Hi Andreas, Janet,Pamand all. Am writing this email to give report which i went to to in Sotik district which is inthe South rift. amsory for sending it late cause i had a fever because of the change of weather and a problem with internet where i am.

Kindley go throught the report and find out what i managed to get on the ground.

South Rift (Sotik) Report

Trip to Sotik from 12th – 15th February 2008.

The sotik trip was very tensed, dint know what will happen and it was very educative in terms of

Talking to young people nearly 60 youths, that's from one community!

I had to commute like 68km to get to sotik every day since I got to Sotik, I was advised not to

Spend in sotik because of security in the place. That's the reason why I had to commute like two

Vehicle to get to sotik, to and fro. I feel it was a challenge and the challenge was worth it. I have

achieved something and I feel as young people there is a are big responsibilities before us to

reconstruct. This nation of ours. This didn't affect my intended mission which I had decided from my heart that I have to do it.

I believe youths can offer better and good leadership all over this country. The problem is that

They haven't been given a chance to portray there leadership.

Issues affecting them

• Unemployment

• Land disputes

• Empowerment of the young people

• Cattle rustling

• There voice not been heard.

• Tribal clashes

This are the most issues that I managed to get from a bigger percentage of the young people,

through out the four days I was in sotik.

Normally I was told sotik is a quite cosmopolitan town, but because of the post election violence it

has cost them, destruction, violence

Insecurity, looting of businesses & homes and sending away other communities from the town,

the place

has become tensed and unpredictable with everyone now worried about their lives and how thing

are going to turn. Young people don't know where to start from, most of them who have lost almost everything in the skirmishes.

The interesting part of this is that the same young people are ready, to learn, listen and are

positive and ready to

Work together with others community for there own benefit and for the country.

The destruction which happened in sotik was triggered by rumors; they also felt that there good

will was breached through the past election results.

There was also the issue of division among the

youth in the community, which I saw brought a serious destruction of most of the small business

being burnt which were most owed by them.

Most of the young men who owed business have sold their cattle to open up new business;

others had saved as a group to open a group business. Currently they are sitting around idle.

Due to the violence in sotik town, the youth themselves have been affected and confessed that

they have lost there businesses with other communities they were close in personal and business

level. I asked them if they can think of something they can do to keep them busy, a young lady

answered me bitterly what can we do now?, our business is burnt, everyone is scattered, we

don't have money to start over and our cattle have been stolen.

When I talked with the lady, I found out that she had business /store which she was selling of new

clothes. Her business had done well that she had also bought two cows which were stolen in the skirmishes.

Way forward Interventions for Peace, Truth and Justice With more than 40 youth in the serving community, and youth led organizations, I want to organize for initiatives that are focused to intervening in the crisis.

Peace Discussions I am looking forward to plan for Peace dialogues in the affected communities by a number of the pyramid of peace members we want to implement and see this initiative will continues to go on until a lasting solution is found among the warring communities.

Intra Generational Dialogues Another way i saw is to initiative to implement intra and inter generational dialogues within the communities.

Reconstruction work

I believe it will be a good idea to support then mentally and also help the affected people mostly the youth to start rebuilding and reconstruction for the families who lost their business in the skirmishes. I would therefore appeal for donations of iron sheets, building materials and planting seeds to help the families get back on their normalcy in the communities. This is just my idea and what I have observed, it left for discussions.

Young Peoples Retreat I have also thought it will work well to organize one day retreat for the young leaders where key issues are to be addresses including response to the crisis, reflections, the role of the young leaders, restructuring of the affected business and how to bring together young people from different communities & cultures. The following facts are the driving ideas of our intervention;  The consequences of the crisis will be born by young people;  We must have a unified and comprehensive solution to the crisis;  The voice of the young people must be heard.  Civil education

Young leaders will use the existing opportunity to carefully project and lead in recreating the trust and coexistence which has been broken. The Young leaders agreed to address the following issues

1. Definition of and building of a Kenyan nation of shared values and Cultures through out the region 2. Consolidate young people into an actor to offer transformational leadership 3. Resolve the crisis emanating from the disputed election within themselves 4. That human security and human rights be guaranteed. 5. Resolve the historic injustice.

Young leaders agreed to better organize their interventions that will subsequently lead to the following activities;

Youth Trainings. Youth Leaders in sotik to discuss among other issues the value of their nationhood. This gathering will be a clip of activities all over the region in promoting the agenda of the youth in all national issues affecting the country. Also this will help them focus on a pictorial expression of the post election violence. Where they can invite the media and other free lance journalist to showcase their photos taken in the violence stricken regions. This will be a very reflective moment for people to have an opportunity to think about the situation and vent through silence and get the opportunity to move on for a peaceful country. The victims of the skirmishes will be invited to share their stories. Pyramid of peace will be a very special moment in institutionalizing the most prestigious youth gathering in sotik and other areas which will see programmes and activities start rolling through out the country in most of the affected areas. I believe this will be achieved through; Peace Building, Renewal, Reconstruction, Humanitarian Assistance through transformative Leadership by Young Kenyans.

A database will be created for learning and sharing of information. A Press adverts to be created. The intervention will be threefold in mobilization and implementation which will be agreed upon issues as follows; • Messaging and communication • Outreach and mobilization. • Also financing.

From the evidence the Young People were the largest in terms of turn out in the elections; they were the biggest losers after the election results were announced; they were mostly the perpetrators of the violence and are the only ones that must and will rebuild this country after it will have been shattered and destroyed. That common ground must be found and all young people to work together making it a better life to live peacefully and in harmony.

i also managed to meet the local chief, TURGUT JAPHET (YOUTH OFFIECER) 0720355001 on the ground, National aids council representative and the area councillar(CLLR) D.R. BIG FIVE 0720678498. all were interested in peoplein the village to be taught more, and we all agreed that this should be an intiative which much go on till people on the ground may understand and take responsibilty that anything they decide will afect them positvly or negatively. here are most the youth i managed to talk to also JOYCE TANUI 0724839841 GEOFRY NUTAI 0711871989 DANIEL CHEPKOONEY 0727824875 RUTTOH HILLARY 0721864190 ROBERT KOECH 0729482090 CHRISTOPHER NGENO 0724753574 NGENO ALFRED 0724753574 KIPTANUI KIGEN 0722108016 BERNARD KIGEN 0722108016 LEOANRD CHERUYOT 0728142038 KIGEN BERNARD 0723781464 KIRUI JEREMIAH 0720039392 KIPLANGAT KIRUI 0728170031 KIRUI ABRAHAM 0728170031 TURGUT JAPHET (YOUTH OFFIECER) 0720355001 CLLR. D.R.BIG FIVE 0720678498 PAUL KIPKEMOI TUNUI 0724861185 KIBET KOECH DANIEL 0726216460 CHEPKEMOI ANNETE KOECH

how the money i was given was spend,$250 (Ksh.17,000/=) 1. transort-ksh 5,000/= 4days 2. food-ksh 3,000/= 4 days 3. airtime- ksh.3,500/= 4days 4. bedding- ksh.4,000/= 4days 5. email- ksh.800/= 4days 6. refreshments( mineralwater)- ksh.600/=

i will kindly request for a phone that i can easily access internet and for easier to communicate and give updates for the feedback from the ground coz the place is alittle bit interior and there is no internet in sotik.

I want to thank you all the pyramid of piece team, Rachel, David. Ken. Rono, Chelimo, Wesley, Kimambo and those i haven't named for the support and the prayers you offered. Not forgetting Andrius, Janet, and all who have made this to come to pass, we couldn't have done this without us being a team and working together. My love goes to you all, i don't have enough words to say but I will say GOD BLESS YOU.

I HAVE SOME PHOTOS WHICH I AMTRYNIG TO SEND YOU CAN SEE.

Edwine Nyandisi +254-722587836 Pyramid of peace.

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• KenyansToCall=PETER LANGAT+254723406957; ISAAC BETT +254724497684; CHEROTIAN HELLEN +254723262044; MAURINE CHEBET +254720014344; JACKLINE RONO +254711497963 ;PETER KIRUI +254723948645 ; KIBET TONOI LEONARD+254723644168; KENNEDY LANGAT +254720170031; DENNIS KINGENO KIGEN +254729718084; Edwine Nyandisi +254-722587836 ; TURGUT JAPHET (YOUTH OFFIECER) 0720355001;area councilor(CLLR) D.R. BIG FIVE 0720678498;JOYCE TANUI 0724839841 GEOFRY NUTAI 0711871989 DANIEL CHEPKOONEY 0727824875 RUTTOH HILLARY 0721864190 ROBERT KOECH 0729482090 CHRISTOPHER NGENO 0724753574 NGENO ALFRED 0724753574 KIPTANUI KIGEN 0722108016 BERNARD KIGEN 0722108016 LEOANRD CHERUYOT 0728142038 KIGEN BERNARD 0723781464 KIRUI JEREMIAH 0720039392 KIPLANGAT KIRUI 0728170031 KIRUI ABRAHAM 0728170031;PAUL KIPKEMOI TUNUI 0724861185 KIBET KOECH DANIEL 0726216460
• LatestNewsFromKenya=Edwine Nyandisi had a meeting with youth of Sotik