster fund,” one of the products of table banking services, has seen many of our clients raise enough money for paying their children’s school fees every year. The fund grows by 50%.
While this is a positive note in promoting education among the vulnerable groups in Kenya, the emphasis the girl child education deserves in order to accelerate the fight against poverty is far from being realized. A more holistic approach to successfully fight poverty would therefore be to promote the girl child education through the table banking services which is currently one of the major activities that seeks to economically empower women and youth. Solidarity House CBO is in the process of implementing a special education program for girls under the “education booster fund” scheme. Through its network of self-help groups, the organization will introduce a “girl-effect education fund” in its table banking services concept, which will operate as explained above. However, the fund will come from donors to specifically promote education for female children of the group members. Through partnership with the donor community the “girl-effect education” scheme for poverty eradication can become a dream come true. Every year, when the fund produces a 50% growth, numerous girls are bound to benefit from this scheme for a lengthy period of time because the money given as donation stays ‘alive’ and only what it produces goes away to the beneficiary each time.
Channeling education-related funds through such a scheme is not only effective in promoting education but is also secure as there have been many incidents of education funds being misappropriated even at the government level. In other words, the funds will be squarely in the hands of the ‘owners’. It is believed that once the effect is experienced among the beneficiaries in real and practical terms, it will be a matter of time before the same can be rolled out to the group members with a view to encouraging them to consider enrolling in adult education programs as well.
3. Advocacy
Working with girls is not hard, because what one needs to do is, according to the Nike Foundation’s Girl effect, Your Move program, “just aim for this one goal: catching her at the right time”-when a girl becomes an adolescence. And any work setting can accommodate this campaign, including schools of Higher learning as no one is required to begin a new program for girls but fit the same into the work we are doing.
Besides promoting education among girls through the “girl effect education” investment, the advocacy initiative will encourage people at various levels of work to participate in the “girl effect” campaign to keep girls, and the world, on a positive path.
At this moment of transition, we can ensure that the girl’s window of opportunity is not slam shut forever by ensuring that she:
1. does not drop out of school;
2. does not get married;
3. does not become pregnant; and
4. does not get exposed to HIV
Friday, June 18, 2010
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