I would like to introduce myself: I am Rachel Wambui Kungu, a peace worker living in Kangemi Slum District, Nairobi. On the family level, I work as a family violence monitor, and at the community level with activities in Kangemi. On the national level, I do peacework through the Peace Camel Caravan. This annual event starts in Kangemi and moves out to villages, towns, and cities, with a cultural presentation put together by youth from the slums.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistichelping/message/2537

Dear Andrius and Janet and all,

I would like to say that, i have personally appreciated all the support and your tireless effort in working with us. We took the risk say small risks but many of them added together to be big risks, it is your mentorship and moral support that has enabled me and other to go that extra mile.

I am back in the city with my collegues and it is unfortunate, i havent had time to write or even rest for a while. I left Nakuru -Mondat for a National Response Initiative as a youth representative,where i was for the whole afternoon, I was called at 10.30pm same day for Electral Nonviolence Response Initiative at Peacenet 8am Tuesday to finalise the youth and community initiative propasal for funding, with other stakeholders involved. I was finally joined by Dennis and Ken and discussed full issues and Dennis submitted proposal for REPACTED, i hope all this will be considered for funding

i would like to request P.O.P Andrius the CIC, Janet, Ricardo, Pam and all to quickly come up with a proposal which should state that in Partnership with Voluntary Youth Philanthropists (VYP) in order to submit it to the National Response Initiative. two - three pages with background objective sustainability/continuity after the 4 weeks funding which is a portion of the basket for peacework in Kenya. the maximum funding per proposal is GBP 20,000.

we have our nexting meeting on Tuesday at 8.30am lets try and see if there will be an opening.I am sitting in that donor round table meeting funding proposals at the National level due to the work w have done in partnership with P.O.P thus would be very important to present the proposal. i will send it direct to the UNDP which appointed me to sit in the meeting then The lady can had it over to the team for discussion.

Dennis please forward your proposal as agreed as well.

Andrius, with the information you provided to me in one of the mails, i have requested for some funding under VYP and i will keep you posted on the happening by end of the week. I took into consideration the inputs of Repacted from Janet but was lucky to present Repacted as an individual proposal.

Janet, Joy and all, i am still waiting to hear from you on how we should adress the fundraising issue with safaricom as mother and experienced in Kenya.

I am abit tired and not working much for VYP as an organisation and i would happy if i could be helped to fundraise for the organisation so that i dont go hungry and with the new responsibility as a mother at the same time miss out the mission and vision of VYP. We have recently updated the website and all information is available and i could provide more if that would help in fundraising.

However, i am happy to say that i am following my passion and am not able to stop until i see peace prevails in our beloved country Kenya, volunteers work and mentors advice so lets talk.

I would like to report that Cherangany is bad news as some communities have now been targeted on the basis that they have hidden there cows, which they were coming to steal and so they will be taking hostage of women and children, as am writing now a woman and 4 children have been taken hosted and the 4 girls were kidnapped from one of the schools by the worriors. it is really sad, it is a feeling i never expected after the long journey away from home and coming back with mentality that calm has returned.

I would like to say that, many people are living camps to unknown destination and i quote'we have brought you to central province now find your way of life", in that note, i will be traveling to Ruiru in Thika district and especially to see the lady who gave birth in the open two days ago and being hosted by a shoe shiner, who rented a room of 1000ksh for her but she has nothing else other han that shelter. Many families have come from Nakuru and Molo, they are not recongnised as IDPs since they are coming on there own in a lorry but majority of the well wishers are hosting them in there houses and also renting houses and taking a family in each depending on the capacity.

This helps take care of women and children, because in most cases, children sleep on there own , women on there own and men as well, thus hosting them inform of families is mainting the family bound.

I will be meeting children and youth for fact finding and possibly know what is peace to them. I hope to start a youth group too.

In Nairobi, Mathare there was violence and some people lost there lives and car burnt. but calm has returned. i will keep you todate with the Nairobi unrest this morning.

VYP is calling on a peace caravan planning meeting on Monday at 10am at Peacenet Kenya. With what is happening on the ground, we have found out that we cannot have the caravan in April since some communities must fast agree there is a problem and accept to have healing and reconciliation. Thanks to the communities who are coming in to terms with reality. God comes at the right time and i pray that light will surely shine in the communities who are not yet open for dialogue , healing and reconciliation. in that not we shall plan for the Caravan in May 2008

DENNIS KIMAMBO, i would like you to contact the following when you are in Eldoret Kihara 0721770502 and John A-step 0722696336

Peace be with us all.

Rachel

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistichelping/message/2232

Thu Feb 7, 2008 3:10 pm

Rachel:

I would like to appreciate each one of you in the P.o.P and Janet for the motherly part you are contributing in the M.S., looking forward to the constitution. you are surely an exellent mother to the Kenyan women.

As my coordination of the P.O.P Kenyan team expires today, i would like to say that i have received very many requests, some have been mailed to the groups directly and some i have been called or i have called to gather the information.

1. Our trip to Naivasha for the large meeting with the Religious leaders, O.C.S of the area station and the larger group of the youth and journalists will br tommorrow from 10am, we need about 1,000USD which Ken will send you the break down as we discussed last night.

2.Achami in Kuresoi, would like to have 400USD for peace meetings in Kuresoi with the peace committees from different village/area. The money will be for travel and airtime and the meetings. He reported to me last night that there is calm in Kuresoi and he would like to take advantage and intervene immediately. I also would like support to join him next week.

- Achami also texted me this morning and this is what the text read: i have just received info about a lady who has been sexually molested and is bleeding from her private parts. I have sent police to rescue her, i wish we could assist her get medical attention. Laurence.

I feel that we need to contact the Nairobi Women Hospital immediately and have her in Nairobi asap. she will get free medical care. all what we could do is provide transport from the area to Nairobi, my Kenyan collegues know the hospital.

3. I have received alots of request from P.O.P for airtime and i am requesting for the same too and especially from yesterday, i have received more than ahundred phone calls and i would like to say that the Kalenjin youth in Eldoret have called me and they have told me that it is a good step and it has made sense to the minds of many. Some are just texting with pls call me message, and i am forced to do so for more information. I have also some youth groups in Rift Valley who have requested to be members of P.O.P from the same press release. I have also been called by individuals congratulating me and the team for the good work we are doing.

On the same note from the press release yesterday, a lady brought two young girls to me, and thuis is what she had to say, Rachel, you are doing a good job stopping the violence and sending airtime for people to communicate, for me am affected and my business was burnt to ashes and as a single mother am at a stand still, this girls are out of school because i dont have a place to stay and also i can feed them anymore, i cant go to the camp with my girls, i wish you can know what they have gone through, i am giving you the girls and i will com back for them when i have means of supporting them. At first, i was shocked because i didnt know where to start, after a long discussion i decided to adopt the girls tempararily by offerring to take them back to school.I feel that i should take care of the two girls and since am away from home most of the time i will offer them counselling for one week as i assign someone to get them a school. I dont have children and since i have a passion for children, i will now be working hard to educate them and that makes me happy atleast i have contributed in another way in this world. i feel that the woman has reached the end to an extend of giving the children to me. in this case, i will take them to aboarding school where it will cost me 200USD per month and when they come for holiday i will take care of them. one is in class 6 and the other one in class 4 (11 & 9years) respectively.

If i could get support or people willing to sponsor the two girls and they will be under my care, i would really appreciate.

I would like to say to the P.O.P members that this are the challenges we are going to face as we continue expanding and getting know in Kenya, in that note the idea of long term for self reliance to the poor should be taken into account.

4. charles Kilel, has called me and he has also written a mail to the group, i understand his need and he is also requesting for money to be able to communicate and interene in Kericho. He also called after i had texted him to check on the press release..

5. I receive a phone call from Cleo in US and discussed over the phone who i could contribute to his website for the positive side of Kenya, as he read from Africanews on the Naivasha story, i have agreed to work with him sharing our efforts and i think it will be good to link him with all the P.O.P in Kenya for one on one discussion for him to gather experiences from them. if thats ok with you. his new site under construction is www.guardians-of-peace.blogspot.com I also mentioned to him that P.O.P is looking for funding to facilitate the individuals doing the work and he was ready to make the requests to others through his website, and be able to contribute for the same.

some texts i have received as feedback from the press release

"Rachel, the lord bless you for all the good work you are doing for Kenya & Kenyans." annonymous

"Great work God Bless. Peace. Dr. Karambu"

"Rachel, tiz PoP is quite a gud idea! how do join n dialogue wit youths from Nandi 2ve a non-violence approach 2 polotical/social issuues!" Emannuel is in Nandi Hills, i think you could work with this person. i will give contact online after discussing with him/her the you could meet.

"Press Release (P.o.P) Daily Nation-6/7/08 plz reg. my group- SAROBICH YOUTH GROUP -Nandi Hills- Johana Kiptoo"

"Thank you so much for your efforts in bringing about peace, for rising up above the madness. my name is Cleo"

" SalamuVery heartened to see the Pyramid for Peace work, i will spread the word and recruit more people overseas and @home tuzidi" Babu

thats almost all for now.

Howver, Wesley, am still waiting for youth contacts in Eldoret.

Thanks Rono for the same.

Laura, if you are on the network kindly get intouch, we have plan to go back to Eldoret, Ken will speak about this and we would like to meet you and your group as well.

I am today because you were yesterday. message to our elders. thus we the youth wish to see our generations. This came out yesterday from a youth forum we had in one of the Nairobi Estates which has been a hot spot. I will report that later.

Bye for now and lets walk the talk

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistichelping/message/1945

Dear all, I have spoken to Dennis and he says he is fine but much assistance is required to evacuate firends and people he knows who is caught between the rock. He says all those who are at the network are ok but the fight is going on now and many bodies are being identified in the area. The Kalenjin and Kikuyu alias Mungiki and now the Pokot as he say have been brought in by the Kalenjin, meaning it very bad, at the moment helicopters are flying round the area, police GSU and the army have gone to resque, and he will keep updating on the situation. I would like to mention that we are meeting Koffi Annan tommorrow at 2pm, it is a youth meeting and if the group can mail their ideas i will be able to present them tommorrow. I have invited David who has confirmed participation, Ken cannot make it because they have an event which i will be attending in the morning. I have so far met David and Ken, we have a youth meeting in the morning where we agreed that we are going to fundraising for a short term peacce initiative 6months with the immediate being consultative meetings in various province=Districts with all the youth initiatives already registered to have a ground to build on during a peace caravan which will follow and there after income generating activities as long term and other projects for peaccce and development. we are meeting again on Monday at 10am. David can you write to the forum more of the discussion we had today. nice meeting you all. Peace for you and me Rachel

--- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistichelping/message/1889 Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:40 pm

Dear All, I am happy to be here again sitting infront of a pc trying to respond to your mails.

Just a clarificaton about a contact i got in one of the mails, DO WE HAVE RONO AND RONALD IN THE LIST AND BOTH IN NAKURU? I spoke to RONO with a perception that it is the RON of Nakuru peacetiles, whom i had met but it was different RONO (in Kuresoi) but resides in Nakuru? I stand to be corrected but in need clarity. It is unfortunate i didnt meet any when i was in Nakuru. Ronald i have just seen your phone number and i will get intouch after immediately.

I am currently in Nakuru and i have organised youth meeting in the morning and afternoon. i have also met with some children in the Internally Displaced Camps. it is unfortunate to say that what met my eyes were more that what i expected. At the showground the total number of people living there which is growing everyday is more that 12,000 compose of Kikuyu the highest community, Kisii and number of Luyias.

There are different camps with different with names, i have worked with selected youth from different camps and also who are from different areas and they met in the camps.

I would like to admit that it is very difficult to meet the other tribes in the area is there anyone with contacts which could be useful to get some thoughts from the other side ie the Nandi and the luos in the area?

I will meet Wesley tommorrow morning and i hope to get a guide from there.

I would like to just highlight some problems in the camp 1. food - though it is being supplied by the Red Cross sometimes it is out of stock and the women and girls are forced to go for alternative source of income. "if you want to get a woman for free go to the showground, you will have her as long as you want for accomondation and food." a quote from one of the man in the outside world. Immorality in the camps is high as one married man said because of food we husband are getting into dispute with our wives when children start crying for food. just to mention that food is an issue in the camp.

I was intouch with one of the woman who escaped death narrowly from the burnt church, will give details in the report. we have had a tour of Eldoret where houses have been burnt, so surprising and also details of the happening. i will not give details now but in the report, i have to gather more before i can break the news.

I am accompanied by Edwin who is a Voluntary Youth Philanthropists member.

Dennis lets meet tommorrow when at Eldoret give me a call i shall be able too give you direction on where we shall be. see you soon.

Peace and Justice which one comes first let me here from you all n the network if you have an idea.

Rachel

--- Dear Dennis, Ken, Rachel, Sam, and All,

It is a great pleasure to introduce you to Rachel Wambui Kung'u, Peace Camel Caravan organizer, country organizer for the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF), and now chair of Peacenet Kenya youth initiatives. She is at wambui@... and rachel.kungu@....

She is herself undertaking to go to Eldoret for talks with youth there, and to concentrate the peace activities usually undertaken by the Caravan on outreach to youth and on peace-building initiatives, in the wake of the tragic post-election events. I have mentioned briefly some of our activities, and you (Dennis, Ken) and we can fill her in on more.

Rachel, if you're interested, you might join us at the forum I moderate called Holistic Helping, where there are many Kenyan and African members, such as Dennis and Ken. Peace discussions will be a primary focus for the forum in coming months. Send a blank mail to holistichelping-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Please read more about her activities below, and where she thinks those on the ground might coordinate their activities. Hope you can link up soon, and in the meantime and always, love and blessings, and may we walk a mile for a peace camel, haha! Janet

Rachel: I would really appreciate to network with Dennis and Ken. For Ken who is in Nairobi, i would like to request him to join the youth peace initiative being held at Peacenet Kenya of which am appointed as the chair, to forward information of immediate peace activity proposal which could stop the violence in there respective areas of operation. However, i would request them as i make the trip to the Rift Valley, we meet and plan on the caravan (pre caravan activities for the youth) and the possibility of there coordination especially in Nakuru.

Hello Friends,

I would like to introduce myself: I am Rachel Wambui Kungu, a peace worker living in Kangemi Slum District, Nairobi. On the family level, I work as a family violence monitor, and at the community level with activities in Kangemi. On the national level, I do peacework through the Peace Camel Caravan. This annual event starts in Kangemi and moves out to villages, towns, and cities, with a cultural presentation put together by youth from the slums.

At each new stop the Caravan brings people together from Kenya's many ethnic groups, to discuss issues of common interest through the medium of cultural exchange. I have a special focus on youth and children's art.

At the present time, I would like to go to Eldoret and the surrounding region as soon as possible to initiate a youth peace campaign. Eldoret is in one of the areas where ethnic friction has flared up (where many people fleeing violence were burned inside a church). I am hoping to get a ride in an emergency relief vehicle, as the public transportation is very unsafe at this time.

This is my plan:

1. Meet with the youth I met and worked with during the Peace Camel Caravan last year. It is from there then we can combine the youth with other youths with strong focus on peace from different communities for the campaign. 2. Talk to other youths individually to have numbers for a peaceful campaign and advocacy. 3. Organize creative art with children on the situation and what they see and what they think about it and what they would like to see. From the drawing we shall be able to have a picture of what is going through childrens' minds and thus plan the area of intervention. 4. We shall have a Peace Caravan, drawing participants from all the trip to show that we can live together. 5. I shall have a talk with women to encourage their husbands and sons to ask for justice in an active non-violent way. Don't look for justice when you can injustice to others.

At the moment that is my area of intervention. I have issued statements to youth through the media and been on a live talk show, but that is not enough, I wish to be part of the community, the better to intervene regarding peaceful approaches to the election issues and other challenges.

I estimate that I will need 60,000 Kenya Shillings ($1,000 Cdn) for the trip, including upkeep, logistics and art materials. Note: so far, Rachel has raised about $600.

Are there any organizations or individuals who can help with this at very short notice??

Once I am in Eldoret I will be able to assess the situation and start workng on the real peace campaign at the beginning of February. This year's Peace Caravan, planned for April (for which we already have some support), may change its focus to accommodate events on the ground as they unfold.

I am working with friends and colleagues in Kenya on this project, and also two friends based in Canada and the USA. Please feel free to contact any and/or all of us if interested! Thanks so much!

Yours sincerely, Rachel Wambui Kungu Nairobi, Kenya rachel.kungu@... wambui@... www.peace-caravan.org

About this page

• DeepestValue=Giving voice to the voiceless
• InvestigatoryQuestion=Why do I do what I do as a person?
• InvestigatoryQuestion2=Why do I want to empower the youth?
• InvestigatoryQuestion3=Why it happens to me? Why am I always concerned with others and forgetting myself?
• KenyansToCall=
• LatestNewsFromKenya= Rachel Kungu ,22 January : 12000 internally displaced persons in Nakuru , mostly Kikuyus hard social situation, lack of food, family's heavily stressed and prostitution for food is emerging;
• KenyaBuddy=Cleo
• KenyaBuddyUpdate=February 12, Rachel asks for a video camera to document her peace work.

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