The Humanist Movement in Kenya 

Maendelosho ya hutu mpia     

	Teams are organising themselves in  Nairobi and Nyanza Province to support projects in health, education, community development and quality of life. The following are some of those projects and how to contact them.
Education for orphans funded through water projects Support to local schools in Kisumu which have established projects of assistance to local orphans and families unable to pay for their children’s education.  The projects include the installation of water wells, chicken rearing, egg production and drinking water distribution.		Community Development: Land irrigation and community clinics A team in Nyanza province has began a rural project in which growing vegetables with the help of a water pump acquired with a zero interest loan will raise the economic situation of the community and allow for progressive building of resources to provide for the health and education of the area.
Books and computers for schools and literacy training for teachers Collection of computers and books and sending them with the assistance of volunteer teachers to Kisumu, Kenya.  The teachers have also been training the Kenyan teachers in advanced reading methods.		In Kisumu, another team is working on themes related to the well being of children, in particular in the elimination of violence against children and plan to aid the rehabilitation of street children through education. From this the team hopes to reach out to the wider community to improve the quality of life of the Kisumu area.

Other Projects are being developed in the towns of Kitale on themes of community development, education and women's issues. A new team in Mombasa is planning its area of interest.

The Kilele Youth Group

Young people organising themselves to further their education and work prospects, and to help their neighbourhoods.

Some of the projects being developed include a literacy programme, learning computer skills and organising meetings of personal work. The group has already carried out a campaign to clean up their neighbourhood.

Other Projects

Several Schools are developing support groups for orphans and funding them through water projects, rearing chickens and other very creative forms of community action. There is interest in continuing the interchange between Kenya and UK children through questions shown in video and collection of children's books for distribution amongst the schools setting up humanist projects. 

Other youths, in particular women, are developing skills in counseling families and their communities on themes such as HIV, violence, etc.

Contact: aliceokall@hotmail.com  

Women in Kenya

• Women have been central to the campaigns against HIV/AIDS. The Humanist Movement works in co-operation with other organisations (Photo: WOFAK worker demonstrating a condom in a village during a Humanist Movement Health Camp) to support education, general health measures (a wide range of tools of personal work have been made available) and campaigns to reduce the price and recycle drugs used in HIV and related illnesses.
• Women's Issues: working on the theme of violence against women, the situation of widows and orphans in rural areas, women's education and women's rights in general.
• There are groups in Nairobi, Kisumu, in Katito and Kitale in which women play a very prominent role in the development of community based projects at the same time that they acquire the leadership and empowerment that put them at the forefront of change in modern Kenya.

   Health  

In February 2001, members of the Humanist Movement in Kenya organised 2 free treatment camps with some support from the UK team. Various governmental departments and NGO’s were approached to donate equipment, transport, drugs, doctors and nurses and funding.

The organisations included:

WOFAK (Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya)

NEPHAK (Network of people having AIDS in Kenya)

Marie Stopes International

Kenya Ministry of Health

Provincial Medical Office (Nyanza)

The camps took place over 2 days each in 2 different rural locations (Magunga and Chianda). The first day consisted of health education where information about HIV/AIDS was given to everyone who attended the camps. The information consisted of safe sex strategies, distribution of male and female condoms (to a somewhat bewildered audience), information posters, nutrition and stress reduction.

The second day was for general health treatment made by local doctors and nurses including, vaccinations, treatment of long standing illnesses endemic in the area.

We estimate that over 2000 people attended the treatment camps with over 700 people being seen by the doctors.

 

UPONYAJI WA MATESO (Kiswahili version of The Healing of Suffering) 

Ikiwa umekuja kumsikiliza mtu ambaye amedhaniwa hupisha hekima, umekosea njia, maana hekima ya kweli haifunuliwi kwa vitabu au hotuba –hekima ya kweli inapatikana katika kina cha nafsi, vile pendo la kweli lina patikana katika kina cha moyo wako. Ukiwa umekuja kwa sisitizo la wachongezi na wanafiki kusikiliza huyu mtu ili unachosikia leo huenda kitumiwe dhidi yake, umekosea njia, sababu huyu mtu haja kuja hapa kukuomba chochote au kukutumia, kwa sababu hakuhitaji. 

Unamsikiliza mtu ambaye hatambui sheria zinazotawala ulimwengu, ambaye si msiri wa sheria za historia, ambaye hajali uhusiano unaotawala watu wa dunia. Juu ya milima haya, mbali na miji na tamaa yao mbaya, mtu huyu anajisimulia kwa nafsi yako. Katika miji, ambaki kila siku ni pambano, tumaini iliyofupishwa kwa kifo, ambako upendo unafuatwa na chuki, ambako msamaha unafuatwa na kisasi, katika miji ya matajiri na masikini; katika wingi wa ubinadamu, tandiko la mateso limeanguka. Unateseka wakati uchungu umekuuma. Unateseka wakati njaa imekukamata mwilini. Lakini hauteseki tu kwa maumivu na njaa ya mwili wako-unateseka pia kutokana na tokeo la magonjwa yanayokudhuru.

 Ni lazima tubainishe aina mbili ya mateso. Kuna mateso yanayotendeka wakati wa ugonjwa na hiyo hudidimia na uvumbuzi wa sayansi, vile njaa inaweza kudidimia kama umiliki wa haki umeendelea. Kunayo pia mateso ambayo hayategemei ugonjwa wa mwili wako na bado hupata kwa ugonjwa: Ikiwa umelemaa, ikiwa hauwezi kuona, ikiwa hauwezi kusikia, unateseka. Na ingawa mateso kama haya hupata kwa mwili wako, au kwa magonjwa ya mwili wako, haya mateso ni ya akili yako.

 Bado kuna aina nyingne ya mateso ambayo hayadidimii hata kwa kuendelea kwa sayansi au kwa kuendelea kwa haki. Aina hii ya mateso, ambayo ni ya akili yako pekee, hudidimia kabla ya imani, kabla ya furaha kwa maisha, kabla ya upendo. Sharti uelewe ya kuwa mateso haya huwa na mizizi yake kwa ghasia iliyoko kwenye nafsi yako mwenyewe. Unateseka kwa sababu unahofia kupoteza ulichonacho, au kwa sababu ya kile umeshapoteza tayari, au kwa sababu ya unachopigania kufikia. Unateseka kwa sababu ya kile hauna, au kwa sababu una uoga kijumla.

 Haya basi ndiyo maadui kubwa wa kibinadamu: Uoga wa kuwa mgonjwa, uoga wa umaskini, uoga wa kifo, uoga wa upweke. Hizi aina zote za mateso hufuatana na akili yako, na zote hufunua ghasia yako ya kindani, ghasia iliyoko ndani ya akili yako. Tambua vile ghasia hutokea kwa shauku. Vile mtu anavyozidi kuwa mchafuzi, ndivyo matakwa yake yanavyozidi. 

Ningependa kusimulia hadithi kilichofanyika hapo zamani za kale.

 Kulikuwa na msafiri ambaye alikuwa aende safari ndefu. Alimfunga mnyama wake kwa mkokoteni na akaanza mwendo kuelekea sehemu za mbali, mwendo ambayo alikuwa amalize kwa wakati fulani. Alimwita mnyama huyo hitaji na mkokoteni tamaa; gurudumu moja ya mkokoteni aliliita anasa, na lingine akaliita uchungu. Msafiri wetu aligeuza mkokoteni wake saa zingine kulia na saa zigine kushoto, na bado hakukoma kuelekea ukingoni mwake. Vile mkokoteni ulivyozidi kuenda kwa kasi, ndivyo gurudumu la anasa na uchungu ukiwa umebeba vile mkokoteni wa taka na kuunganishwa vile ulivyokuwa. Lakini safari ilikuwa ndefu sana, na baada ya muda msafiri wetu alichoshwa. Hivi aliamua kupamba mkokoteni wake, na akaanza kuurembesha na kila aina ya vitu vizuri. Lakini vile alivyozidi kuupamba mkokoteni wa taka na haya madoido, ndivyo uzito wa hitaji ulivyozidi kuvuta. Kwa mviringo na mwinuko wa milima ya barabara, mnyama huyu masikini alichoka sana kuvuta mkokoteni wa taka. Na pahali barabara ilikuwa nyororo, gurudumu la anasa na mateso lilikwama ardhini.

 Siku moja, sababu barabara ilikuwa ndefu na bado alikuwa mbali sana na ukingo wake, msafiri wetu alianza kukata tamaa. Usiku huo aliamua kutafakari juu ya shida hilo, na katikati mwa tafakari lake alisikia sauti ya rafiki wake wa zamani, hitaji. Kuelewa habari hiyo, aliamka mapema asubuhi yake na akaanza kupunguza uzito wa mkokoteni akauondolea madoido yote. Kisha akaanza mwendo tena kuelekea ukingoni, na mnyama wa hitaji akivuta mkokoteni aste aste. Bado msafiri wetu alishaa poteza muda mwingi-muda ambao hauwezi kupatikana tena. Usiku uliofuatia alikaa chini tena kutafakari, na akagundua, shukrani kwa jambo jingine kutoka kwa rafiki wake wa zamani, ya kuwa alikuwa achukue jukumu ngumu sana kwa sababu ilihusu kuachilia. Wakati wa asubuhi aliachilia mkokoteni wa tamaa. Ni kweli kuwa alipofanya hivyo alipoteza gurudumu la anasa, na hata akapoteza gurudumu la mateso. Na hivyo kuachilia mkokoteni wa tamaa, alipanda mnyama aitwaye hitaji na akaenda mbio kupitia mashamba ya majani mabichi mpaka akafikia ukingoni. 

Ona jinsi tamaa inavyoweza kukushika. Lakini elewa kuwa kuna tamaa mbalimbali. Kuna tamaa bichi, na kuna tamaa bora. Inua tamaa, takasisha tamaa, shinda tamaa! Kwa kufanya hivyo lazima utupilie mbali gurudumu la anasa-lakini utakuwa huru kwa gurudumu la mateso.

 Kuchochewa kwa tamaa, machafuko ndani ya mtu hayabaki tu kama ugonjwa katika nafsi ya mtu huyo-yanayotendeka katika dunia ya watu wengine na yanafanywa juu yao. Na usifikiri ya kuwa ninapozungumza kuhusu machafuko ninaongea tu kuhusu visa vya kujihami, ambapo wanaume wanaangamiza wengine. Hiyo tu ni aina moja ya mchafuko wa nguvu.

 Kuna pia mchafuko wa uchumi. Mchafuko wa kiuchumi ni mchafuko ambapo unanyanyasa wengine; mchafuko wa uchumi unafanyika unapomwibia mwingine, wakati wewe si ndugu au dada kwa wengine ila ndege anayewakulia.

 Kuna pia mchafuko wa kikabila. Ama unafikiri ya kuwa hauchochezi unapohukumu mtu kwa sababu si wa kabila lako? Je unafikiri ya kuwa haujihusishi kwa mchafuko unapotenga huyo mtu ni wa kabila tofauti na lako.

 Na kuna mchafuko wa kidini. Je unafikiri haujihusishi kwa michafuko unapokataza kazi kwa, kufunga milango yako kwa, au kumfukuza mtu kwa sababu mtu huyo hampatani naye kwa imani ya kidini? Je unaamini ya kuwa si chochezi unapotumia maneno ya chuki kujenga kuta kuzingira watu wengine, kuwatenganisha kutoka kwa jamii, sababu hawashiriki imani ya dini lako-kuwatenga ndani ya familia zao, kuwabagua pamoja na wapendwa wao, sababu hawashiriki kwa dini lako?

 Kuna aina zingine za ghasia zinazolazimishwa na tabia za Kifilisti. Ungependa kulazimisha njia yako ya kimaisha kwa mwingine, ungependa kulazimisha kazi yako kwa mwingine. Lakini nani amekuambia ya kuwa wewe ni mfano ambao lazima ufuatwe? Nani amekuambia ya kuwa unaweza kulazimisha njia ya kimaisha kwa vile inakupendeza? Nini kinasababisha hali yako ya kimaisha kuwa mfano: mwenendo wa kuwa una haki ya kulazimisha wengine? Hii ni aina nyingine ya ghasia.

 Imani ya kiroho na kutafakari tu ndiyo inaweza kutimisha ghasia ndani yako, kwa wengine, na kwa dunia inayokuzingira. Milango yote mengine ni ya uongo na hayaelekezi kutoka kwa ghasia hizi. Ulimwengu huu uko katika hali ya kulipuka pasipo njia ya kumaliza ghasia. Usichague milango ya uongo. Hakuna siasa zinazoweza kusuluhisha msisimuko wa ghasia. Hakuna chama cha kisiasa au muungano duniani unaoweza kumaliza ghasia. Usichague milango ya uongo yanayoahidi kuongoza kutoka kwa ghasia duniani. Nimesikia ya kuwa duniani kote vijana wanageukia milango yasiyo ya kweli kujaribu kuhepa ghasia na mateso ya kindani. Wanageukia madawa isiyo ya kweli kujaribu kumaliza ghasia.

 Ndugu yangu, dada yangu -weka amri hizi rahisi, rahisi kama mawe haya, theluji hii na hii jua inayotubariki. Beba amani ndani yako, na uibebe kwa wengine. Ndugu yangu dada yangu –ukiangalia nyuma katika historia, utaona binadamu akivaa uso wa mateso. Kumbuka hata unapotazama uso huo wa mateso, ya kuwa ni ya maana kuendelea mbele, na ni vyema kujifundisha kucheka, na ni la maana kujifundisha kupenda.

 Kwako, ndugu yangu na dada yangu, ninaangaza imani hii-hii imani ya furaha, hii imani ya upendo-ili uinue moyo wako na uinue roho yako na ili usisahau kuinua mwili wako.

 

This site will continue to receive information about all the humanist projects that are being developed in Kenya. A network to support health, education and infrastructure is being developed also in other countries, e.g. the UK, in co-operation with relayNET, human support networks.