December, 2012:

It was expected that at least 18 million Kenyan citizens would register for the elections due next March 4. Some hoped that the number could reach 22 million. Only 14.3 million registered, and the justification for such a low number is the fear of violence during the elections. It is not clear how non voting could decrease the risk of violence, but certainly the daily news are worrying. Bomb explosions, fights that occur apparently among cattle raiders that leave dozens dead. The fear that this is just the beginning of a season of much bigger violence is founded.
Yesterday morning I went to Kibera, and passed near a five-story building that had collapsed during the night. Luckily it was still under construction and was not inhabited, and only two people were injured. The collapse of a building, probably built without proper plans or by bribing city council offcicials, it’s worth in today’s paper only a few lines.

The youth coming from 5 difiente Koinonia insititutions in Nairobi have completed the first phase of the course of the Maji Tome Circus Project, with a show in a Salesians theatre. For the first time in our ongoing circus training there was the successful participation of eight girls of Anita’s Home. Other forty students who have completed the eighth grade went for the first time at seaside, in Mombasa, for a week. Twenty-five males were circumcised and were instructed on their responsibilities as adults. All children from our institutions are mobilizing for a great concert for peace that will be held by the Ndugu Modgo children on January 26, to plead for elections without violence. Hundred and twenty boys and girls last night animated Christmas Mass in Kivuli. Their faith, their hope for a better possible world, their sincere affection and love renew us all, encourage us to procced on the right road, and ensure us that there really is a better world possible, humanity has the potential, we need to work for it all together.

I received a Christmas card with a poem by Ephrem the Syrian, a doctor of the church of the forth century, dedicated to the Child Jesus. The weak translation from Italian to English is mine. If you know a better one I would like to get it. Here it is, with the photo of the last child we welcomed at Kivuli Ndogo.

How cheeky are you, or Child, that throw yourself into everyone arms!
To whoever finds you, you smile; anyone who sees you, you love him.
It’s as if your love is hungry of people.
Maybe you are not able to distinguish between your parents and the strangers?
Between your mother and your servants?
Between the one who feeds you with her milk and those other women?
Is this your cheekiness or your love?
You, who love everyone!
How did you get restless,
that throw yourself into the arms of anyone who sees you!
It is the same if they are rich or if they are poor;
you seek refuge in them, they do not need to call you.
Whence comes this your being so hungry of people?

On December 8 2012 more than two hundred young persons who had some experience of street life and were rescued from it by Charitable Children Institutions (CCIs) in Nairobi, gathered for their first ever conference.

Dubbed Kongamano la Vijana kwa Base (Swahili for Forum of Youth of the Base, base being how street children call the place where they gather) the forum held was at Shalom House and brought together beneficiaries from over ten CCIs.

Kongamano la Vijana kwa Base was an initiative of Koinonia Old Beneficiaries Welfare Association (KOBWA) attended by other very important organizations like KESCA, Consolation Africa, Thomas Bernardo’s Home, Rescue Dada and others. It was the culmination of a process that started in August 2012 .

The former beneficiaries had an opportunity to share their life experiences and a chance to propose the way forward on how to improve the process of rescue and reintegration.

Here is the final document.

Declaration of the Beneficiaries of Charitable Children’s Institutions
At the First Kongamano La Vijana Kwa Base Conference
Shalom House, Nairobi, 8th December, 2012

We, the beneficiaries of Charitable Children’s Institutions (CCIs), have come together to establish a movement for the promotion of best practices in the CCIs. We assert our commitment to the use of dialogue, genuineness and compassion between us and the Caregivers as a way to uphold Human Dignity, Peace, Love, Justice and Harmony in the CCIs.

Together we declare that:

We shall strive to promote the inalienable rights of the children and reject all injustices against our innocent and vulnerable brothers and sisters within the CCIs, especially when this is done in the name of the law and of organizational policies. We therefore call for a stronger network and collaboration between the Government Institutions and the CCIs.

We shall work towards mutual understanding and respect among ourselves, the society at large and the Caregivers within the CCIs through advocacy, Education, Conferences, Symposia and free Social Integration.

The CCIs form an integral part of our growth and development. We therefore state categorically that the Caregivers should preserve all the records and documentation about the lives of the children under their care, and keep them confidential, but avail them later to the beneficiaries when they become of age.

In accordance with the bill of rights of the republic of Kenya, we affirm the right of each child to worship and to freely access institutions of faith without the fear of admonition or expulsion from the CCIs.

Our unique identities and diverse cultural values form the basis of our existence. We thus urge the Caregivers to be passionate in dealing with children and their families to inculcate values in the children without patronage and manipulation. This will assist in achieving a sustainable reintegration of the beneficiaries of the CCIs back to the society through empowerment and close follow-up.

We offer our heartfelt prayers and give thanks to the Almighty God for bringing us together to work for the promotion of children’s Rights for all the vulnerable children living within and outside the CCIs.

During the annual assembly of Koinonia held at Elementaita from 14 to 16 December, we have also elected the new Executive Council. In the picture below they are the first five squatted, from the left: Tony Litunya, Esther Kabugi Masera, Herber Wamalwa (chairman), Tiberius Mogwasi (tresurer), Simon Ng’anga (secretary).